Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

half a cupcake on a paper case. It is filled with lemon curd and topped with toasted meringue.

5 from 9 votes

Citrusy lemon meringue cupcakes, made from scratch. Soft lemon cupcakes are filled to the brim with an easy homemade lemon curd and topped with fluffy toasted meringue. They are just like lemon meringue pie, in cupcake form!

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Total Time50

Course: baking, Dessert

Cuisine: Australian

Servings:

Calories: 401kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

For the lemon curd filling

6 eggs whole, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar white, granulated sugar or caster sugar
¾ cup lemon juice fresh
190 grams butter cut into cubes

For the cupcakes

100 grams butter softened at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla vanilla bean paste or essence
2 eggs room temperature
260 grams self-raising flour 1 ¾ cups
⅔ cup milk

For the meringue

4 egg whites at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

For the lemon curd filling (best made the day before and stored in the fridge)

Place a saucepan of shallow water over low-medium heat and bring to a low simmer. You will need a glass or heat-proof bowl that will fit snugly over the top without allowing steam to escape.
Place the eggs and sugar into the heat-proof bowl and whisk to combine.
Carefully whisk the lemon juice into the egg mixture.
Add the butter and carefully place the bowl over the top of the saucepan of simmering water. Whisk the mixture continually over heat until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth and thick. This will take around 15 minutes. Once thickened (to the consistency of custard), remove the lemon curd from the heat and transfer to sterilised glass jars or a bowl to cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

For the cupcakes

Pre-heat oven to 180 °C/356 F and line a 12 hole cupcake tray with paper cupcake cases.
Beat the butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl until soft, fluffy and pale.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition until the eggs are incorporated and the mixture is fluffy.
Add half of the flour and half of the milk and using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently fold until just combined. Add the remaining flour and milk and fold until just combined. Be careful not to over-beat.
Divide the mixture evenly into the paper cases using an ice cream scoop or spoon.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are completely cooked through. You can test them by gently pressing the top of one of the cupcakes. If it is spongy and firm to touch, then the cupcakes are ready.
Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

For the meringue

Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer (or with hand-held beaters) until stiff peaks form. While continuing to beat, gradually add the sugar one teaspoon at a time until the sugar is all gone.
Continue to beat for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is glossy.

To assemble

Using a sharp knife, apple corer or the end of a piping tip, carefully cut the centre out of each cupcake (about ⅔ deep).
Pipe or spoon the cooled lemon filling into the middle of the cupcakes, until the filling is level with the top of the cupcake.
Pipe the meringue over the top of the cupcakes.
To toast the meringue, use a hand held blowtorch or place the cupcakes on a tray under a hot grill/broiler for 30-60 seconds, or until the tops have become a light golden brown colour. If using a grill/broiler, keep a close watch on the meringue to prevent burning!
These cupcakes are best eaten in the first day or two, but can be kept in the fridge for around 3-4 days.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients; make sure the butter, eggs and milk are at room temperature before baking. This ensures that they will easily incorporate into the batter and bake evenly.
Measure the flour accurately; use a kitchen scale or fluff and level the flour before adding it to the batter. Too much flour will cause dry, dense cupcakes.
If you don’t want to make the lemon curd, you can use store-bought curd instead. Choose a good quality lemon curd that you know and love for best results. For convenience, the homemade version can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for around 2 months (when stored correctly in the fridge in clean, sealed sterilised jars. Once opened, consume within 1-2 weeks).
You won’t need to use all of the lemon curd. Keep the rest in the fridge for desserts, spreading on toast or eating straight from the jar! Alternatively, you can halve the recipe.
While a hand-held culinary blowtorch is easiest to evenly toast the meringue without burning, a grill/broiler can also be used. But keep an eye on the meringue, as it can burn very quickly!
If using a hand-held blowtorch, don’t get too close to the paper cases, or they can catch and burn.
Wait until the cupcakes and curd have cooled completely before attempting to assemble the cupcakes. Warm curd will soak into the cake, rather than sitting in the middle.
While the meringue is toasted on the outside, the egg whites may still be under-cooked (depending on toasting time). This may not be suitable for those with specific dietary needs. If you need cooked meringue, you can use an Italian meringue recipe to pipe over the top. Italian meringue uses sugar syrup to cook and stabilise the meringue.
Storage; the cupcakes will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
I don't recommend freezing these cupcakes once fully assembled. However the un-filled cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
If you prefer not to make the lemon curd or don’t have time, you can use store-bought lemon curd instead. Just make sure it’s a good quality one that you know and love to eat. You can even replace lemon curd with passion fruit curd or lime curd.
While I recommend using a culinary blowtorch for perfectly browned and even toasting, if you don't have one you can place them under a grill (broiler) for about 30-60 seconds, or until browned. Be sure to keep an eye on them the whole time, as the meringue will burn very quickly!
Please note that the nutrition information is based on the mixture being made into 12 cupcakes, with one cupcake being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the cupcakes. You won't use all of the lemon curd, there will be leftovers or the lemon curd ingredients can be halved.
This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition