Easter is such a wonderful holiday, and for me, it’s always the official start of spring! Tulips, daffodils, colored eggs, and fresh, bright flavors are what I look for. Lemon is delicious year-round, but it seems like the perfect pairing with Easter. Usually, I make a lemon meringue pie, but this year, I wanted an update and what is better than a cupcake? A lemon curd-filled cupcake, of course! This is such a fun springtime treat, perfect for Easter but also for any time of the year!
Make sure to get my lemon curd recipe to complete your cupcakes!
Serve these immediately, and need I even say enjoy?! These are not only an Easter treat but can be adapted for any celebration! And hey, Saturdays count as celebrations, right?!
Watch how to make these lemon meringue cupcakes:
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup lemon curd for filling
For the meringue frosting
- 3 egg whites
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp corn syrup
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix to incorporate the dry ingredients.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the butter one tablespoon at a time, letting each mix about 20-30 seconds before adding the next. Mix until the butter and dry ingredients become a coarse crumb texture. Turn off mixer.
- In a large measuring glass or bowl, beat together the 3 egg yolks and 1 whole egg.
- Add the milk and vanilla.
- Return the mixer to a slow speed and slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Turn the mixer to high and beat for 30 seconds until the batter is light and fluffy. There may still be small bits of butter, but that's okay!
- Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners and fill each with batter. There should be enough to evenly fill each one. A large ice cream style scoop works extremely well for this.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 18-25 minutes. A wooden skewer inserted should come out clean with only a few crumbs.
- Remove from oven and place cupcakes on a cooling rack. Cool completely before filling and frosting.
- Once cooled, cut a circle (about 1 inch in diameter) in the top of each cupcake. Scoop out a small portion of the cake and fill with approximately one tablespoon of lemon curd.
- Remove excess cake from the cut off piece and replace cake over the curd filling as a "cap."
- Frost with the meringue frosting (recipe below).
For the meringue frosting
- Combine the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer (or any heatproof bowl).
- Set over just-simmering water and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove from heat and whip until stiff peaks are achieved and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, 4-6 minutes.
- Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
To assemble
- Place meringue frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe frosting onto prepared and filled cupcakes.
- Using a kitchen torch (or an oven if extremely careful), lightly brown the meringue.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake
