Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

These Lemon Meringue Cupcakes are made with a lightly lemon flavored cupcake, lemon curd filling and lightly toasted meringue frosting! It’s like Lemon Meringue Pie in cupcake form – so fun!

I’ve been loving turning fun pie flavors into cupcakes! Between the Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes, Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes and now these Lemon Meringue Cupcakes, these are some super fun cupcakes! I always love the surprise filling too. It’s a whole other way to add more flavor and texture to make a cupcake that much more interesting.

Sweet and sunny, with all the things we love about lemon meringue pie — but in cupcake form. A microwave version of traditional lemon curd saves you time, but doesn't skimp on flavor. Let's hear it for Lemon Power!

My mom and I have a thing for lemon curd. We eat it by the spoonful. On top of yogurt, on toast… and don’t even get me started on lemon meringue pie.

This weekend I was craving some lemon meringue pie, but didn’t want to commit to a whole pie. Instead I remembered a similar recipe I had done years ago that put lemon curd in the middle of a cupcake. I decided to revamp the recipe, and voilà! Lemon Meringue Cupcakes 2.0 were born.

The cupcake is so fluffy and soft that, as I stood in the kitchen eating a test cupcake, I shouted “It’s like it’s from a box!” The meringue is at least 2 inches high at its peak, which leads to some pretty cute frosting faces. And the lemon curd. Ohhh the lemon curd. So creamy, so tangy, and so delicious. Like biting into summer.

Now, I suggest that you don’t double the lemon curd recipe like I did, or else you may find yourself eating lemon curd out of the jar. Or do, because it’s fantastic lemon curd.

The curd will thicken up in the fridge and then be ready to add to the cupcakes. I like to press some clear wrap onto the top of the curd to keep it from developing a film on top as it cools.

Making the meringue is somewhat similar to the curd in that you also use a double boiler (or the same mixer bowl/pot set up). Once the egg whites reach the right temperature, it’s whipped on high speed until a fluffy meringue forms. If it seems intimidating, just think of it like whipped cream. 🙂 Aside from heating the egg whites, the whipping of them is just like whipped cream. Easy, peasy!

Putting everything together is mostly a breeze too. Cut the center out of the cupcake, fill it with lemon curd and then add the meringue frosting. Finishing them off is where it can get a little tricky. If you want to add the lemon slices, I suggest adding them first, then toasting the meringue. The slices are tough to get into the frosting after it’s been toasted.

To toast them, I used a kitchen torch. It’s easy to use, but you have to be careful with it. It can easily light the cupcake liners on fire. Several of mine did. They blow right out easily, but just keep your fingers safely out of the way.

These cupcakes were a hit! Light, super moist, and full of the best parts of lemon meringue pie – the lemon filling and the toasted meringue! They make a super cute presentation and are something a little fun and different to enjoy. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

ingredients
For the cupcakes

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

For the lemon curd

• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter

For the meringue

• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake tray with 7 extra large cupcake molds.*
2. In a large bowl using a whisk, mix the butter and sugar util light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternate mixing in the flour and the buttermilk until everything comes together. Do not overmix.
4. Using a 1/4 cup scoop, scoop two scoops of batter into each cupcake mold. Tap the cupcake tray against a solid surface to even out the cupcake batter’s surface. Place in oven and bake for 27 minutes, until the tops of the cupcakes are golden around the edges and a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cupcake.** Allow to cool to room temperature before assembling.
5. While the cupcakes are baking, make the lemon curd. Create a double boiler and, in the top bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar. Whisk constantly over medium high heat for 6-7 minutes, until the curd becomes thick and coats the back of a spoon. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in butter until beautiful and glossy!
6. Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps, then place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set in fridge until you’re ready to assemble your cupcakes.
7. Using a small sharp knife, cut a 1 inch diameter conical hole into the top of the cupcakes. Scoop as much cupcake out as you’d like, depending on how much curd you want (I created a pretty wide and deep hole). Cut the top off of the cone and save it as a lid for the cupcake. Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of lemon curd into the center of the cupcake, then top with the cupcake lid. Repeat with all cupcakes.
8. Now make the meringue! In a standing mixer, whip the egg whites until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add in the sugar and vanilla extract, and continue to whip until the meringue holds stiff peaks.
9. Scoop the meringue on top of the filled cupcakes, using a large spoon to create pretty folds in the meringue. Remove the top rack from your oven and place meringues under the broiler on high for 2-4 minutes, turning halfway for even baking. I didn’t move away from the oven, as the meringues can burn in 2 seconds! Just watch them like a hawk. Allow the tops to cool to room temperature before serving.