Vanilla Cupcakes with Lime Curd Filling and Cherry Chocolate Chip Swiss Meringue

4 dozen cupcakes / 350 F

Cupcakes

1 lb 4 oz all purpose flour
80 g cornstarch
4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 cup vegetable oil
2 cup milk
8 large eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla extract


Sift the dry ingredients together.

Put the wet ingredients in another bowl and mix together. Add the wet to the dry and combine thoroughly.

Scoop into cupcake papers about three-quarters full.

Bake for 20 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Lime Curd

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp lime juice
9 egg yolks
150 grams sugar
52 grams butter, room temperature


Place the lime juice in a small sauce pot and heat until simmering.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together well while the lime juice heats up.

Once the juice is simmering, quickly whisk in the yolk/sugar mixture and continue to whisk and heat until the curd has thickened enough to leave a trail on the back of a spatula.

As the curd is getting close, add the butter in.

Allow to cool completely before using.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Swiss Meringue

10 egg whites
3 cup granulated sugar
32 oz unsalted butter
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup cherry juice
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate morsels


Heat a small saucepan with one inch of water, bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to a low simmer. Place a heat safe mixing bowl over the simmering water. Add egg whites and sugar to bowl, whisking until combined. Attach a candy thermometer and continue whisking over simmering water until temperature reaches 145  F.

In a clean, dry mixing bowl, attached to a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg white mixture on medium speed until doubled in size and cooled. This process takes 6-10 minutes.

Slowly beat in butter, 1-2 Tbsp. at a time. Keep mixing until all butter has been added. It may appear curdled, keep mixing. Add salt slowly and add cherry juice. This process takes an additional 8-10 minutes for the addition of butter and juice. Fold mini morsels into frosting.
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Either add a thawed frozen cherry on top of the lime curd as a filling if cherries are out of season. But if you can get fresh. Dip in melted chocolate and top with a pitted chocolate covered cherry.