Lemon Meringue Pie Cupcakes

Happy Friday everyone!  Our neighbors told us last week that they are expecting their first child this winter, and we wanted to celebrate.  We had them over for dinner, and I decided I wanted to try my luck at baking something new.  I do not remember the last time I made cupcakes either from scratch or a box.  I was feeling daring and found a recipe from a book my aunt got me a couple years ago.  I decided to go for a Lemon Meringue Pie Cupcake, and I must say they were amazing.  I wanted to share the recipe for you to try.  The book where I got the recipe is “Cupcakes Galore” by Gail Wagman.

Lemon Meringue Pie Cupcakes (makes 12 cupcakes)

Prepare the lemon cream

Lemon Cream

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup of lemon juice

Grated rind of 1 lemon

1/2 cup water

3 egg yolks, beaten (save the whites for meringue)

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

In a double boiler, mix sugar, flour and salt together.  Add lemon juice and the rind.  Mix well.  Beat in the water, egg yolks and butter.  Place the mixture over hot simmering water in a double boiler and cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly with a whisk (around 20 mins) Cool and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cupcake batter

1 1/2 cups of all-pupose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons grated lemon rind

1/2 cup of unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and lemon rind together and set aside.  Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add lemon juice and beat until well blended.  Add flour mixture and continue beating until batter is smooth.

Fill 12 cupcake papers with batter.  Cook for 15 minutes or till cupcakes are golden on top.  Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.

Meringue

3 egg whites

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup of sugar

A few teaspoons of sugar for dusting.

To make the meringue beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until they start to stiffen. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff but not dry.  Using a sharp knife carefully remove a little cone of cupcake from the cooled cupcake and fill with the lemon cream.  Place 1 tablespoon of meringue on each cupcake, forming peaks with the back of a spoon.  Dust lightly with sugar.  Bake the cupcakes for another 5 – 7 minutes, till the meringue is just golden.

Cool and enjoy.

Hope you try some of these cupcakes.  Have a great weekend.

Cheers!

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