That's exactly what these are!
When Jase was eating the leftover cupcakes he looked at the halves that I gave him and he gasped and said "what's this on the inside?"..."is that really lemon meringue stuff on the inside?"... "doesn't lemon meringue stuff have like a pie crust? what? is this a cake?". Ah bless him. Yes, lemon meringue should be a tart or a pie, BUT, lemon meringue cupcakes came into this world many moons ago, and while I was originally hoping to make a lemon meringue layer cake, making cupcakes was far easier. Here is how I made mine!
When Jase was eating the leftover cupcakes he looked at the halves that I gave him and he gasped and said "what's this on the inside?"..."is that really lemon meringue stuff on the inside?"... "doesn't lemon meringue stuff have like a pie crust? what? is this a cake?". Ah bless him. Yes, lemon meringue should be a tart or a pie, BUT, lemon meringue cupcakes came into this world many moons ago, and while I was originally hoping to make a lemon meringue layer cake, making cupcakes was far easier. Here is how I made mine!
LEMON CUPCAKES RECIPE
(adapted from Bluebells Cakery Cookbook)
INGREDIENTS
- 220gm Plain Flour, sifted
- 1 TBSP Baking Powder, sifted
- 220gm Caster (Superfine) Sugar, sifted
- 120gm Butter, softened and cubed
- Zest of One Lemon
- 200ml Milk
- 2 Free Range Eggs, room temperature
STEPS
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a 12x muffin tin tray with cupcake liners.
2. Combine the sifted dry ingredients in a standing mixer (or using a handheld electric beater)
3. While the whisk is still rotating, slowly drop in the cubes of Butter until the dry mixture resembles bread crumbs.
4. Whisk together the Lemon Zest, Milk and Eggs in a separate jug, then pour in half of this liquid into the crumb mixture, gently whisking until incorporated.
5. Once the first milk liquid is incorporated, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, then pour in the remaining milk liquid and continue to whisk until the dry and wet ingredients are completely incorporated (on a low speed)
6. Using a teaspoon, spoon the cupcake liquid mixture into your prepared muffin tin, filling to about 2/3 of the tray
7. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Set the baked cupcakes aside to cool in the tray on a cooling rack.
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a 12x muffin tin tray with cupcake liners.
2. Combine the sifted dry ingredients in a standing mixer (or using a handheld electric beater)
3. While the whisk is still rotating, slowly drop in the cubes of Butter until the dry mixture resembles bread crumbs.
4. Whisk together the Lemon Zest, Milk and Eggs in a separate jug, then pour in half of this liquid into the crumb mixture, gently whisking until incorporated.
5. Once the first milk liquid is incorporated, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, then pour in the remaining milk liquid and continue to whisk until the dry and wet ingredients are completely incorporated (on a low speed)
6. Using a teaspoon, spoon the cupcake liquid mixture into your prepared muffin tin, filling to about 2/3 of the tray
7. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Set the baked cupcakes aside to cool in the tray on a cooling rack.
LEMON CURD RECIPE
(make this in advance if you like!)
INGREDIENTS
- 220ml Milk
- 110gm Caster (Superfine) Sugar
- 25gm Cornstarch
- 40gm Butter, cubed
- 80ml Lemon Juice
- Zest of One Lemon
- 3 Egg Yolks
STEPS
1. Use 2 TBSP of the milk and whisk into the cornflour, then set aside
2. Pour the remaining milk and sugar into a small saucepan. Place on high heat, mixing until the sugar is dissolved, then whisk in the cornflour liquid mixture to this and reduce the heat.
3. Add the butter to the hot milk mixture and stir until melted and combined
4. Add lemon juice, zest & egg yolks into a bowl and whisk together. Pour in a little of the hot mixture (about 1/3 cup), whisk quickly to combine, then pour the new lemony mixture from the bowl back into the saucepan (this is to prevent a scrambled eggs situation!).
5. Continue whisking the curd mixture until it starts to thicken like a custard, take off the heat and leave to cool until ready for cupcakes assembly.
1. Use 2 TBSP of the milk and whisk into the cornflour, then set aside
2. Pour the remaining milk and sugar into a small saucepan. Place on high heat, mixing until the sugar is dissolved, then whisk in the cornflour liquid mixture to this and reduce the heat.
3. Add the butter to the hot milk mixture and stir until melted and combined
4. Add lemon juice, zest & egg yolks into a bowl and whisk together. Pour in a little of the hot mixture (about 1/3 cup), whisk quickly to combine, then pour the new lemony mixture from the bowl back into the saucepan (this is to prevent a scrambled eggs situation!).
5. Continue whisking the curd mixture until it starts to thicken like a custard, take off the heat and leave to cool until ready for cupcakes assembly.
ITALIAN MERINGUE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
- 80ml Water
- 330gm Caster (Superfine) Sugar
- 3 Free Range Egg Whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 Tsp Cream of Tartar (or Lemon Juice)
STEPS
1. Place the water and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat. Place a candy thermometer in the saucepan and bring the mixture to the boil, cooking for about 6-10 minutes until the thermometer reads 120 Degrees Celsius / 250 Degrees Fahrenheit
2. Meanwhile place the 3 egg whites and cream or tartar (or lemon juice) in an standing mixer bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.
3. Whilst the motor is running on the standing mixer, add the sugar syrup in a thin and steady stream, continue to whisk the mixture until the mixing bowl feels cool/lukewarm to the touch.
1. Place the water and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat. Place a candy thermometer in the saucepan and bring the mixture to the boil, cooking for about 6-10 minutes until the thermometer reads 120 Degrees Celsius / 250 Degrees Fahrenheit
2. Meanwhile place the 3 egg whites and cream or tartar (or lemon juice) in an standing mixer bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.
3. Whilst the motor is running on the standing mixer, add the sugar syrup in a thin and steady stream, continue to whisk the mixture until the mixing bowl feels cool/lukewarm to the touch.
LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKE ASSEMBLY
1. Once the cupcakes are cooled in their cases, using an apple corer or simply a knife, take out a 10c diameter sized piece out of the middle of the cupcakes, making a little well for the lemon curd to fit in (make it as shallow or deep as you like, I made my 2/3 deep)
2. Fill the holes with lemon curd with a piping bag (trust me it's much easier than spooning it in)
3. Top with the Italian Meringue, either smoothing the top or making swirls with a spoon or spatula to get as many rivets and crevices as you can. Using a blow torch, lightly touch the meringue with the flame all over until you etch on beautiful toasty brown colour on the meringue.
And there you have it, Lemon Meringue Cupcakes. Making the meringue in the Italian Meringue way produces the most stable meringue I think. You can place the cupcakes in the fridge overnight if you like and they'll be ok to share with others the next day without the God awful sight of weeping meringue.
I hope you guys have a brilliant weekend! I'm off to join a hen's do in Melbourne and I'm SO EXCITED!!!
P.S. Remember this Raspberry & Lemon Meringue Tart ?
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