Coconut Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Coconut Meringue

It seems I'm a little late figuring out that cupcakes are a lot easier to bake, decorate, eat and especially, photograph. My cake decorating skills are very limited, but I was inspired by a little cupcake book I found on the bargain rack at the bookstore. There were photographs for each cupcake recipe and a great section at the end of the book showing tools and decorating tips. With a little practice, most could be made without professional decorating skills. From a simple afternoon tea to a gala wedding, there are cupcakes for every occasion.

I wanted to practice piping meringue, so I chose to make the Coconut Lemon Curd Cupcake with Coconut Meringue. This recipe makes 6 Texas size or 12 standard cupcakes.



Coconut Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Coconut Meringue

Lemon Curd Cake

1 stick (4 oz)unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour

Lemon Curd

4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Coconut Meringue

4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the lemon curd by combining ingredients in a small heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

For the cupcakes, beat softened butter, lemon peel, sugar and eggs in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in milk and coconut, then flour. Divide mixture among 12 standard or 6 large muffin tin which have been lined with appropriate size paper baking cups.

Bake large cakes about 25 minutes, small cakes about 20 minutes. Turn cakes onto wire rack to cool. Increase oven temperture to 425 degrees F.

Cut a 3/4 inch deep hole in the center of each cake, fill with curd; discard cake top.

Make Coconut Meringue

Beat egg whites in a small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form; gradually add sugar, beating until sugar dissolves. Continue beating until stiff, but not dry peaks form. Fold in coconut.

Spoon meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tube. Hold piping bag vertical to the cake, piping a spiral from the outside to the center of the cake. Place cake on baking sheet. Bake in oven 5 minutes or until meringue is browned lightly.



This is my entry into Click whose theme for February is "flour". Bee and Jai from jugalbandi are the creators of the this popular event.