Lychee Cupcake

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F
2. Line a cupcake tray with 12 paper liners
3. Combine lychee syrup, milk and vinegar in a small bowl, set aside
4. Add sugar, butter and oil to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy
5. Add the eggs to the butter and beat on high for 1 minute, until well combined
6. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine
7. Add half the flour mix to the butter mix and beat until just combined
8. Add the lychee milk, followed by the rest of the flour, beat until just combined
9. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners
10. Place a lychee in the centre of each cupcake and cover with surrounding batter
11. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean
12. Cool before frosting

Lychee Italian Meringue Buttercream

1. Heat the lychee syrup in a small saucepan over high heat
2. Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer
3. Watch the syrup carefully, start the stand mixer on medium speed when the syrup reaches 112C/ 233F 
4. When the syrup reaches 115F/240F remove from heat and pour the syrup into the egg whites in a slow and steady stream (ensure the egg whites are at soft peaks before adding the sugar syrup)
5. Increase the speed to high and beat for 5 minutes, or until a strong meringue with stiff peaks forms
6. Reduce speed to low and continue beating until the meringue is at room temperature
7. Increase speed to medium and add the butter one tbsp at a time
8. At this point the buttercream may curdle but that's ok, keep beating and it will come together
9. Continue beating for 10 minutes, the buttercream will start to come together before getting light and silky
10. Add the rosewater and beat until well combined
11. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (or your choice of tip) and pipe swirls on top of the cooled cupcakes
12. Sprinkle with dried rose petals and enjoy!