Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F
2. Line 12 count standard cupcake pan with paper liner and set aside.
3. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form, set aside.
4. Beat the egg yolks and powdered sugar until pale yellow.
5. Mix in melted butter and the tablespoon of water (for about 2 minutes) until evenly combined.
6. Mix in the flour until evenly incorporated.
7. Slowly beat in the milk and vanilla extract until well combined.
8. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the egg whites. The batter is very thin and the egg whites will float on top. That’s OK, just break the egg whites into small lumps, you don’t need to incorporate them completely in the mixture. That egg white lumps will form the top sponge layer.
9. Fill each paper cups almost to the top. Just make sure to grab both the liquid portion of the mixture and the egg white lumps for each cupcake. Bake about 22-28 minutes, until the cupcakes are barely jiggly in the center. Start checking after 20 minutes. If you bake them too long, you won’t get 3 layers. Center custard layer will set, and you will end up with 2-layer cupcakes.
10. Cupcakes will rise and have a nice domed top when you take them from the oven, but they will deflate as they cool.
11. Cool the cupcakes completely before adding whipped cream on top.
12. To make the whipped cream, beat heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spoon over cooled cupcakes.