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Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

These lemon meringue cupcakes are a gorgeous spring treat that taste just as good as they look! The cupcakes are spiced with cardamom and vanilla, then filled with tart, flavorful lemon curd and topped with sweet meringue.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Author: Abigail Bingham

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temp
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg + 1 egg white
  • 2 tablespoon neutral oil
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoon cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup whole milk

For the lemon curd:

  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • pinch salt
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoon butter

For the Swiss meringue:

  • 3 egg whites
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • pinch salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the lemon curd:

  • In a small bowl, whisk egg, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together until combined, then whisk in the lemon juice and vanilla.
  • In a small saucepan, melt butter on low-medium heat.
  • Pour the lemon mixture into the saucepan and whisk over medium-low heat for about 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is thickened and bubbling slightly. Curd should coat the back of a spoon when it's ready.
  • Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a jar or bowl. Cover and chill for at least 1-2 hours or overnight, until fully set.

For the cupcakes:

  • Preheat your oven to 350ºF and prepare a cupcake tin with 12 paper liners.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until fluffy.
  • Add in the egg and egg white and mix together fully, then add the oil, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until combined.
  • In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt together.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together, then add the milk and mix on low speed until just combined.
  • Use a cookie scoop to portion your cupcake batter evenly into each paper liner. Bake cupcakes for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before filling.

For the Swiss meringue:

  • Add the egg whites, sugar, and salt to a double boiler and whisk until fully combined. Keep whisking until the mixture reaches 160ºF and the sugar is completely dissolved - the mixture should look milky white and smooth.
  • Remove from heat and immediately add the egg white mixture to the clean bowl of a stand mixer. Whip the meringue with the whisk attachment on high speed until the mixture reaches soft peaks.
  • Add in the vanilla extract, then continue whipping on high speed until the mixture reaches stiff peaks. Frost the cupcakes immediately after whipping.

For assembly:

  • Using a round cookie cutter, cookie scoop, or a knife, scoop out the centers of each cupcake. Only cut about halfway down into the cupcakes.
  • Fill the holes with chilled lemon curd, leveling off the filling to be flush with the top of the cupcakes.
  • Using a piping bag or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes with the Swiss meringue. Toast lightly with a kitchen torch if desired.

Notes

  • Utilize mise en place! Make sure you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you begin making this recipe - it will help save you time and keep you organized.
  • Clean your equipment. Swiss meringue is very finicky when it comes to outside elements like water or oils, even from your fingers. Be sure to thoroughly clean your bowl and whisk attachment before whipping the meringue to ensure that it whips correctly!
  • Storage tips: Swiss meringue is best used day-of, but you can save any excess lemon curd in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
  • Choose any citrus. The beauty of a citrus curd is the amount of variety you have, from lemon or lime, to orange, grapefruit, passionfruit, and more!
  • Toast the meringue. If you want even more depth of flavor, lightly toast the meringue after frosting your cupcakes - it'll give the meringue some lovely nutty notes that complement the spices in the cupcakes.