Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Spring is almost here and it’s definitely being felt in NYC! Like clothes, desserts can be seasonal and nothing says springtime like lemon meringue. About two years ago, we created a lemon meringue cupcake that is the perfect combination of sweet and tart. We’re including our recipe for that cupcake so you can recreate the delicious treat for your next outdoor event!

Lemon-Scented White Cake (makes 24 cupcakes)

Ingredients

10 oz. cake flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
4 oz. unsalted butter (half a stick)
12 oz. granulated sugar
2 tsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. lemon extract
10 oz. cups whole milk
4 egg whites

Instructions

1. Add cake flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large mixing bowl until fluffy.
3. Add lemon zest and lemon extract and mix until incorporated.
4. Combine eggs and milk together.
5. Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to butter and sugar mixture, starting with dry and ending with wet.
6. Add batter to cupcake liners and bake at 350o for 18-20 minutes.
7. After the cupcakes have completely cooled cut out a small well in the top of a cupcake (using a one inch cookie cutter) and fill the cupcake with the lemon curd (recipe below).
8. Pipe the meringue (see recipe below) onto the cupcakes.
9. Pro tip: Use a crème brulee torch on the meringue for a toasted look and taste.

Lemon Curd

Ingredients

4 lemons of lemon zest
6 fluid oz. of strained lemon juice
6 oz. of granulated sugar
4 oz. unsalted butter
8 egg yolks

Instructions

1. Combine zest, juice, sugar and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Whisk yolks until liquid.
3. Strain zest and beat ¼ of boiling liquid into yolks.
4. Return remaining liquid to boil over low heat.
5. Whisk yolks into boiling liquid and continue whisking until it thickens.
6. Put lemon curd in container and cover with Saran wrap, pressing the Saran against the surface of the curd.
7. Chill until it’s cold and set

Meringue

Ingredients

5 oz. egg whites
10 oz. sugar

Instructions

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl.
2. Whisk over a double boiler until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Whip the mixture on the Kitchen Aid with the whisk attachment until it becomes fluffy meringue.

Here’s what popular cupcake blog Cupcakes Take the Cake had to say about our lemon meringue cupcake: “The gooeyness and sweet tartness of the lemon combined with the meringue and a light cake = delicious!” We think you’ll feel the same way. Enjoy!