Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

These cupcakes are inspired by one of my favourite desserts, lemon meringue pie. They have a light and fluffy sponge with a creamy, but zingy lemon curd centre and a crispy meringue top.

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Lemon Meringue Cupcake Recipe

Makes: 16 cupcakes
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the cupcakes:

• 215 g plain flour
• 190 g caster sugar
• 0.25 tsp baking soda
• 1.25 tsp baking powder
• 0.25 tsp salt
• zest of one lemon
• 170 g unsalted butter melted
• 3 egg whites from large eggs
• 120 ml sour cream
• 120 ml whole milk
• 8 tsp lemon curd

For the meringue:

• 3 large free range egg whites
• 155 g caster sugar
• 0.25 tsp vanilla essence
• 0.75 g tbsp cornflour

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C fan (or 200 °C conventional oven) and line two muffin trays with 16 cup cake cases.
2. In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and lemon zest) and mix well.
3. In another bowl whisk together the wet ingredients apart from the lemon curd (butter, egg whites, sour cream and milk).
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients – add the liquid into the dry ingredients little by little whisking well after each addition until a smooth batter is formed.
5. Half fill the cup cake cases with batter, add half a teaspoon of lemon curd to each case and then fill the case with additional batter such that the cases are three quarters full.
6. Bake the cupcakes for 18 minutes until a cocktail stick pierced into the cupcake comes out clean and when the cakes spring back up once you press down lightly on them.
7. In the meantime make the meringue. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff. Use the fastest setting.
8. Add the sugar to the egg white one spoon at a time whisking well after each spoonful.
9. Add in the vanilla essence and cornflour and whisk until the egg white is glossy and it stays in the bowl when you tip it upside down.
10. Once the cupcakes have baked, allow them to cool for around 10-15 minutes.
11. Add a generous spoonful of meringue to the top of each cupcake. Use the spoon to create a peak at the top of the meringue.
12. Add the cupcakes back to the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 180 °C until the meringue starts to go slightly brown. Then reduce the temperature of the oven to 100 °C and bake for a further 15 minutes.

NOTES

• Ensure that all ingredients, especially the eggs, butter and sour cream at room temperature to prevent the cake batter from curdling.