Easy Lemon Curd Cupcakes

1 box lemon cake mix (bake according to instructions on the box) makes 24 cupcakes or make your favorite lemon cupcake recipe from scratch.

Once the cupcakes are cooked take a melon baller kitchen tool and scoop out a melon size portion of the cake. I filled this hole with a heaping teaspoon of the lemon curd. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. I added one blackberry to top off the cupcake.

Recipe LEMON CURD

6 Tbs. unsalted butter room temp.

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks (optional)

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, about 2 min. Slowly add the eggs and yolks. Beat for 1 min. Mix in the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled, but it will smooth out as it cooks.In a medium, heavy-based saucepan, cook the mixture over low heat until it looks smooth. (The curdled appearance disappears as the butter in the mixture melts.) Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 15 min. It should leave a path on the back of a spoon and will read 170°F on a thermometer.

Don't let the mixture boil.

Remove the curd from the heat; stir in the lemon zest. Transfer the curd to a bowl. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the lemon curd to keep a skin from forming and chill the curd in the refrigerator. The curd will thicken further as it cools.

Fill empty small glass jars with curd.

Covered tightly, it will keep in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for 2 months.