Lemon Meringue Cupcake Bliss

For national cupcake week, I've been trying out different recipes and this lemon meringue cupcake is definitely up there as one of the loveliest flavours I've done so far. I just have to share the recipe with you so everyone can make these. Here's what you need:

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 250g self raising flour
• 250g unsalted butter
• 250g caster sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 5 eggs
• Jar of lemon curd (or you can make your own if you have time!)

 Meringue Topping

• 2 eggwhites
• 220g caster sugar
• 80ml cold water

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes on high speed until the mixture is pale and moussy in texture. Next, gradually add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing them in well after each addition. Add the vanilla essence and the lemon zest and mix well. Fold in the flour with a spoon or spatula until it is well combined then spoon the mixture into your cupcake cases (in your cupcake or muffin baking tray). Bake for 18-20 mins until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Once the cupcakes are ready, remove them from the oven and leave them to cool in their tin for about 5 mins before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once they are cool, core them using a knife or a cupcake corer (don't cut all the way through the cupcake, just half way) and fill with lemon curd.

To make the meringue topping, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir it over a medium heat, without boiling, until the sugar is dissolved (if you put some mixture between your fingers it should be silky smooth). Next, bring the sugar mixture to the boil, without stirring, for about 5 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer you are aiming for 116C). The syrup should be thick but not coloured. Remove from the heat and allow the bubbles to subside. Beat the eggwhites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. While they are still beating, add the hot syrup in a thin stream to the eggwhites. Continue to beat for a further 10 minutes on high speed until the mixture is thick. Pipe the meringue mixture using a star tip nozzle onto the cupcakes. If you want to be extra fancy, you can toast the meringue with a gas blow torch - but be careful not to set the cupcake cases on fire!

Hope you have fun making these cupcakes - they are so delicious x