Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4 and get 12 cupcake cases ready.
Cream together the butter and caster sugar until light, fluffy and smooth.
Add in the eggs, self raising flour and lemon zest and beat again until smooth.
Spoon you cupcake mix into your cupcake cases and bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes or until cooked through. Leave the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.
Filling
Core out the middle of your cupcakes.
Add in a spoonful of lemon curd per cupcake.
Italian Meringue
Pour the sugar and the water into a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir it occasionally with a wooden spoon.
When the mixture starts to boil monitor the temperature until it reaches 120C (Firm Ball Stage) with a sugar thermometer.
Whilst the mixture is heating up and boiling, if any sugar splashes up the side of the pan, brush the sides with a pastry brush and cold water to get rid of it.
When the mixture is starting to reach temperature whisk the egg whites in your electric stand mixer.
When the sugar syrup has reached temperature and the egg whites are at stiff peaks start to pour the sugar syrup onto the egg whites at the edge of the bowl whilst still whisking. Make sure you do this slowly so its a constant trickle of sugar syrup so that the egg whites stay smooth.
Whisk throughout whilst the sugar syrup is pouring in, and after its all whisked in continue to whisk the mixture on a high speed for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is smooth, and has cooled down.
Pipe the meringue onto your cupcakes, and carefully blowtorch to get the delicious tasting meringue.
Notes
These cupcakes can last for 2 days, in the fridge.
If you don’t have a stand mixer, it may be easier to make the Italian meringue with two people so one can whisk, and one can pour the sugar syrup.