Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd

Lemon Cupcakes 

Lemon Icing 

Lemon Curd filling.

Lemonlicious!

I made these cupcakes for my sister's birthday and they were the BOMB.  The lemon curd absolutely made them.  That is some good stuff.  I had never tried it before but recently ordered it, along with some other goodies, from Stonewall Kitchen.  I'm in love.  

These were super easy to make because I went for the quick and dirty version.  Boxed lemon cake mix, lemon icing, and prepared lemon curd.  Obviously, making everything from scratch would make it that much better.  I made the cake mix according to directions on the box, except I added the zest of one lemon.  Once the cupcakes were done, I used a melon ball scoop, and scooped out some of the cupcake (which I ate), and added a dollop of  lemon curd.  We topped the cupcakes with canned lemon icing (I say we b/c my 11 y/o helped with the icing, in case you were checking out the first pic and wondering.  Not that my frosting skills are all that.)  The icing is the thing I would change for next time.  I wasn't a huge fan of the artificial lemon flavor of the canned icing, but I was worried the homemade icing would melt so quickly in the heat, and I was traveling with them. Other than that, they were awesome!  My mother declared them divine...and that is saying something as my mom is more of a chocoholic than I am!  I know, it's not even possible, right?!

I am thinking about making these again soon, and instead of frosting, just add some cool whipped topping and fresh blueberries.  Lemon and blueberry is always a winning combo.  I could even make these "skinny" cupcakes by just adding a can of diet lemon/lime soda to the box of mix.  If you haven't tried this...it works! I blogged about it here if interested.  So.....maybe I'm just gonna go now and make these before I attack the lemon curd with a spoon!

And if you are craving a salty snack....go enter my giveaway HERE :)

I'm linking this recipe up with A Little Nosh, Miz Helen's Country Cottage, It's a Keeper, Simple Living with Diane Balch, Just us Four; Bacon Time with the Hungry, Hungry Hypo; Alli 'n Sons, Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Six Sisters' Stuff