Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a standard cupcake or muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.
3. In another large bowl, place the softened or melted and cooled butter with the granulated sugar and lemon zest.
4. Beat with an electric whisk for about 2-3 minutes until you get a smooth and creamy mixture.
5. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat again for 3 minutes until you have a smooth mixture.
6. Alternately and gradually incorporate the dry ingredients mixture and the milk mixed with lemon juice until you get a homogeneous batter.
7. Pour the cupcake batter into the prepared tin, filling the liners about 3/4 full.
8. Bake in the oven for about 18-20 minutes until they are golden on top and well cooked in the center.
9. Let the cupcakes cool slightly before removing them from the tin and allowing them to cool completely on a wire rack.

Lemon Curd

1. Prepare my homemade lemon curd recipe and let it cool completely in the fridge.
2. Remove the center of the cupcakes using a cupcake corer or an apple corer and fill it with the cooled lemon curd.
3. Let the cupcakes chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a large bowl, place all the cold ingredients: cold Philadelphia cream cheese, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cold lemon curd.
2. Whisk with an electric mixer at medium speed for about 2 minutes until you get a smooth and firm frosting.
3. Fill a piping bag with the lemon frosting and decorate the tops of the cupcakes with a swirl, leaving a hole in the center to fill with lemon curd.
4. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and enjoy.