Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

5 from 1 vote

These fantastic lemon meringue cupcakes are a must-make for lemon lovers! Picture soft and moist lemon cupcakes filled with tart and vibrant lemon curd, topped with lightly toasted marshmallow meringue. An ideal dessert for the summer!

Prep Time40

Cook Time50

Servings: cupcakes

Author: Bea & Marco

Ingredients

Lemon Curd

2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
¾ cup (185 g) lemon juice
⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter , in cubes, cold

Lemon Cupcakes

* Dry Ingredients

1½ cup (195 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

* Wet Ingredients

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (170 g) full-fat sour cream , room temperature
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter , melted
¼ cup (50 g) oil
¼ cup (60 g) lemon juice
2 tablespoon lemon zest , or zest from 2 lemons
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs , room temperature

Swiss Meringue

4 large egg whites
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Lemon Curd

Using a manual whisk, mix sugar, whole eggs, extra yolks, lemon juice, and zest until you get a homogeneous mixture.
Cook in a heatproof glass bowl using the double boiler method for 10-15 minutes, ensuring that the bowl does not touch the simmering water. Whisk constantly. The curd is ready when it covers the back of a wooden spoon and stays separated when you run your finger through it.
Remove from the heat. Immediately add butter and whisk until well combined.
While still hot, cover with cling film, making sure it touches the surface of the curd to prevent crust. Chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Once cooled, whisk it to get a smooth texture. Pour into a jar and start using. It'll thicken more as it sits in the fridge.

Lemon Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) without the fan, and position the rack in the middle.

* Dry Ingredients

Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to a bowl and mix well with a spoon.

* Wet Ingredients

In a bowl, add sugar, sour cream, butter, oil, lemon juice and zest, vanilla extract, and eggs. Whisk until well combined using a manual whisk.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Mix everything well; don't over-whisk the batter.

* Bake

Scoop the batter into a 14-lined muffin pan, filling each cup ¾ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

Swiss Meringue

Add egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla extract into a bowl and mix well using a manual whisk.
Cook in a heatproof glass bowl using the double boiler method for 4-5 minutes, ensuring the bowl does not touch the simmering water. Whisk constantly. It's ready when you rub it against two fingers and don't feel any sugar granules.
Pour it into a standing mixer bowl. Using the balloon whisk, whisk the mixture for 10 minutes or until the bowl is cold. I increase the speed as I go until reaching speed 6 in my Kitchenaid.

Assembling

Using a cupcake corer, make holes in the center of the cupcakes. Put the lemon curd in a piping bag, cut a small hole, and fill in the cupcakes.
Add meringue to a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe it onto the cupcakes. Using a kitchen blowtorch, lightly toast the meringue. Start slightly farther and adjust the distance as you go. Turn the cupcake around for even toasting. Enjoy!

Notes

Don't overmix the cupcake batter. This is important to prevent gluten from forming and make the cupcake dense.
Fill the batter to only ¾ full. This will result in a perfect-looking cupcake without the overspilling-look.
Avoid dome cupcakes. If the cupcakes have domes, flatten them by lightly pressing the bottom of a measuring cup (or something similar) in circular motions when they just come out from the oven.
Keep the lemon curd chilled. It's easier to fill the cupcakes when the curd is cold and thick due to the butter's fat content.
Don't let the Swiss meringue sit. It's best when used immediately and served on the same day. Over time, it will become less airy and lose its famous marshmallow texture.
Beautifully toasted meringue. Start by toasting the meringue further and adjust the distance as you go. It's helpful to pause, turn the cupcake around, and continue toasting to get evenly toasted meringue.
Measure ingredients accurately using a kitchen scale. Although it's doable with cup measurements, a kitchen scale is more precise.

*Estimated nutrient facts are calculated using ½ cup of lemon curd for the filling. Keep the balance for yogurt toppings, or freeze it for later.

Nutrition