Lemon Meringue Cupcakes!

Spring is here!... So it's time to start fresh... and not to mention get rid of those winter blues! So here is a wonderful, fresh, light, and airy cupcake recipe to lift your spirits! These are delightful chiffon cupcakes filled with creamy lemon curd and topped with a torched Swiss meringue! ITS LIKE SUNSHINE IN YOUR BELLY!!!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes!

 

Ingredients:

3 cups                     Cake flour
2 tsp.                       Baking powder
1 cup                       Sugar, divided
4                              Egg yolks, large
1 cup                       Vegetable oil
1 cup                       Water
1/2 tsp.                    Pure vanilla extract
                                Lemon zest
4                              Egg whites, large




 Pre-heat oven to 375. Line a standard muffin pan with cupcake liners. In a mixer with fitted paddle, mix flour, baking powder, and 1/2 cup sugar together. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, oil, water, vanilla, and zest. Add yolk to flour mixture slowly while the mixer is on low speed and it is fully incorporated. Scrape down sides of the bowl and set aside. In a medium sized bowl using a hand mixer, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar slowly while whisking. Whisk until whites come to medium peaks. Fold in half the egg whites to the batter until lightened. Add remaining whites and fold. Pour evenly into cupcake liners and bake until done (toothpick comes out clean). Cool completely.


Once cool, scoop out center of cupcakes and fill with lemon curd (homemade OR your favorite store bought kind).

Swiss Meringue

4                       Egg whites, large
1 cup                Sugar


Place a mixing bowl from stand mixer over boiling water on the stove. Add whites and sugar and stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to 140 degrees. Remove from heat and place on stand mixer with whisk attachment. Whisk until egg whites come to stiff peaks and are glossy looking. Place in piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes. Blow torch tops of meringues for a finished look.