Makes 12 cupcakes

Vanilla bean cupcakes

170 grams of plain flour

2 teaspoon of baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

80 grams of unsalted butter (softened)

200 grams of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste

Black food colouring

2 large eggs

170 millilitres of whole milk

Blackberry compote

150 grams of fresh or frozen blackberries

1 teaspoon of caster sugar

Squeeze of lemon juice

Marshmallow frosting

45 grams of egg whites

240 grams of caster sugar

1½ teaspoon of light corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar

75 millilitres of water

1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste

Make the vanilla bean cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 180C
2. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake patties.
3. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
5. Add the caster sugar to the butter and cream for 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
6. Slowly add the vanilla bean paste and eggs to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until combined. Add the black food colouring, if desired.
7. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk.
8. Evenly divide the cake batter between the cupcake patties.
9. Bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out of the centre of the cupcakes clean. Set aside to cool.

Make the blackberry compote

1. Combine the blackberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan and cook over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, ensuring to stir occasionally. Remove from heat and leave to cool.

Make the marshmallow frosting

NB: As the frosting sets, do not start to make until the cakes are cooled.

1. Combine the all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Place the stand mixer bowl over a saucepan of water to create a double boiler. Ensure that the water does not touch the bottom of the stand mixer bowl.
3. Heat the mixture to 70C, stirring occasionally with a whisk.
4. Once at temperature, transfer the stand mixture bowl to the stand mixer. With a whisk attachment, beat the mixture on a high speed until stiff peaks are formed.
5. Spoon the frosting over the top of the cake. If desired, caramelise with a blow torch.

Assemble the blackberry cloud cupcakes

1. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, cut a small hole in the middle of each of the cupcakes using the large end of a piping tip.
2. Spoon a small amount of blackberry compote into the whole and replace the cake that was cut out by the piping tip.
3. Add the marshmallow frosting to a piping bag fitted with a 2D tip.
4. Pip the frosting onto each of the cupcakes. If desired, sprinkle with freeze-fried blackberry powder.