Lemon Meringue Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling

I found this recipe on Martha Stewart's website and gave it a try a while ago.  It is now one of my all time favorites and one I just had to share.  I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do.

Let me preface this by saying I made the Lemon Curd the night before and found it really helped me with managing my time when it came to making these cupcakes.  I've got 2 toddlers at home so you can imagine what that is like :)  I suggest, unless you have a whole afternoon free, that it is a good idea to spread out the work load for this one.  


Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Ingredients

675g all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
225g unsalted butter, room temperature
450g sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons (about 3 tablespoons), plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
240 ml buttermilk
Lemon Curd Filling
Italian Meringue Buttercream


Directions

Preheat oven to 165C, Gas Mark 3

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a seperate bowl cream Butter and sugar at Medium Speed until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Beat in zest and vanilla.  Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk and beating until just combined after each addition.

Fill cupcake cases 3/4 full and bake roating tins halfway through until golden brown and cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 25 mins.

Cool completely, cupcakes can be stored at room temperature overnight or frozen up to 2 months in airtight containers.

Once cool fill with Lemon Curd Filling and Frost with Italian Meringue Buttercream.  I also topped with a Lemon Peel Rose.  Instructions for this can be found here.