Lemon Meringue Cupcakes!

I know what you're thinking

"Wow, Meghan, another filled cupcake recipe..."

But like I said, I'm

THINKING SPRING

and these sweet little citrusy gems are the perfect springtime fare.

There are plenty of ways to put your own spin on this combo

but here's how I achieved my results.

First I whipped up a batch of yellow cake mix

(I cheated and used the boxed variety but if you're so inclined, here is a great homemade recipe)

and then just to jazz it up a bit, I added some lemon zest.

While the cupcakes were baking I started on my Lemon Curd Filling

Ingredients:

zest of 4 lemons
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter (room temp)
4 large eggs
1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

Pulse your zest and sugar in a food processor

(If you have any strength left from zesting 4 lemons - that's hard work!)

Then cream your lemon sugar together with the butter in a stand mixer.

Now it's time to add your eggs...

One at a time until they are well combined.

add your lemon juice and salt and mix well

(it will look a bit curdled after you add the juice - don't worry)

Now you want to put your mixture in  a saucepan and heat it to 175 degrees

 (or until it starts thickening up like pudding)

Once that is thick you want to pop it in the fridge until it's cool enough to fill the cupcakes with.

Next step: Meringue!

Ingredients:

5 (room temperature) egg whites

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 C Sugar

Directions: 

In a DRY bowl of a stand mixer (with a whisk attachment) combine your 

egg whites, Cream of Tartar, salt, and vanilla until you get soft foamy peaks.

Then gradually add your sugar beating until you achieve stuff glossy peaks,

like so:

Hooray! 

Assembly Time!

Core those cupcakes!

Fill 'em with the curd...

Pipe them with the meringue...

and break out your

 torch!

(If you don't have a thoughtful man who buys you kitchen gadgets like I do, a broiler will do the trick too!)

Torch those babies until they are a nice golden brown

(Crack-head nail polish not necessary)

Not too shabby, eh?

Ok, Spring, ready when you are :)