Lemon Curd Filled Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

Ingredients

LEMON CUPCAKES
• 1 box Lemon Instant Pudding mix (4 serving size)
• 1 box Lemon Cake Mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
LEMON CURD
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (squeezed from 5 lemons)
• zest of 3 lemons
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
LEMON BUTTERCREAM
• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 pounds powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use clear vanilla if you want white frosting)
• zest of 2-3 lemons
• fresh lemon juice from 1-2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)
• 1-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (start with one and add until you have desired consistency)
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Instructions

FOR LEMON CUPCAKES
1. Preheat oven to 350° and line cupcake tins with paper liners.
2. Combine all cupcake ingredients and mix for 2 mins at medium speed.
3. Using a large scoop (I use an ice cream scoop) fill each cupcake line 2/3 full with batter.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cupcakes are springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
5. Once cupcakes have cooled, hollow out a small well in the center of each cupcake using a knife; I like to use an icing tip or apple corer, but a knife works well too.
FOR LEMON CURD
6. Whisk together sugar and eggs in a large microwave safe bowl. Add lemon juice, zest and butter and whisk until well combined.
7. Cook in microwave on high at one minute intervals, stirring after each minute. This should take about 5 minutes, depending on your microwave. Lemon curd is done cooking when it coats the back of a metal spoon.
8. Remove from microwave and cool completely.
9. Spoon lemon curd into each hollowed out cupcake and top with buttercream.
10. Drizzle lemon curd over buttercream, for optional garnish
FOR LEMON BUTTERCREAM
11. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Slowly add salt, vanilla and lemon zest on medium low until smooth and combined (about 1), scrapping sides of bowl as necessary.
12. Slowly add powdered sugar one cup at a time on low until combined, scrape sides of bowl.
13. Add lemon juice and mix until well combined. Increase speed to medium, and beat for 1 min.
14. If buttercream is too thick, slowly add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.