Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

These light airy cupcakes are perfect. The sour lemon curd is a perfect balance with the sweet frosting and fluffy cake. My only complaint is the process was long, so if you are looking for quick and easy these aren't great. But afterward taking a bite made all the work totally worth it! I strongly recommend this fun take on the classic lemon meringue pie!

                                        Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

The Ingredients:                    

yield: 24

Cupcakes:
3 cups all purpose flour
1tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup(2 sticks) butter, room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temp.
zest of 3 lemons
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

 Lemon Curd:
2 whole eggs plus 8 yolks ( save whites for frosting)
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (approx. 6 lemons)
2 tablespoons butter, room temp. cut into small pieces

Seven Minute Frosting:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
6 large egg whites, room temp. (use whites left from curd)


Directions:

For Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 325. Line muffin tins with paper liners, and whisk together flour baking powder, and salt.  With an electric mixer cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.  Beat in zest and vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk and lemon juice, beating just until combined. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full. Bake in preheated oven, rotating pan halfway through, until golden brown, 25 minutes. Cool completely before removing cupcakes from tin.

For Curd:
Combine whole eggs and yolks, sugar, and lemon juice in heatproof bowl over simmering water. Cook, whisking, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add butter, whisking until smooth. Refrigerate until firm( 2 hours or up to 2 days) .
It does not appear to make very much, but it is plenty.

For Frosting: 
Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with water and corn syrup in a small saucepan, clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves, continue to boil, WITHOUT STIRRING, until sugar reaches 230 degrees.Meanwhile beat the egg whites in STAND MIXER( I tried it with a hand mixer, DO NOT do this unless you want to lose feeling in your arm for the rest of the week) until soft peaks form, and add 2 tablespoons sugar. When syrup reaches 230 degrees immediately remove from heat. With mixer running pour syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow steady stream. Whisk until mixture is completely cool, test by touching bottom of bowl, and stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.( It took me 15 minutes)

Assembly:

Spoon 1 Tablespoon lemon curd over cooled cupcake. Fill pastry bag with star tip with frosting. Pipe frosting over the curd on each cupcake. Hold small kitchen torch 3 inches away and wave back and forth until frosting is light brown. We don't own a kitchen torch, so I put mine in the oven on broil for about 45 seconds.

Enjoy!