Popcorn Cupcakes Recipe From Scratch – Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

lemon cupcake

A delicious lemon meringue cupcake

topped with zesty Lemon flavored popcorn

Recipe by Victoria Dweck

For Key Lime Cupcakes, replace lemon zest and juice in recipe for key lime zest and juice. For Strawberry-Lemon cupcakes, replace half of the lemon juice with strawberry puree. Use Green Apple (for Lime) or Strawberry Candy Popcorn, respectively, for topping.

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup milk or soy milk
  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • 1 stick butter or margarine, cut into cubes, at room temperature
  • 2 eggs

Lemon Filling

  • ½ cup sugar
  • pinch salt
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 egg

Frosting

  • 1 recipe favorite buttercream frosting (recipe below) OR 1 recipe Italian Meringue Frosting (See above)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest or 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1 container Oh! Nuts Lemon Candy Popcorn

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Combine milk and vanilla in a measuring cup. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and mix until combined. Add eggs, one at time, then add milk mixture.
  4. Scoop batter into a paper-lined muffin pan and bake for 15 minutes, until cupcakes are set but not yet golden.
  5. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Whisk together sugar, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and egg until light and fluffy.
  6. Using a knife, poke a slot in the top of the cupcake and insert 2-3 teaspoons lemon filling, letting some spill out to glaze the top. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes, until filling is set and top of cupcakes are golden. Let cool.
  7. Add zest or extract to prepared frosting. Pipe frosting high in the center of the cupcake (it’s best to use a jumbo piping tip). Press Candy Popcorn into the frosting. Drizzle with additional caramel (this will keep the popcorn in place).

Yield: 12 cupcakes

 

Italian Meringue Frosting

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 4 egg whites
  • ½ teaspoon creme of tartar
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest or 1 teaspoon lemon extract (for Lemon Meringue Cupcakes)

  1. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 4 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until soft peaks form.
  3. With the mixer on high speed, very slowly pour hot sugar liquid into meringue. After you finish pouring in the sugar, beat meringue for 7 minutes. Use frosting to top Lemon Meringue Cupcakes.

 

 

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