Light lemon meringue cupcakes filled with lemon curd, and topped with a deliciously sweet italian meringue.
Lemon meringue cupcakes
I have always had a thing for meringue, I realise it can be a bit of a ‘marmite’ situation where some utterly despise it, wheres others (including myself) LOVE them. I eat meringues at any occasion, especially in eton mess – so good. However, I realise I had never posted my recipe for my lemon meringue cupcakes!
These cupcakes have a delicious lemon sponge with lemon zest in, filled with a lemon curd (I use my homemade lemon curd!) and topped with a silky smooth and fluffy Italian meringue topping. Even though I was terrified of using a blowtorch a couple of years ago for fear of having no eyebrows anymore, it’s the best to finish it off!
These cupcakes are SO good. I am not joking, they went down insanely well with my taste testers, and have been asked to make them already for two birthday parties! The meringue topping is so light in comparison to buttercream (not saying there is anything wrong with buttercream there!) but it makes a lovely change!
Topping
I have tried doing a meringue style frosting (which will come to my blog eventually), but I have always preferred the classic meringue, and I have even changed people who originally didn’t like meringue, to liking these as its so fluffy and moist! Even my friend, who haaates lemon, is a fan of these.
Meringue
You whisk the egg whites like normal, and then very slowly and carefully whisk in the sugar syrup. The heat from the syrup will whisk the egg whites and cook them out so it’s safe to eat – but it’s much easier to do if you have an electric whisk.
I have done Italian meringue without an electric whisk, and it is possible – it just takes time. You want a slow trickle of syrup, not a massive pour, and you need to continually whisk. Once you have finished adding the syrup, you need to KEEP ON WHISKING for quite a while, to cool the mix down.
Cupcakes
I make my cupcakes on the day that I need them, the meringue is always best on the day, but will last in the fridge overnight if need be – fresher the better! However, the actual cupcake recipe is utterly lemony and delicious and lasts for 3-4 days if you wanted them too!
Italian meringue vs normal meringue
I decided to update this recipe in August 2020 so that it could have an Italian meringue topping – and I am so glad that I did. I much prefer the silky smooth Italian meringue. You heat a sugar syrup to the correct temperature, and this is effectively what ‘cooks’ the eggs.
Italian meringue is a bit of task in comparison to just regular meringue – so if you want to do a plain basic meringue (And don’t mind the risk of the egg whites) you can just use 3 medium egg whites, whisked to stiff peaks, with 150g of caster sugar gradually added in.
Tools
I use a thermapen thermometer as I use it for all sorts of cooking and baking – but you can buy a sugar thermometer which is ideal for making the sugar syrup too. I find it’s best to know it’s at the right temperature, rather than guessing!
Finish
Then, you can pipe the frosting onto your lemon curd stuffed lemon cupcakes, and finish it off by toasting them with a blowtorch! You can use the grill in the oven, it just doesn’t ever look as nice, and you don’t want them in there for too long – otherwise you might grill the entire cupcake!
I hope you love these cupcakes, any questions then leave them in the comments! x
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes!
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Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 150 g caster sugar
- 150 g self raising flour
- 3 medium eggs
- Zest of 1-2 lemons (or 1tsp lemon extract)
Filling
- 150 g lemon curd
Italian Meringue
- 80 g egg whites (2-3 eggs)
- 140 g granulated sugar
- 64 ml water
Instructions
Cupcakes
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Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4 and get 12 cupcake cases ready.
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Cream together the butter and caster sugar until light, fluffy and smooth.
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Add in the eggs, self raising flour and lemon zest and beat again until smooth.
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Spoon you cupcake mix into your cupcake cases and bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes or until cooked through. Leave the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.
Filling
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Core out the middle of your cupcakes.
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Add in a spoonful of lemon curd per cupcake.
Italian Meringue
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Pour the sugar and the water into a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir it occasionally with a wooden spoon.
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When the mixture starts to boil monitor the temperature until it reaches 120C (Firm Ball Stage) with a sugar thermometer.
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Whilst the mixture is heating up and boiling, if any sugar splashes up the side of the pan, brush the sides with a pastry brush and cold water to get rid of it.
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When the mixture is starting to reach temperature whisk the egg whites in your electric stand mixer.
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When the sugar syrup has reached temperature and the egg whites are at stiff peaks start to pour the sugar syrup onto the egg whites at the edge of the bowl whilst still whisking. Make sure you do this slowly so its a constant trickle of sugar syrup so that the egg whites stay smooth.
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Whisk throughout whilst the sugar syrup is pouring in, and after its all whisked in continue to whisk the mixture on a high speed for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is smooth, and has cooled down.
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Pipe the meringue onto your cupcakes, and carefully blowtorch to get the delicious tasting meringue.
Notes
- These cupcakes can last for 2 days, in the fridge.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, it may be easier to make the Italian meringue with two people so one can whisk, and one can pour the sugar syrup.
- I use this blowtorch for my meringues!
- I use this thermometer for baking and cooking, but this sugar thermometer works really well too.
- Recipe updated August 2020 – original recipe was:
- Same cupcakes
- Meringue made with 3 medium egg whites and 150g caster sugar
ENJOY!
Find my other Cupcake Recipes on my Recipes Page!
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J x
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