Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Description
A twist on lemon meringue pie, these moist lemon cupcakes filled with creamy lemon curd and topped with a marshmallow-like meringue are perfect for a special dessert.
Ingredients
•
2/3 cup lemon juice
•
3 large eggs
•
5 tablespoons white sugar
•
1 tablespoon lemon zest
•
3 1/2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces
•
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
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3/4 cup white sugar
•
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 cup milk
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1/4 cup vegetable oil
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 large egg
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1/2 cup hot water
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1/2 cup white sugar
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3 large egg whites
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3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions
1
Combine lemon juice, eggs, sugar, and lemon zest for lemon curd in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spatula or spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve into a bowl. Stir in butter until melted; set aside.
2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
3
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt for cupcakes into a large bowl. Pour milk, oil, vanilla extract, and egg onto the dry mixture. Mix thoroughly with an electric mixer of by hand. Pour in hot water and mix to combine; batter will be thin. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling about 3/4 full.
4
Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool, about 20 minutes.
5
Core each cupcake using either a corer or a knife. Spoon in lemon curd.
6
Pour sugar and egg whites into a large bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan or pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and egg whites are warm, to between 120 and 140 degrees F (49 to 60 degrees C) on a thermometer, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
7
Mix in lemon juice and whip at high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe meringue onto the cupcakes.
8
Set an oven rack about 10 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
9
Place cupcakes under the preheated broiler until meringue has browned, about 2 minutes.