Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

5 from 1 vote

This Lemon Meringue Cupcake recipe is for fluffy vanilla cupcakes filled with a hidden lemon curd center and swirled with a torched Swiss meringue frosting.

Prep Time1

Cook Time15

Course: Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 192kcal

Author: Cat Spiller

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.

Nutrition