Monthly EASY Recipe: Date and Nutella Cupcakes with Meringue and Buttercream Frosting!

Ingredients [Date and Nutella Cupcakes]:

• 210g Self Raising Flour
• 135g Treacle Sugar (Muscovado)
• 125ml Milk
• 1 Jumbo Egg
• Few Drops Pure Vanilla Extract
• 45g Butter at room temperature
• Pinch of Salt
• 125g Dates - finely chopped
• 125ml Boiling Water
• 2.5ml Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1/2 Jar Nutella Spread with the zest of an orange (finely grated) mixed in

Ingredients [Meringue Buttercream Frosting]:

• 2 Jumbo Egg Whites - at room temperature
• 130g Treacle Sugar (Muscovado)
• 120g Butter - softened
• 1 Vanilla Bean - split and the seeds scraped out

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Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line a large muffin pan with large muffin cups.
Place the dates in a bowl and sprinkle on the bicarb of soda then add the boiling water. Allow to stand while you make the batter.
Using an electric mixer beat the butter till light and fluffy, add the egg and beat in. Add the milk and vanilla and beat all together till well beaten. Sift in the flour & salt and add the brown sugar and beat in gently. Drain the dates then add them to the batter and fold in gently.
Place small amounts of batter into each paper case. Place a large dollop of Nutella onto the batter in each case. Cover well with another amount of batter (each case must be about 2/3 full). Place into preheated oven and bake about 20 minutes. Allow to cool on wire racks then decorate when cold.
Make frosting: Whisk egg whites and sugar together over a bowl of simmering water until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch. Pour into the bowl of an electric mixer, add the vanilla seeds and beat on high speed for about 5 minutes until thick and fluffy. Start beating in little bits of butter at a time, incorporating well after each addition until the frosting is beautifully smooth and fluffy. Place in an icing bag and pipe onto the cold cupcakes.

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