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lemon meringue cupcake with bite missing on wire cooling rack, with four cupcakes around, lemon slice, flowers, and empty glasses behind on marble surface

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Soft, lemon-y, and oh so delicious! These Lemon Meringue Cupcakes are the perfect impressive bake to bring to any and all occasions this summer.
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 18 cupcakes
Calories: 236kcal

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons lemon zest
  • 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • ⅞ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup buttermilk
  • 4½ Tablespoons lemon juice

Lemon Curd

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 6 large egg yolks room temperature
  • ⅜ cup lemon juice
  • 2¼ teaspoons lemon zest
  • 4½ Tablespoons salted butter room temperature

Meringue

  • 2 large egg whites room temperature
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2⅔ Tablespoons water

Instructions

Cupcakes

  • Heat oven to 350°F/177℃.
  • Place cupcake liners in muffin pan, or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Stir in vanilla.
  • Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
  • Stir in lemon juice.
  • Spoon into muffin cups, filling each ⅔ full.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until done.

Lemon Curd

  • In a medium glass bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs yolks, and lemon juice.
  • Place over a pot of simmering water.
  • Cook and stir until thickened, about 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
  • Add lemon zest and butter, stirring until butter is melted.

Meringue

  • With an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Turn off the mixer.
  • In a small saucepan, heat sugar and water, stirring continually until sugar melts.
  • Cook over medium heat to 246℉-250℉/119℃-121℃, brushing down the sides with water twice.
  • Turn mixer back on high.
  • With mixer running, carefully stream sugar mixture into egg whites.
  • Continue beating until cooled, about 5-10 minutes.

Assembly

  • Core cupcakes using a cupcake corer or a spoon.
  • Pipe lemon curd into each cavity.
  • Place the tops back on the cupcakes.
  • Top with meringue.
  • Toast with a kitchen torch, if desired.

Notes

Substitutions:
  • If you don't want to make the curd, you can use store bought!
  • Store bought lemon juice can be used, but it's better to use fresh because you will also need the rind for this recipe.
Expert Tips:
  • The batter for this recipe is very thick!
  • After baking, the cupcake tops are flat. This makes for easier coring and decorating!
  • Do NOT over mix the cupcake batter.
  • When making the curd, the texture should be about pudding consistency. It takes anywhere from 10-25 minutes to thicken. Just be sure to use a heatproof GLASS bowl and place over a simmering (not boiling) pot of water.
  • Don't waste the egg whites from the curd! Use them to make the meringue. Save the rest for breakfast or another recipe!
  • The egg whites for the meringue need to be whipped to stiff peaks. Turn off the mixer and make your syrup. Once the syrup is at temperature, turn the mixer on high and slowly stream the syrup in.
  • Do NOT stir the syrup once the sugar is dissolved.
  • Keep a bowl of water and pastry brush nearby. You will need to brush the sides of the pan down to keep the sugar from crystalizing.
  • Beat the meringue until it's completely cool. This takes about 5-10 minutes. You can feel the temperature of your mixing bowl to gage if the meringue is cool.
  • I found that piping the meringue onto the cupcake and then using an offset spatula resulted in the best way to get the meringue onto the cupcake without a mess. By just using an offset spatula, the cupcake may tear when trying to spread the meringue.
  • Toasting the meringue is optional, but highly recommended!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 351IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg