The best thing about making lemon cupcakes is the unbelievable smell of freshly squeezed lemon juice.  I have made lemon cupcakes many times but this time I decided to try adding lemon curd to the centres.  The results were delicious!

I used the Primrose Bakery's recipe for the lemon cupcakes and the lemon butter icing and this time round I have to admit to buying the lemon curd instead of making it myself as my time was limited (I used Duchy Originals Organic Lemon Curd).  The recipe I like to use for lemon curd when I do make it is Nigel Slater's.  This recipe makes enough to fill 2 small jam jars:

• zest and juice of 4 unwaxed lemons
• 200g sugar
• 100g butter
• 3 eggs and 1 egg yolk

Put the lemon zest and juice, the sugar and the butter, cut into cubes, into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the basin doesn't touch the water. Stir with a whisk from time to time until the butter has melted.

Mix the eggs and egg yolk lightly with a fork, then stir into the lemon mixture. Let the curd cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes, until it is thick and custard-like. It should feel heavy on the whisk.

Remove from the heat and stir occasionally as it cools. Pour into spotlessly clean jars and seal. It will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

The Primrose Bakery's book is called cupcakes and you will find a link to where you can buy it by clicking here.

Once the cupcakes were cool I cut out the centres of the sponge using my preferred method of a potato peeler.. you can of course use a knife!