• Prepare cupcakes as directed on cake box and let cool.

Lemon Curd or use Store-bought Lemon Curd

• While cupcakes are baking, prepare lemon curd or skip the steps for making lemon curd if you use premade or have it on hand.
• Zest 2 lemons into a large bowl .
• After zesting, juice both lemons and remove or strain seeds, add unsalted butter, and sugar.
• Microwave on high 2 minutes. Take it out and whisk, make sure butter and sugar is dissolved and allow to cool a couple of minutes.
• In another small bowl, whisk 3 eggs and egg yolk together very well.
• Pour beaten eggs through sieve, whisking into the butter mixture as your pour.
• Once combined, put mixture into microwave for 30 seconds on high, stir and micro another 30 seconds, stir again and place in micro for 1 minute.
• Take out of micro and whisk well and let sit.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting or use Store-bought lemon or cream cheese frosting

• If using store-bought frosting, omit the frosting steps. In medium-large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until well combined with mixer. Beat in cup of powdered sugar and lemon juice.
• Beat in rest of powdered sugar until frosting is pipeable consistency. Stir in some yellow food coloring, if you want a lemony look.

Lemon Whipped Cream

• Add some lemon curd to whipped topping and mix together.

Assembly

• After the cupcakes are cooled, take a knife and cut a 1/2" circle in the middle of the cupcakes, {cut it like a cone, so tip of knife goes toward center instead of straight down} and take the core out of the cupcakes.
• Pipe lemon whipped cream into each cupcake.
• Place frosting in pastry bag with medium star tip and pipe a dam or border around the top of the cupcakes. Make sure frosting is stable enough to hold lemon curd inside. If it's too loose, it will fall off the sides of the cupcakes.
• Spoon lemon curd into the center of each cupcake. Garnish if desired with fruit or lemon wedge.