Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

These soft & moist vanilla cupcakes are filled with a tart lemon curd and decorated with a torched swiss meringue for a freshly toasted look. They’re such a fun riff off of the iconic lemon meringue pie! It never gets old when you take a bite and get this bright lemony surprise in the center. Plus the toasted meringue makes these spring cupcakes just absolutely irresistible!

For more recipes, try Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf, Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies, Red Velvet Brownies, and Flourless Chocolate Cake.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 180g (1 ½ cups) cake flour
• 170g (¾ cup + 1 ½ tbsp) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 76g (5 ½ tbsp) unsalted butter (room temp)
• 65g (⅓ cup) neutral oil*
• 113g (½ cup) whole milk greek yogurt (room temp)
• 113g (½ cup) whole milk (room temp)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 egg whites

For the lemon curd:

• 66g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
• 6g (2 tsp) cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 22g (1 ½ tbsp) unsalted butter
• 66g (⅓ cup) lemon juice
• 2 egg yolks

For the swiss meringue:

• 70g egg whites (about 2)
• 100g (½ cup) sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp vanilla

Step by Step Instructions

TEP 1: Make the cupcake batter by beating the butter into the dry ingredients, the mixing in the wet ingredients. Fold in the whipped egg white at the end.

STEP 2: Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake liners and bake.

STEP 3: Remove the centers of the cupcakes, fill with lemon curd, and decorate with meringue!

STEP 4: Decorate with meringue and torch, if desired.

For Assembly:

1. With a small (about ½”) round cookie cutter, remove the centers of the cupcakes, pressing about ⅔ of the way into them.
2. Cut the very top of the centers off and reserve them.
3. Fill the cupcakes with lemon curd and place the top of the centers back on.
4. Pipe the meringue as desired and use a kitchen torch to give them a toasted look. Enjoy!

Notes

• Use any neutral oil, such as light tasting extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil. 
• These cupcakes are best enjoyed the day they are made. If you would like them to last longer or to make them ahead of time, hold off with the meringue until the day they are served.