Lemon Curd Filled Cupcakes with Blackberry Cream Cheese Frosting

I took a basic cupcake recipe and added some of my favorite things to it and this is what I came up with. I had leftover homemade lemon curd from a previous dessert, but you can find lemon curd next to the jams and jellies in most grocery stores.

Lemon Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 325 F.
1 C. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
Pinch of Salt
3/4 C. granulated sugar
1/4 C. butter at room temperature
2 egg whites (best at room temperature)
Zest of one lemon
1/3 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. lemon juice

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and butter until creamy. Add egg whites one at a time and beat until fluffy. Add lemon zest, beating well. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk. Add lemon juice. I used a mini muffin tin and filled each liner about 3/4 full. Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely. With a small teaspoon scoop cake from the center of each cupcake. Pour Lemon curd in a plastic bag and cut off the corner tip. Squeeze about 1/2-1 t. of lemon curd in each cupcake.

Blackberry Cream Cheese Frosting

4 T. butter softened
4 oz. cream cheese (room temp.)
Zest of one lemon
2 T. Blackberry puree
1/2 t. vanilla
1 C. confectioners sugar

In a medium bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese until well combined and fluffy. Add lemon zest, vanilla and blackberry puree. Blend well. Add sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy. Top each cupcake with frosting making sure to cover the lemon curd.