Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
With complimentary flavors like vanilla, lemon, buttery graham cracker and sweet meringue, these Lemon Meringue Cupcakes are next level delicious.
These Lemon Meringue cupcakes are a spring delight. They boast a graham cracker crust, a light vanilla sponge, lemon curd filling, and are topped with a fluffy swiss meringue. Oh, and did I mention the meringue is toasted right before serving?! These cupcakes have a few steps, but the end product is quite special and sure to impress friends and family.
What Makes These Cupcakes Special?
A few things, but it’s the complimenting flavors that set them apart. The graham cracker crust is optional, but does add a fun and tasty component. The crust comes together easily, as it calls for just two ingredients, graham cracker and melted butter, which are mixed together and pressed into the bottom of the prepared cupcake tins. The vanilla cake base is my signature recipe, as is the lemon curd—I use both frequently as trusted staples. The cake is made with a whole tablespoon of vanilla, and the lemon curd is made with fresh zest and juice, giving the perfect burst of vanilla and citrus. It’s all topped with swiss meringue, which often steals the show, and in this case—definitely—as it’s toasted right before serving.
Tip And Tricks For Making Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
1.) Follow the recipe instructions closely. Use room temperature eggs, as directed, when making the cupcake batter, and further, follow the mixing times as stated. These steps and requirements are listed for a reason. A list of my best cake making tips can be found here.
2.) Press the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve, as directed. When making lemon curd, little bits of egg are often found within the curd, even if it’s cooked properly. Pressing the curd through a fine mesh sieve will ensure a smooth and creamy consistency.
3.) Special tools, like a cupcake corer, aren’t required for filling these cupcakes. A small spoon can be used. I personally use a grapefruit spoon as it has serrated edges.
4.) Use freshly separated eggs for the swiss meringue. I have used boxed egg whites to make meringue and they failed miserably. For more information about swiss meringue, read the blog post here.
5.) These cupcakes are best served shortly after the meringue is placed and toasted. The meringue won’t stay glossy and will lose its hold the longer it sits on the counter—this is especially the case on a hot day. More on this topic below.
Purchasing A Kitchen Torch
I recommend using a home kitchen torch for this recipe. You can, in theory, quickly toast the meringue under the broiler, but these cupcakes are pretty delicate. I fear the sponge and curd won’t hold up well under the broiler. Kitchen torches have become pretty common place in the kitchen, and are relatively affordable, so I do recommend purchasing one. This is the torch I have.
Storing and Enjoying Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Some desserts can be prepared the day before enjoying with nothing lost in taste, texture and flavor, but these cupcakes should be enjoyed the day they are made. Here are a list of desserts that can be made ahead:
Marbled Vanilla Cake (cake can be stored fully decorated in the fridge)
Cheese Pie with Grapefruit Curd (cheese pie be stored in a standard pie dish with saran wrap placed directly on top)
Fresh Lemon Cake (cake can be stored fully decorated in the fridge)
Espresso Chocolate Bundt Cake (Bundt can be stored on the counter at room temp. Ideally placed with a cake dome on top, or in a container for freshness)
Magic Bars (bars be stored in an airtight container on the counter)
For the Lemon Meringue Cupcakes, the cupcakes (just the cupcakes not filled or decorated) can be stored in the fridge overnight in an airtight container, and the lemon curd can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. The cupcakes can be made up to a day in advance and the curd can be made up to three. Once filled with lemon curd and topped with meringue, the cupcakes should be enjoyed same day, and ideally within a few hours after being decorated. With any meringue, it starts to weep over time and this can happen faster than one might think, especially on a hot day. If the cupcakes are intended for a party, once fully decorated, place them in the fridge until 30 minutes-1 hour before serving. And for best toasty flavor and texture, the cupcakes should be torched right before serving. This usually isn’t a problem, as guests love seeing the kitchen torch in action. Individuals can even torch their own cupcake.
Final Tip
I recommend using a pastry bag and a piping tip to decorate the cupcakes. I understand this can be intimidating and unfamiliar, but there are many videos on piping buttercream, or in this case meringue, on cupcakes. I recommend using either a round Wilton tip 2A or a Wilton star tip 1M to decorate the cupcakes. Further, I recommend investing in a few piping bags. Any leftover bags can be used for future projects. Here is a helpful video on how to fill and use a piping bag for decorating cupcakes.
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake tins with liners for a total of 24 cupcakes.
- If choosing to make the graham cracker crust, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Firmly press a slightly heaping tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each cup. Bake the graham cracker crust for 3 minutes. Set aside.
- For the cupcakes, in a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes. Drizzle the oil into the bowl on medium-low speed. Once incorporated, turn the mixer back to medium speed for another 2 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, briefly mixing batter on medium speed until smooth, scraping the bowl after each egg addition. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Spoon and level the flours for an accurate measurement.
- Add buttermilk into a glass measuring cup. Alternating between the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, add 1/3 of flour mixture into the mixing bowl on low speed. Immediately follow with 1/2 of the buttermilk, followed by another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the second 1/2 of the buttermilk. Finish with the remaining flour mixture. The mixer should be kept on low speed, so the flour and liquid don't splash out of the bowl. Scrape the bowl, making sure any dry ingredients trapped at the bottom are brought to the top and briefly mix one more time.
- Using a 1.5 ounce cookie scoop or measuring 3-4 tablespoons, evenly distribute the batter between the cupcake tins. Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and the cupcake springs back when lightly pressed. Remove cupcakes from the tins and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- PLEASE NOTE: This recipe yields roughly 1 cup of curd, which is a little more than needed for the cupcake filling. The rest can be stored up to a week in the refrigerator, and used for other baking projects.
- Using a double boiler, whisk together the whole egg, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until the ingredients have thickened.
- Once thickened, remove from heat, and press through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, leaving behind the remnants of lemon zest, and any egg that may have cooked. Immediately stir in the softened butter.
- Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressed directly on the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the refrigerator to cool for at least 1 hour before filling the cake.
- Once the cupcakes are cooled, using a cupcake corer or a small spoon (grapefruit spoon works well here) carefully create a small well inside each cupcake. Fill the well with lemon curd. You can place the piece of cupcake back into the whole or discard the small scraps (my preference).
- Using the metal bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the egg whites and sugar until incorporated. Place the mixing bowl on top of a saucepan filled with simmering water. The bottom of the bowl containing the egg whites should not be touching the water. Whisk constantly until sugar granules are dissolved. This can be determined by rubbing two fingers together, checking that the mixture is smooth. Alternatively, for salmonella concerns, using an instant read thermometer, cook the mixture until it reads 160 degrees F.
- When ready, immediately lock the mixing bowl back into the stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on medium-low, whisk the liquid until it begins to froth and foam. At this time, begin to turn the mixer to medium-high, allowing the meringue to form. Mix the meringue until it has stiff peaks, about 10 minutes.
- Decorate cupcakes as desired. I recommend using a pastry bag filled with either a large star or round tip. Once the cupcakes are decorated, using a handheld torch, toast the top until golden. Enjoy immediately.
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