Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Perfectly sweet with just the right amount of tangy citrus flavor, these lemon meringue cupcakes will leave you craving more!

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These mouthwatering lemon meringue cupcakes will be the highlight of any special occasion. Infused with the sweet tartness of freshly-squeezed lemons, they perfectly balance out the delicate sweetness of fluffy meringue topping. 

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes Ingredients

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The fluffy cake is light and spongy, perfectly balanced with lemon extract for a tangy flavor. The tartness from the lemon curd complements the creamy sweetness of the smooth marshmallowy meringue to perfection.

Substitutions And Additions

LEMON CURD: You can use homemade lemon curd in place of the store-bought option in this cupcake recipe. A homemade lemon curd may have a thicker consistency than the store-bought versions. For a lighter option, you can also use a store-bought prepared lemon pudding to fill your cupcakes. The prepared lemon pudding will be sweeter and less tart than traditional lemon curd.

CREAM OF TARTAR: The cream of tartar is essential in helping to stabilize the egg whites for your meringue. You can also use a product known as Bakewell Cream. It is an older product but professional, and home bakers use it the same as cream of tartar. It can be found online or at specialty baking supply stores.

CAKE MIX: Boxed cake mixes are a bit too tender and fluffy to use as a cupcake substitute for this recipe. You want a slightly denser cupcake to hold up to the lemon curd filling.

How To Make This Lemon Meringue Cupcakes Recipe

Making lemon meringue cupcakes is a fun baking experience and worth the effort. To make this delicious dessert, start by preparing the moist lemon cupcakes as the base of your creation. 

Once baked, the cupcakes are filled with delightfully tangy lemon curd for a surprise when you take a bite. 

Lastly, once the cupcakes have cooled, you want to make a light meringue topping. This can be done by whisking egg whites and sugar until fluffy. This step may seem intimidating, but it’s easier than you think!

Let’s get started with this tasty treat:

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper cupcake liners. Set aside.

STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set dry ingredients aside.

STEP THREE: In a large bowl, cream together, using a hand mixer on medium speed, the granulated sugar, and unsalted butter until the butter is light and fluffy.

STEP FOUR: To the butter mixture, add the large egg, lemon extract, and vanilla extract, mixing until the egg is fully incorporated.

STEP FIVE: Add half the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated, followed by the buttermilk and ending with the remaining flour mixture. Make sure to mix in each addition until fully incorporated. Your batter should be thick and smooth. Do not overmix your batter.

STEP SIX: Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full with cupcake batter. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

STEP SEVEN: Allow the cupcakes to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

STEP EIGHT: Once your cupcakes have cooled completely, remove the center of each cupcake with a cupcake corer or serrated spoon and spoon in about 1-1½ tablespoons of prepared lemon curd into the centers of the cupcake. Be very careful not to remove too much of the center, as you still need your cupcake to have some stability when frosted with the meringue.

STEP NINE: After your cupcakes have cooled and been filled with lemon curd, you can make your meringue by adding the egg whites and cream of tartar to a very clean stainless steel bowl of a stand mixer. Whip on high speed, using the whisk attachment, until the egg whites become very frothy and soft peaks start to form.

STEP TEN: While the mixer is running at medium speed, slowly add the superfine granulated sugar. Continue to whip until the meringue is light, fluffy, and stiff peaks form.

STEP ELEVEN: You can either mound the meringue onto the top of the cupcakes, or you can pipe it on using a large piping bag fitted with a large piping tip.

STEP TWELVE: Being very careful, you can use a small kitchen torch to lightly toast the meringue on each cupcake. Once you have toasted your meringue frosting, you will want to refrigerate your lemon meringue cupcakes for 30 minutes before serving.

How To Serve

You can serve these lemon meringue pie cupcakes at room temperature, but depending on the thickness of your brand of lemon curd, the lemon curd may ooze out of the cupcake when a bite is taken (similar to a lava cake).

When looking at what to serve with lemon meringue cupcakes, it is important to find a drink that can bring out their subtle and refreshingly tart flavor. A homemade iced tea or a smoothie made with lemon juice are both perfect options.

You can also pair these sweet treats with an icy pitcher of freshly squeezed strawberry lemonade for a unique taste experience.

Fluffy cupcakes are a great alternative to a whole cake on any special occasion. Our cherry cupcakes and Boston cream cupcakes are two of my favorites.

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Storage

Whether you plan to make them ahead of time or have some leftovers, here are some handy tips to help you store your lemon meringue cupcakes.

MAKE AHEAD: If you’re short on time or prefer to prepare in advance, you can definitely make these lemon meringue cupcakes ahead of time. Simply follow the recipe as directed, allow them to cool completely, and then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. This way, you can tackle other tasks without sacrificing the taste and freshness of these delightful treats.

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store these lemon cupcakes in the fridge for up to 2 days.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the baked and cooled cupcakes (before filling them) in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Don’t forget to label the container with the date you made the cupcakes and what needs to be added to get them ready to serve.

Thaw the cupcakes in the refrigerator before filling and frosting them.

Whether they’re being served up after lunch or dinner, or maybe just because it’s Monday, these cheery citrusy lemon meringue cupcakes are guaranteed to brighten up any day! With a surprise inside and pillowy soft meringue on top, these are sure to impress.

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Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

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Perfectly sweet with just the right amount of tangy citrus flavor, these lemon meringue cupcakes will leave you craving more!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Total Time 37 minutes minutes

Servings 12

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Ingredients

  

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Cupcakes

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 9.5 ounces prepared lemon curd

Meringue

• ½ cup egg whites, boxed/carton
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ¼ cup superfine granulated sugar, aka caster or baker’s sugar
• 2 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar
• small kitchen torch for toasting the meringue, optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper cupcake liners. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, the granulated sugar and unsalted butter until the butter is light and fluffy.
• To the butter mixture, add the large egg, lemon extract, and vanilla extract, mixing until the egg is fully incorporated.
• Add half the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated, followed by the buttermilk and ending with the remaining flour mixture. Make sure to mix in each addition until fully incorporated. Your batter should be thick and smooth. Do not overmix your batter.
• Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full with batter. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Once your cupcakes have cooled completely, you can remove the centers of each cupcake with a cupcake corer or serrated spoon and spoon in about 1-1½ tablespoons of prepared lemon curd into the centers of the cupcake. Be very careful not to remove too much of the center, as you still need your cupcake to have some stability when frosted with the meringue.
• After your cupcakes have cooled and been filled with lemon curd, you can make your meringue by adding, to a very clean stainless steel bowl of a stand mixer, the egg whites and cream of tartar. Whip on high speed, using the whisk attachment, until the egg whites become very frothy and soft peaks start to form.
• While the mixer is running at medium speed, slowly add the superfine granulated sugar. Continue to whip until the meringue is light, fluffy, and stiff peaks form.
• You can either mound the meringue onto the tops of each filled cupcake, or you can pipe it on using a large piping bag fitted with a large piping tip.
• Being very careful, you can use a small kitchen torch to lightly toast the meringue on each cupcake.

Notes

• Note that superfine sugar (aka caster sugar or baker’s sugar) is not the same as powdered sugar. This is a finely ground granulated sugar commonly used in making cocktails, frostings, or anything that the sugar needs to dissolve easily. It can be found where standard sugars are found in your grocery store.
• Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cupcakes at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
• You can either use a small paring knife, melon baller, or one of those nifty gadgets that removes the centers from cupcakes, to remove the centers from your cupcakes.
• Meringue is very easy to make. Make sure to use a very clean stainless steel mixing bowl to whisk your egg whites. If you are not using the boxed egg whites and cracking & separating fresh eggs, you want to be careful not to get any egg yolk into the bowl. Approximately 4 large egg whites will yield the ½ cup needed for the meringue recipe. The very slightest amount of yolk, or any kind of fat, will hinder your egg whites from whipping and forming stiff peaks for your meringue.
• If you do not have a small kitchen torch, you can place the meringue-topped cupcakes under the broiler (in your oven) for just a minute or so. Be careful to keep a close eye on them to prevent the meringue from burning.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 222IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

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