Food Network: Classic Cupcakes with Lemon Meringue Frosting

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Classic Cupcakes with Lemon Meringue Frosting
From Food Network Kitchens

Ingredients
Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

Meringue Frosting:
4 large egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Pinch cream of tartar
Pinch fine salt
1 to 2 drops pastel food coloring

Equipment: Standard 12 (1/2 cup) muffin tin

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffin tin with cupcake
liners.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.

In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about
2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla.

While mixing slowly, add half the dry ingredients, then add all the milk, and follow with the rest
of the dry ingredients. Take care not to over mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly in the
prepared tin (about 1/3 cup batter per cup cake.)

Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool
cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove. Cool on the rack completely.

For Meringue: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a mixer's bowl above
the water. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, lemon juice and zest, cream of tarter and salt in the bowl
by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the
touch and the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a standing mixer fitted
with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until meringue is cool and holds a soft
peak, about 5 minutes. Add a few drops of desired food coloring and continue beating until it holds
stiff peaks.

To decorate: Using a spoon, offset spatula or piping bag, dollop, spread or pipe meringue on top of
each cupcake. Use the back of a spoon to create peaks and valleys in the cupcake as desired.

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