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Cupcakes: Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Source of Recipe

From "Small Batch Baking" by Saura Kline


Recipe Introduction

"If you aren't a fan of lemon desserts, then you don't know what you're missing. Lemon and sugar go together so well! In this cupcake, I wanted to recreate the flavors of lemon meringue pie. The cake is lighter than air and is packed with lemon flavor. The topping is an easy meringue, making this cupcake a perfect sweet and tart treat."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ â…“ cup canola oil
â—¦ ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
â—¦ 3 egg whites, divided
â—¦ ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon baking powder
â—¦ â…› teaspoon salt
â—¦ Zest of 1 lemon
â—¦ 4 tablespoons lemon juice
â—¦ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line six cups of a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil and ½ cup of sugar. Add one egg white and whisk to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and fold in with a spatula. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice; then stir with a spatula until the batter is smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the six cups, filling them about three-quarters of the way up.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

To make the meringue, use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a handheld electric mixer. Add the remaining two egg whites to a large bowl. Turn the mixer on and slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Whip until it starts to form stiff peaks. Add the vanilla last. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the bottom corner snipped off.

Pipe the meringue onto the cupcakes. Use a kitchen blowtorch to brown the meringue topping. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 cupcakes



• Baking Tip:
If you don't have a kitchen blowtorch, you can easily brown the meringue under a broiler. Heat the broiler on high and place the cupcakes about 2 inches from the broiling element. Watch carefully and remove them after about 2 minutes, or when the meringue is browned to your liking.