These lemon meringue cupcakes are made with soft and fluffy vanilla cupcakes using the hot milk method. They're filled with tangy lemon curd and topped with airy swiss meringue that's torched to perfection!
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I'm REALLY excited to be sharing this recipe for lemon meringue cupcakes. They're made using the hot milk method which creates cupcakes with a texture that's a mixture between regular cake and sponge cake. They're light and fluffy but with slightly less work than a sponge cake or chiffon cake.
The cupcakes are amazing but the best part, in my opinion, is the lemon curd. Any dessert that involves lemon curd makes it to my favourites list. These cupcakes take the flavours of classic lemon meringue pie but in cute little cupcake form!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Soft and fluffy cupcakes. These cupcakes are made using the hot milk cupcake method where you whip the eggs with sugar until aerated and then mix hot milk into the batter to create spongey and tender cupcakes that stay fresh and soft for days.
- Hot milk cupcake method. These cupcakes are easy to make because you don't need to cream softened butter (my personal least favourite thing to do in any recipe).
- Tangy lemon curd. These cupcakes are filled with silky lemon curd for a good balance of sweet and tangy.
- Fluffy toasted meringue. You can't have lemon meringue cupcakes without airy swiss meringue on top that's torched for a smoky flavour.
Tools
- Electric hand mixer - A hand mixer is essential for making this recipe as you'll need to beat the meringue and eggs for the cupcake batter for several minutes to achieve the correct consistency.
- Muffin pan - You'll need a standard 12-hole muffin pan to bake cupcakes. Yes, a muffin pan is the same thing as a cupcake pan. It's usually called a muffin pan which you can also bake cupcakes and mini quiches in.
- Cupcake liners - You'll need parchment cupcake liners to line the pan with. These usually come in two sizes - standard and large (or large and jumbo, depending on the brand). The large/jumbo liners are slightly taller and extend higher than the pan and made more for muffins. They're also fine to use (in fact, I used them for mine because I bought the wrong size). For typical small cupcakes, you'll want the standard/large liners which are the same height as the pan.
Ingredient notes
As always, the full recipe card with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to the recipe.
- Eggs - You'll need large eggs for the lemon curd, cupcakes, and meringue. The good thing about this recipe is that you'll use the egg yolks for the lemon curd and the egg whites for the meringue so no egg whites or yolks get wasted or leftover.
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon - You can adjust the amount of lemon juice you add to the lemon curd but I prefer the juice of 1 lemon for a good amount of tanginess.
- Unsalted butter - The butter for the lemon curd should be at room temperature and roughly cubed into smaller pieces to facilitate faster melting. The butter used for the cupcakes can be straight from the fridge since you'll be melting it anyway.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Milk - Use any dairy or non-dairy milk. Milk with a higher fat content like 2% milk or thicker plant-based milk like oat milk will create richer and softer cupcakes.
- Vanilla extract
- Oil - The small amount of oil in this recipe makes a difference in the moistness and softness of these cupcakes.
How to make lemon meringue cupcakes
For the lemon curd
Mix: In a small pan or pot, stir together the egg, egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice.
Heat until thickened: Heat the mixture on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it thickens into a gel-like consistency, about 10-15 minutes. It will seem like nothing's happening for the first several minutes and then it will suddenly thicken very quickly and you want to be stirring constantly at that point. When you drag a spatula through the curd, it should part and take a few seconds to come back together.
Stir in butter: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, one cube at a time, until they melt into the lemon curd before adding the next one.
Strain: Push the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits of cooked egg or lemon seeds for a silky smooth texture. Transfer the lemon curd to a small bowl to cool at room temperature or in the fridge.
For the cupcakes
Prep - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-hole muffin/cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
Mix dry ingredients - In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Heat milk mixture - In a small pot or microwave-safe bowl, add the milk, butter, oil, and vanilla extract. Heat it on the stovetop or in the microwave just until the butter has melted. Don't let it boil. Remove it from the heat and cover to keep it warm while you start making the batter.
Whip eggs - In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and sugar. Use an electric hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to beat the mixture on low-medium speed increasing to medium-high speed for 6 whole minutes until the egg mixture has tripled in volume and becomes very pale (almost white) in colour.
Mix in flour - Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just barely combined. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix again until just barely combined. Some flour patches in the batter and up the sides of the bowl are fine as you'll continue mixing some more in the next step.
Stream in hot milk - With the mixer on low speed, slowly stream the hot milk mixture into the batter with your other hand, mixing until just combined into a smooth, fluid batter.
Fill cupcake liners - Fill the cupcake liners about ⅔ full. Bake cupcakes for about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean with a few crumbs and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Cool - Let the cupcakes cool in the pan only for about 5 minutes before lifting them out of the pan and transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely
For the swiss meringue
Create a double boiler - In a small pot, bring about 1" of water to a boil. To a heat-safe mixing bowl that fits on top of the pot perfectly without touching the water, add the egg whites, sugar, and vanilla extract.
Heat mixture - When the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and place the mixing bowl on top of the pot. Gently heat the mixture, stirring often, until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm. If you rub a bit of the mixture in between your fingers, it should feel smooth without any grittiness.
Beat until stiff peaks - Remove the bowl from the pot, being careful not to get any water in the bowl. Use an electric hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to beat the mixture on low-medium speed until it becomes foamy. Increase to medium-high speed and continue beating until the mixture becomes opaque white and stiff peaks that curl over slightly at the tips.
Assemble the cupcakes
Scoop out the middle - Use a small melon baller or a knife to scoop out the middle portion of each cupcake, about halfway deep into the cupcake.
Fill with lemon curd - If you've stored your lemon curd in the fridge overnight, heat it in the microwave or stovetop for a more fluid and pipable consistency. Transfer the lemon curd to a piping bag and snip the tip of the bag off. Pipe the lemon curd into the middle of each cupcake.
Top with meringue - With a cookie scooper, add a scoop of meringue on top of each cupcake or pipe it on top with a piping bag and piping tip. Use the back of a spoon to press a depression on top of the meringue to fill with lemon curd later (optional).
Torch meringue - Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue to your liking. Be careful not to get too close to the cupcake liners as they're flammable. Add an extra dollop of lemon curd on top of the meringue if you like!
Storage
The fully completed lemon meringue cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The meringue on top is best eaten on the same day for the best texture but leftovers will do fine in the fridge.
Let the cupcakes come back to room temperature before eating.
The unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing
Leftover cupcakes can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours before eating.
Tips for success
- Cook the lemon curd slowly, stirring often. Using heat that's too high will cook the eggs too fast and you'll end up with scrambled eggs.
- Beat eggs and sugar for the cupcake batter for a full 6 minutes. This is what aerates the egg mixture with lots of tiny air bubbles and creates spongey and airy cupcakes.
- Stream the hot milk mixture into the batter slowly while mixing. You don't want the eggs in the batter to cook so do this slowly while mixing constantly. You should end up with a very smooth and silky batter that's fluid but thick.
- Bake the cupcakes right away. Make sure your oven is preheated and your pan is lined with cupcake liners before your batter is ready. You should be baking the cupcakes immediately after filling the cupcake liners to retain the air bubbles in the batter.
- Fill the liners ⅔ full. The perfect cupcakes are flat on top and around the height of the cupcake liner to create a surface for adding the frosting or meringue on top. ⅔ full is just right most of the time. Overfilling the cupcakes can lead to domed or misshapen cupcakes. Underfilling is better than overfilling.
- Keep the cupcakes in an airtight container. After the cupcakes have cooled completely, they should go straight into an airtight container. Since they're so small, cupcakes can dry out quickly especially if stored in the fridge.
- Make the meringue and torch it right before serving the cupcakes or on the same day for the best texture. Meringue is mostly stable on the same day it is made but it can change in texture if stored in the fridge or exposed to too much moisture in the air.
Frequently asked questions
The cupcakes and lemon curd can definitely be made ahead by several days. Lemon curd can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 1 week. It will become more solid in the fridge so warm it in the microwave before using it. The cupcakes can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. The meringue should be the last thing you make and should be added to the cupcakes on the day you are serving them.
With the extra cake scraps, you can make cake pops, sprinkle them on top of ice cream, or simply eat them as a snack!
More lemon recipes to try
Recipe
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
- 1 large whole egg
- 3 large egg yolks, save the egg whites for the meringue
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice, juice of 1 lemon
- 50 g unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed
Cupcakes
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 125 g milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon oil
Swiss Meringue
- 3 large egg whites
- 100 g granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Lemon Curd
- Mix: In a small pan or pot, stir together the egg, egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Heat until thickened: Heat the mixture on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it thickens into a gel-like consistency, about 10-15 minutes. It will seem like nothing's happening for the first several minutes and then it will suddenly thicken very quickly and you want to be stirring constantly at that point. When you drag a spatula through the curd, it should part and take a few seconds to come back together.
- Stir in butter: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, one cube at a time, until they melt into the lemon curd before adding the next one.
- Strain: Push the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits of cooked egg or lemon seeds for a silky smooth texture. Transfer the lemon curd to a small bowl to cool at room temperature or in the fridge.
Cupcakes
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Heat milk mixture: In a small pot or microwave-safe bowl, add the butter, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Heat it on the stovetop or in the microwave just until the butter has melted. Don't let it boil. Remove it from the heat and cover to keep it warm while you start making the batter.
- Whip eggs: In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and sugar. Use an electric hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to beat the mixture on low-medium speed increasing to medium-high speed for 6 whole minutes until the egg mixture has tripled in volume and becomes very pale (almost white) in colour.
- Mix in flour: Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just barely combined. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix again until just barely combined. Some flour patches in the batter and up the sides of the bowl are fine as you'll continue mixing some more in the next step.
- Stream in hot milk: With the mixer on low speed, slowly stream the hot milk mixture into the batter with your other hand, mixing until just combined into a smooth, fluid batter.
- Fill cupcake liners: Fill the cupcake liners about ⅔ full. Bake cupcakes for about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean with a few crumbs and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
- Cool: Let the cupcakes cool in the pan only for about 5 minutes before lifting them out of the pan and transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely
Swiss Meringue
- Create a double boiler: In a small pot, bring about 1" of water to a boil. To a heat-safe mixing bowl that fits on top of the pot perfectly without touching the water, add the egg whites, sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Heat mixture: When the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and place the mixing bowl on top of the pot. Gently heat the mixture, stirring often, until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm. If you rub a bit of the mixture in between your fingers, it should feel smooth without any grittiness.
- Beat until stiff peaks: Remove the bowl from the pot, being careful not to get any water in the bowl. Use an electric hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to beat the mixture on low-medium speed until it becomes foamy. Increase to medium-high speed and continue beating until the mixture becomes opaque white and stiff peaks that curl over slightly at the tips.
Assemble the cupcakes
- Scoop out the middle: Use a small melon baller or a knife to scoop out the middle portion of each cupcake, about halfway deep into the cupcake.
- Fill with lemon curd: If you've stored your lemon curd in the fridge overnight, heat it in the microwave or stovetop for a more fluid and pipable consistency. Transfer the lemon curd to a piping bag and snip the tip of the bag off. Pipe the lemon curd into the middle of each cupcake.
- Top with meringue: With a cookie scooper, add a scoop of meringue on top of each cupcake or pipe it on top with a piping bag and piping tip. Use the back of a spoon to press a depression on top of the meringue to fill with lemon curd later (optional).
- Torch meringue: Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue to your liking. Be careful not to get too close to the cupcake liners as they're flammable. Add an extra dollop of lemon curd on top of the meringue if you like!
Ella
Is there anyway to do this without the kitchen torch?
Gail Ng
Honestly, not really. A torch is the easiest and most precise way to do it. I've heard of people using the broiler in their oven but I've never had success with that method.
Carmen Chambers
Do you have another measurement for this recipe cause you have to look up every measurement up thank you