Lemon Meringue and Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

Summer is a time for fun in the sun, swimming and enjoying all of the delicious food that comes with the season. These lemon meringue and fresh strawberry cupcakes are the perfect way to celebrate warm weather. They’re light, fluffy and bursting with flavour. What’s not to love? So bring on summer!

Summer is finally here! And what better way to celebrate than with lemon meringue and fresh strawberry cupcakes? These light and fluffy cupcakes are bursting with summer flavour. The lemon meringue topping is perfectly tart from the lemon curd filling and the fresh strawberries add a delicious sweetness. So bring on summer! These cupcakes are the perfect way to enjoy the warm weather.

What to do with fresh strawberries

If you’ve been strawberry picking in summer you’ll know you always pick far more than you should. You get home then you’re like, ok what shall I do with them all! Besides eating them just as they are there are some great recipes you can follow such as this great recipe. The lemon curd works nicely with strawberries and tastes amazing.

Strawberries are great to have for breakfast. Why not try my overnight oats with strawberries and cream they are a winner with the kids!

Alternatives to fresh strawberries

Instead of using fresh strawberries use freeze-dried strawberries. All the moisture and liquid have been removed on freeze-drying, so the flavour is intense. You could even add these to the sponge mixture!

Can you freeze lemon meringue cupcakes?

Cupcakes are delicious any time of year, and you can make them ahead and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To freeze cupcakes, simply wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or place them in a freezer-safe storage container. Be sure to label them with the date so you’ll remember when you made them.

When you’re ready to enjoy a cupcake, simply remove it from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature. You can also heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds.

Ingredients

You will need:

The Sponge

• 100 g Margarine
• 150 g Self-Raising Flour
• 150 g Caster Sugar
• 3 tbsp Milk
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Lemon zest
• 12 Strawberries

The Filling

• ½ Jar Lemon Curd

The Meringue

• 2 Egg Whites
• 100 g Caster Sugar

How to make lemon meringue cupcakes with strawberries

• Preheat the oven to 180°c/160°cfan/Gas 4. Fill the muffin tin with the paper cases.
• Using a large bowl add the baking spread, flour, sugar, milk, eggs and lemon zest. Use an electric hand whisk and beat until light and fluffy. Spoon the mixture in the cases but don’t over-fill. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• When the cupcakes are cool, cut out a circle with a sharp knife and scoop out a walnut-size piece of sponge to leave a hole. Spoon 1 teaspoon of lemon curd into each hole, ensuring the curd is level with the top of the cake.
• For the meringue, whisk the egg whites until stiff then gradually add the sugar, a little at a time until you have a stiff glossy mixture.
• Using a palette knife or piping bag spread some meringue on top of each cake. Use a blowtorch or a grill to lightly brown the tops of the cupcakes. Thinly slice your strawberries and decorate.