Looking for great Lemon Meringue Cupcakes? This is the recipe you need! These cupcakes are light, fluffy, and full of fresh lemon flavor, perfectly balanced with a sweet, golden meringue topping.
They’re easy to make, use simple ingredients, and always turn out perfect. The soft vanilla cupcake is filled with homemade lemon curd, adding a tangy surprise to every bite. And that caramelized meringue on top? Pure perfection!
Easy Lemon Cupcake Recipe
Lemon and meringue are a classic combo that has been loved for centuries! Inspired by the famous Lemon Meringue Pie, these cupcakes bring all the same flavors in a fun, handheld version.
They became even more popular thanks to Martha Stewart, whose version became a kitchen favorite. Whether you make them for a party, afternoon tea, or a treat, these cupcakes are always crowd-pleasers!
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📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Ingredients
Lemon Curd (Makes 2 cups / 450 ml)
- 2 eggs, size L
- 8 egg yolks, size L
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅔ cup lemon juice, about six lemons
- 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces
Cupcakes
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs, L, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 lemons, zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
meringue frosting
- 1⅔ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 6 egg whites, L, room temperature
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
Make the Lemon Curd
- Mix the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water (don’t let it touch the water).2 eggs, 8 egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, ⅔ cup lemon juice
- Stir until the mixture thickens, then remove from heat.
- Add butter, stirring until melted.2 tablespoons butter
- Strain the curd to remove any lumps. Cover with plastic wrap (press it directly onto the curd to prevent a skin).
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar for 3 minutes until fluffy.2 sticks butter, 2 cups sugar
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Stir in vanilla extract.4 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture, then ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat until combined.1 cup buttermilk
- Gently fold in the lemon zest and juice.3 lemons, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool to room temperature.
Make the Meringue Frosting
- In a saucepan, mix 1⅓ cups sugar, honey, and water.1⅔ cup sugar, ⅔ cup water, 2 tablespoons honey
- Heat to 230 °F using a sugar thermometer.
- Meanwhile, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form.6 egg whites
- Slowly add the remaining sugar to the egg whites while whisking.
- Once the syrup reaches the right temperature, slowly pour it down the side of the mixing bowl while mixing.
- Keep mixing until the bowl cools to room temperature.
Assemble the Cupcakes
- Spread one tablespoon of lemon curd on each cupcake.
- Fill a piping bag with meringue and pipe a tall swirl.
- Use a kitchen torch to lightly brown the meringue. (No torch? See below!)
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
No buttermilk? Use 1 cup milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice instead. 3. Want a tropical twist? Swap the lemon curd for orange or passion fruit curd. 4. Storage Tips
- Room temperature: Best eaten fresh, but can be stored for 1 day in an airtight container.
- Fridge: Store for up to 3 days, but let them warm up before serving.
- Freezer: Cupcakes (without meringue) can be frozen for 1 month. Thaw and add fresh meringue before serving.
Nutrition
dina says
they look great!
admin says
Thank you Dina. We loved them so much!
admin says
Hi Teresa. I was unknown of that, thought she was famous all over the world, but a girl can get wrong. Why is Nigella more famous in Portugal? There are a lot of great cooks, but what makes Nigella special for Portugal (I'm just curious). And what are the most famous cook in Portugal? Hope you don't mind I'm asking, but I loved to know.
And also a lot of thanks because of your nice comment.
Teresa says
Hi in fact she is not famous here in portugal, I hear about Martha a a few years ago and only because I can read english, in Portugal Nigella is more famous than her but not that famous at all 🙂 we have other stars around here.
But I will try this recipe and I love ur blog 😉