Lemon Pie Cupcakes

i don't yet know how i feel about cream filled cupcakes. i mean call me plain but i've always felt like cake and clouds of icing piled on top in fun swirls was enough to keep my attention. but maybe filling is a good thing. were would eclairs be without their creamy vanilla filling? chocolate truffles? ding-dongs and pop-tarts?!

well ok so i'll give it a try. due to a miscalculation i had a about 1 1/2 cups of the lemon pie filling left over from my lemon meringue pies. being me means you refuse to through baked goods in the garbage. so what to do? fill some cupcakes with them delish leftovers. this weekend was a busy one. between seeing a friend's new baby and another's new condo there were a lot of cupcakes flying around the ole kitchen. and this was the perfect chance to use that filling. everyone seemed to enjoy - one comment: make sure to put sufficient amounts of the filling in each, or it will just taste like you are trying to sneak a flinstone's multi vitamin in on someone.

LEMON PIE CUPCAKES

1/2c + 2 tbs flour

1 1/2 tbs cornstarch

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

3 1/2 oz butter

1/2c + 2 tbs sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2c buttermilk

*preheat oven to 350F

* sift together all the dry ingredients

* in separate bowl cream the butter and sugar to fluffy and smooth

*add the eggs one at a time, add the vanilla

*add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the buttermilk.

*continue this until all is incorporated, ending on the flour

*pour into prepared pan and cook for 20 mins

*once cooled, with a knife cut out a small round of the cupcake. hollow out with a spoon if needed. fill with lemon pie filling (from previous post).

*cut the excess cake from the small round you cut out so you are left with a flat disk. place that disk back over the top of the cupcake (icing will hide the seam).

FLUFFY WHITE ICING

2 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/3c water

1c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

*beat the whites and the tartar until soft peaks form

*bring sugar and water to boil over medium heat.

*once the sugar reaches 240F take off heat

*with the mixers on slowly pour the boiling sugar into the egg whites

*continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 6-8 minutes