Is there anything more impressive than a lemon meringue pie's sky-high, lightly torched topping? Not really, and it is just as impressive on these Lemon Meringue Cupcakes.
This lemon meringue cupcake recipe is for vanilla cupcakes with a hidden lemon curd centre topped with a toasted meringue frosting. These are the perfect cupcakes to make during citrus season or when celebrating someone who loves anything lemon meringue pie!
If you love lemon bakes, I have so many other recipes for you to try! Like these Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes, this recipe for Mini Lemon Meringues, or this recipe for Lemon Cheesecake.
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Ingredients
You will need the simple ingredients listed below to make these delicious cupcakes. Remember to use fresh, room-temperature ingredients when baking.
- Sunflower oil
- Granulated sugar
- Extra large eggs
- Self-raising flour
- Salt
- Full cream milk
- Vanilla extract
- Condensed milk
- Lemons, zest and juice
- Castor sugar
Extra-large eggs-out of their shell, the eggs I use weigh 56 grams. If you aren't sure if you have the same eggs, weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
Sunflower oil-This cupcake recipe uses oil and butter for extra moistness. Use a neutral-tasting vegetable oil like sunflower or canola oil.
Self-raising flour - If you can't find self-raising flour, use cake flour or all-purpose flour mixed with baking powder. Check the recommendations on the packaging of your baking powder to decide how much to add.
Condensed milk - The lemon curd centre is made with condensed milk flavoured with lemon juice and zest.
Lemons - Choose fresh lemons for the best taste.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
To make these easy lemon cupcakes, follow the simple steps below. First, make the vanilla cupcakes, then the lemon curd centre, and finally the meringue topping.
Instructions for cupcakes
STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line 24 cupcake liners into two 12-hole cupcake pans.
STEP 2: Combine sugar and lemon zest. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a small bowl and use your fingertips to massage the lemon zest into the sugar.
STEP 3: Beat eggs, sugar mixture, and oil. Add the oil, eggs, and lemon sugar mixture to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at medium to high speed until light and fluffy for about 4 minutes.
STEP 4: Add dry ingredients. Sift the salt and flour, then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
STEP 5: Add wet ingredients. In a jug, mix the milk and vanilla extract together. Slowly pour this into the cupcake batter with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, ensuring it is lump-free.
STEP 6: Bake. Using a jug or ice cream scoop, pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling each case two-thirds of the way up. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then completely on a cooling rack.
Instructions for lemon filling
STEP 1: Combine ingredients. Add the condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a bowl and mix until combined. Adjust with more lemon if needed. Fill a piping bag with the lemon curd and set aside until needed.
Instructions for meringue topping
STEP 1: Heat egg whites and sugar. Add the egg whites and castor sugar to a heatproof bowl of a double boiler set over medium heat. Whisk lightly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm.
STEP 2: Beat. Transfer the egg and sugar mixture to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat at medium-high speed for about 10 minutes.
STEP 4: Check for stiff peaks. When you lift the beater out of the meringue frosting, look for that perfect peak. This is the easiest way to tell whether or not the meringue frosting is ready. Once ready, add the meringue frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle.
Instructions for assembly
STEP 1: Core cupcakes. Use an apple or cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake. Fill each cupcake centre with the lemon curd.
STEP 2: Pipe frosting. Pipe a swirl of meringue frosting onto each cupcake, then use a blow torch to lightly toast each lemon meringue cupcake until golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
Variations
This lemon meringue cupcake recipe is something special! If you are in the mood for the classic, then try this Lemon Meringue Pie recipe instead.
If you aren't sure how to use those leftover egg yolks, try this Custard recipe, which is delicious with fresh strawberries.
Equipment
For these moist lemon cupcakes, you will need 2x 12-hole cupcake tins, 24x paper cupcake cases, a wire rack for cooling, two disposable piping bags, a large star tip piping nozzle, a kitchen torch, and an electric mixer.
I always use a stand mixer or electric hand whisk to make these cupcakes. I also always use an accurate kitchen scale when baking.
Storage
Since these cupcakes are topped with Swiss meringue, I recommend eating them soon after they have been decorated, as the meringue doesn't keep well.
Once decorated, store them at room temperature, not in the fridge, until ready to serve.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
Top Tips
Follow my top baking tips below for the perfect lemon meringue cupcakes
- Ensure that the bowl you are beating the meringue frosting in is clean and free of any traces of fat. To be sure, rub the whisk attachment and the bowl with the cut side of half a lemon and rinse with very hot water.
- When separating the egg whites from the egg yolks, do so carefully. Any traces of yolks in the whites can result in the meringue frosting flopping.
FAQ
Dip your finger into the egg whites and sugar mixture to help determine whether they are at the right temperature to start beating. The mixture needs to be warm, similar to body temperature. The sugar must be melted. Rub your fingertips together to determine if the sugar has melted.
There may have been traces of egg yolk in the egg whites or traces of face in the equipment you used. Ensure that the bowl you are beating the meringue frosting in is clean and free of any traces of fat. To be sure, rub the whisk attachment and the bowl with the cut side of half a lemon and rinse with very hot water.
Do not overfill the cupcake cases. If there is too much batter in the cases, the cupcakes will spill out while baking. This can also lead to sink holes in the middle of your cupcakes. If you want to bake perfect cupcakes, only fill the papers two-thirds of the way up.
Cupcakes bake for as little as 15 minutes, so they can easily burn if the temperature is wrong. If your cupcakes come out of the oven with very brown bottoms, you may have an issue with the temperature of your oven.
When making the meringue frosting, ensure the water in the double boiler is not boiling. Eggs are very temperature-sensitive, and if the bowl they are in becomes too hot, they could scramble.
This frosting is best torched with the aid of a handheld blow torch. If you do not have a blowtorch, use the grill setting on your oven. Place the cupcakes close to the grill so that the meringue frosting can lightly torch. Although this is possible, I advise using a blow torch.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
These lemon meringue pie cupcakes with their fluffy meringue topping are, let's be honest, a little gorgeous. So, next time you're looking to impress, give these cupcakes a try!
If you try this recipe, please leave a star review and comment below. I love hearing about your kitchen stories! Also, remember to mention which lemon desserts you would like to see next!
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Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2x cupcake trays
Ingredients
Vanilla & Lemon Cupcakes
- 250 g sugar white granulated
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 115 ml sunflower oil
- 3 eggs extra-large
- 290 g self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 270 ml full cream milk
Lemon Curd
- 200 g condensed milk
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 60 ml lemon juice
Meringue Frosting
- 3 egg whites
- 150 grams castor sugar
Instructions
Vanilla & Lemon Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line 24 cupcake liners into two 12-hole cupcake pans.
- Add the sugar and lemon zest to a small bowl and use your fingertips to massage the lemon zest into the sugar.
- Add the oil, eggs, and the lemon sugar mixture to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at medium to high speed until light and fluffy for about 4 minutes.
- Sift the salt and flour, then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
- In a jug, mix together the milk and vanilla extract. Slowly pour this into the cupcake batter with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, ensuring it is lump-free.
- Using a jug or ice cream scoop, pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling each case two-thirds of the way up. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then completely on a cooling rack.
Lemon Curd
- Add the condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a bowl and mix until combined. Adjust with more lemon if needed. Fill a piping bag with the lemon curd and set aside until needed.
Meringue Frosting
- Add the egg whites and castor sugar to a heatproof bowl of a double boiler set over medium heat. Whisk lightly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch.
- Transfer the egg and sugar mixture to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat at medium-high speed for about 10 minutes.
- When you lift the beater out of the meringue frosting, look for that perfect peak. This is the easiest way to tell whether or not the meringue frosting is ready. Once ready, add the meringue frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle.
Assembly
- Use an apple or cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake. Fill each cupcake centre with the lemon curd.
- Pipe a swirl of meringue frosting onto each cupcake, then use a blow torch to lightly toast each lemon meringue cupcake until golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Dip your finger into the egg whites and sugar mixture to help determine whether they are at the right temperature to start beating. The mixture needs to be warm, similar to body temperature. The sugar must be melted. Rub your fingertips together to determine if the sugar has melted.
- There may have been traces of egg yolk in the egg whites or traces of face in the equipment you used. Ensure that the bowl you are beating the meringue frosting in is clean and free of any traces of fat. To be sure, rub the whisk attachment and the bowl with the cut side of half a lemon and rinse with very hot water.
Lee says
What a great recipe! These were amazing