Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

By vealam

Ingredients

• For the Lemon Curd:
• 2 Teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (6-8 large lemons)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 6 large eggs + 8 large egg yolks
• 10 tablespoons butter, unsalted
• For the Cake:
• 1 and 2/3 cups Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk, room temperature
• 1/4 Cup Whole Milk
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• For the Meringue:
• 6 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon cream of tarter
• 1 Cup sugar

Details

Servings 12
Preparation time 60mins
Cooking time 80mins
Adapted from ohsweetbasil.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the lemon curd
In a pot over medium heat, add the lemon zest, juice, sugar and salt. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes.
In a bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks until pale in color, about 1 minute.
Add a little of the lemon mixture to the eggs while whisking. Add in all of the juice and continue to whisk until smooth. Place the mixture back in the saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon and is thickened. Remove from heat and press through a mesh strainer over a clean bowl to remove any tiny pieces of cooked egg. Quickly stir in the butter.
Fill a container or bowl with the curd and press plastic wrap over the top. Refrigerate until cool. Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap for up to 2 weeks.

For the Cake
In a large bowl,using a whisk, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside. In a standing mixer, beat together the butter and sugar. Add the yogurt, milks, and vanilla until combined. Slowly mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no lumps remain. Batter will be thick.
Using a handheld mixer and a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until until thick and foamy, about 3 minutes. Fold into cupcake batter.
Divide batter among 12 cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
Using a paring knife, gently cut a hole out of the top of the cupcake and down through the center being careful to not go to the bottom of the cake. Gently fill the cupcake with a scoop of curd and spread a little more all over the top of the cupcake. Pipe on the meringue and using a kitchen torch, heat the meringue until golden.

For the Meringue
Beat egg whites with salt and cream of tarter on high until soft peaks form. add sugar gradually while beating. beat until stiff peaks form. Fill a piping bag and pipe the meringue on top of the cupcakes.