Lemon Meringue Cupcakes With Curd and Torched Meringue

These cupcakes need three parts and about 45 minutes of hands-on work: a lemon sponge, a lemon curd, and a meringue that gets torched on top. Twelve cupcakes come out of one batch.

The curd is the part people skip, and it's the part that makes these taste like lemon meringue pie instead of lemon cake. It takes about 10 minutes over a pot of simmering water and keeps in the fridge for days.

One thing up front: the meringue is cooked over that same water bath before it's whipped. That means the frosting is safe to eat without baking it, and you don't have to worry about raw egg white on top of a cooled cupcake.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the oven

Set the oven to 325 degrees F and line a 12-cup tin with paper liners. Lower heat than a standard cake because these have a lot of liquid in them.

2. Cream the butter and sugar

Beat the butter in a medium bowl and add the sugar gradually. Keep going until the mix looks pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the eggs

Crack in the eggs one at a time, mixing each one in before the next. Scrape the bowl down once.

4. Sift in the dry ingredients

Sift the flour and baking powder over the bowl, add the salt, and mix only until you stop seeing dry flour. Overmixing makes tough cupcakes.

5. Add the liquids

Pour in the vanilla, milk, and lemon juice and mix until just combined. The batter will look slightly loose. That's right.

6. Fill and bake

Scoop the batter into the liners about three-quarters full. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

7. Cool the cupcakes

Leave them in the tin for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack. They need to be fully cool before filling.

8. Start the curd

Whisk the 6 egg yolks and 1 cup sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Keep the water below a boil.

9. Thicken the curd

Once the sugar dissolves, add the lemon juice and zest and stir for about 10 minutes. It's ready when it coats the back of a spoon.

10. Finish the curd

Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the 6 tablespoons butter until melted. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and chill.

11. Cook the meringue base

Whisk the egg whites and 1 cup sugar in a clean heatproof bowl over the simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the mix feels warm and smooth between your fingers.

12. Whip the meringue

Off the heat, add the cream of tartar and beat about 10 minutes, until soft peaks form. A stand mixer makes this easy.

13. Fill the cupcakes

Cut a hole in the top of each cupcake with a small knife or piping tip and press down to make a well. Spoon in lemon curd.

14. Top and torch

Pipe or spread the meringue over the curd. Torch it, or broil 3 to 4 minutes in foil liners, until the peaks are browned.

Tips & Tricks

• Cook the curd until it coats the back of a spoon. If it drips off in a stream, it needs more time.
• Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the hot curd. That stops a skin from forming.
• Let the cupcakes cool completely before you cut the wells. Warm cake tears.
• Use foil liners if you plan to broil the meringue instead of torching it. Paper liners scorch under a broiler.

Variations

• Skip the curd and use a good jarred lemon curd if you're short on time. You'll need about 1 cup.
• Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the cupcake batter for a stronger citrus hit.
• Swap the torched meringue for a simple Swiss meringue buttercream if you want a firmer frosting.

How to Store Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes With Curd and Torched Meringue

Tender lemon cupcakes with a hidden pocket of homemade lemon curd and a torched meringue swirl on top. Makes 12 and uses a water bath for safe meringue.

35 minPrep time30 minCook time95 minTotal12Servings

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Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (at room temperature)
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

1. 1Heat the oven — Set the oven to 325 degrees F and line a 12-cup tin with paper liners. Lower heat than a standard cake because these have a lot of liquid in them.
2. 2Cream the butter and sugar — Beat the butter in a medium bowl and add the sugar gradually. Keep going until the mix looks pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. 3Add the eggs — Crack in the eggs one at a time, mixing each one in before the next. Scrape the bowl down once.
4. 4Sift in the dry ingredients — Sift the flour and baking powder over the bowl, add the salt, and mix only until you stop seeing dry flour. Overmixing makes tough cupcakes.
5. 5Add the liquids — Pour in the vanilla, milk, and lemon juice and mix until just combined. The batter will look slightly loose. That's right.
6. 6Fill and bake — Scoop the batter into the liners about three-quarters full. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
7. 7Cool the cupcakes — Leave them in the tin for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack. They need to be fully cool before filling.
8. 8Start the curd — Whisk the 6 egg yolks and 1 cup sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Keep the water below a boil.
9. 9Thicken the curd — Once the sugar dissolves, add the lemon juice and zest and stir for about 10 minutes. It's ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
10. 10Finish the curd — Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the 6 tablespoons butter until melted. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and chill.
11. 11Cook the meringue base — Whisk the egg whites and 1 cup sugar in a clean heatproof bowl over the simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the mix feels warm and smooth between your fingers.
12. 12Whip the meringue — Off the heat, add the cream of tartar and beat about 10 minutes, until soft peaks form. A stand mixer makes this easy.
13. 13Fill the cupcakes — Cut a hole in the top of each cupcake with a small knife or piping tip and press down to make a well. Spoon in lemon curd.
14. 14Top and torch — Pipe or spread the meringue over the curd. Torch it, or broil 3 to 4 minutes in foil liners, until the peaks are browned.

Cook's note: The curd and meringue both need a heatproof bowl that sits snugly over a pot without touching the water. Get that set up before you start.

Servings: 12

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

RecipesCooker35 minutes30 minutes95 minutes

Written by Darnell
Darnell covers air fryer recipes and slow cook meals, with a steady side of eggs and breakfast casseroles for people cooking on a tight schedule. He writes in a blunt, test-it-again voice and flags the mistakes that ruin texture, from soggy fries to rubbery eggs. Every post gives timings, temperatures, and a fallback if your machine runs hot.