Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
I enjoyed a lemon cupcake the other day and I’m hooked on those tiny lemon bars at Starbucks, so I thought I’d do a little twist. I love lemon curd, cake and lemon meringue pie, so I figured lemon meringue cupcakes would be easy enough to make.
Lemon zest is so much fun and smells so tart and fresh.
The recipe I used for the cupcakes made the batter similar to cookie dough and tasted as delicious.
No spilling into the cupcake sleeves (one of my pet peeves and habits.)
I totally cheated with the lemon curd. I was planning to make my own, but when I saw it for $5.99 at Whole Foods, I figured why not?
Once the cupcakes were baked and cooled, I used an apple corer to to remove the center and filled it with a spoonful of the lemon curd.
How precious are the little peaks? I made meringue with egg whites and sugar and popped the cupcakes under the broiler for about 15 seconds, doing them in small batches, because a second or two can take them from lightly toasted to burnt in an unwatched second.
Excuse the wild hair. While I was waiting for the cupcakes to bake, I trimmed my bangs. I don’t recommend it, but I love doing it!
The recipes are below:
Lemon Cupcakes
1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons grated lemon peel (zest of three lemons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour cream
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until you tap the tops and they spring back. Let the cupcakes cool, then cut out the center with a knife or apple corer before you fill them with lemon curd.
Lemon Curd
I bought lemon curd at Whole Foods, but I hear Alton Brown’s recipe is pretty incredible if you want to make it yourself. Spoon in about a teaspoon of lemon curd, or until the holes are filled. My cupcake recipe I use ensures the curd will not make the cupcakes soggy.
Meringue
4 egg whites
2 tsp sugar
Whip egg whites until they are foamy. Slowly add sugar, tasting along the way. Quit beating them when stiff peaks form. Spoon a decent dollop over the top of each cupcake. When you press the back of the spoon to the foam and pull away, it creates nice peaks.
Turn on broiler. Place cupcakes on a cookie sheet and toast the tops for 10 to 15 seconds. Watch them closely! This will also solidify the meringue so it doesn’t fall.
Enjoy!
