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!
Did you make this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram. I enjoy seeing what your creation looks like. Video recipes can be found on my YouTube channel. And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest so you can easily find them next time!
📖 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 😉