Fluffy Lemon Meringue Cupcakes (Printable)

Light and airy lemon cupcakes filled with tangy curd and crowned by toasted meringue.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Lemon Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
09 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 1/2 cup milk

→ For the Lemon Curd

11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
14 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
15 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

→ For the Meringue Topping

16 - 3 large egg whites, room temperature
17 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
18 - 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
19 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add lemon zest and juice.
04 - Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk. Mix until just combined.
05 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
06 - In a heatproof bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter until smooth. Cool completely.
07 - Using a small knife or apple corer, remove the center of each cupcake. Fill each cavity with lemon curd.
08 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in vanilla.
09 - Pipe or spoon meringue onto cupcakes. Toast meringue under a broiler for 1-2 minutes or use a kitchen torch until golden.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They capture everything glorious about lemon meringue pie but in adorable handheld form
  • The three components—moist cake, silky curd, and toasted meringue—create the most incredible texture contrast
  • People literally gasp when they see the toasted meringue topping
02 -
  • Lemon curd thickens dramatically as it cools, so do not overcook it or it will turn into lemon scrambled eggs
  • Room temperature egg whites whip up much better than cold ones, giving you that cloud-like meringue
  • The meringue starts weeping after a few hours, so toast right before serving for the best presentation
03 -
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest to avoid the bitter white pith
  • If your curd seems lumpy, press it through a fine mesh sieve before cooling
  • Make sure absolutely no yolk gets into your egg whites or they will not whip properly

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