Any excuse for a brulee...

I love my blow torch.

My housemate's friend came over for dinner once and brought with her a tray of raspberry brulees. Having salivated at the memory of them for weeks, I decided to concoct my own interpretation of a brulee.

After a hectic day at work sometimes there is nothing better than unwinding with just my KitchenAid for company.

I came up with these lemon brulee cupcakes after one such hectic day...enjoy them as much as my housemate and work colleagues did!

Lemon Brulee Cupcakes

125g unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup caster sugar

2 tbls lemon juice

1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups self raising flour, sifted

Buttercream icing

125g unsalted butter, softened

500g icing sugar

2 tbls lemon juice

5 tbls caster sugar or vanilla sugar (I used vanilla sugar, this is optional)

Hot water

Preheat oven to 180 celsius/160 fan forced & prepare cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and 3/4 cup caster sugar. Add lemon juice and rind. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Gradually add flour and milk and beat until just combined. Spoon into prepared cupcake liners & bake for 12-15 mins or until cakes spring back when lightly touched. Allow to cool.

To prepare buttercream, whip butter until smooth. Add lemon juice and gradually add icing sugar. Add hot water as required. Mix until smooth and velvety and will hold its shape when piped.

Spoon icing into a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle. Pipe rounds onto cooled cupcakes. While icing is still wet (best to ice a few at a time) liberally sprinkle caster/vanilla sugar on to icing. Using a kitchen blow torch, gently heat the sugar until it browns.

Enjoy!