Cupcake Hero: Better Late than Never

Right. So, this is June's cupcake. Let's not talk about the fact that July is now over. Let's also not mention that I actually made these cupcakes in July, thinking that I was going to have them submitted on time. Let's just enjoy cupcakes. And if you're really into melon cupcakes, you can check out the other 21 melon cupcakes that actually had their ducks in a row and got things posted in the right month.

I tweaked a recipe from 100 Best Cupcakes Recipes, which I picked up at Barnes & Nobel a while back. This book's got a number if interesting looking cupcake recipes, but it didn't have a cantaloupe cupcake. So I tweaked the Banana Cupcake recipe (page 16).

For the cupcakes:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 T packed brown sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 t vanilla
abt 1 cup pureed cantaloupe (abt 1/3 of a medium cantaloupe)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper. Combine flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add oil, egg, milk, and vanilla; beat with electric mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Beat in cantaloupe. Spoon into prepared cupcake papers, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 25-30 min (20-23 for dark pans) or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the frosting:

For the Buttercream
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To Make the Buttercream
Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream.
Remove the bowl from the heat.
Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.
Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.
Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.
During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.
On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla.
You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream.

(This is the same buttercream recipe as the Perfect Party Cake the Daring Bakers made several months ago. Yum.)