Blackberry-Lemon Cupcakes
BOOM another post. Go follow my other blog kids! You’ll get fun posts like this on your dash chock full of my baking talents and my photography!
When a friend who routinely sings your baking’s praises has a birthday coming up, you know you have to bake cupcakes that put all other cupcakes to shame. Cupcakes that will blow the minds of anyone who eats them. Cupcakes that could potentially solve all the world’s problems.
Ok maybe I got a little carried away there.
Anyway, after a very intense brainstorming session, I decided to make Blackberry-Lemon Cupcakes. Now, when I tell you they were amazing, I’m not exaggerating in the least. They almost didn’t survive the night that I made them because I was this close to devouring them all. I started with a pretty basic lemon cake recipe, and then made it the most unhealthy thing in the world by throwing two sticks of butter and four eggs in there (because sometimes, you need to sacrifice your unclogged arteries for a rich cake). For the frosting, I modified my go-to buttercream recipe with fresh blackberries and lemon zest. I was totally shooting in the dark with this one and improvising way more than is acceptable when baking, but they ended up getting rave reviews, so it paid off.
Here’s the recipe!
Blackberry-Lemon Cupcakes:
Ingredients:
For the lemon cupcakes:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs
zest of 2 lemons (roughly 2 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilkFor the blackberry buttercream frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup blackberry puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
pinch of salt
5-7 cups confectioner’s sugarDirections for cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line standard muffin tins with cupcake liners. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.With an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in zest and vanilla until incorporated. Gradually add flour mixture, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and lemon juice, and beating until just incorporated after each addition (do not over-mix).
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 3/4 full (a little less than 1/4 cup of batter for each cup). Bake, rotating tins half way through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks, cool for 15 minutes, then remove cupcakes. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.
Directions for frosting:
With a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until smooth. Add blackberry puree, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and salt, and mix on medium-low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually add the powdered sugar (only add 5 cups at first). Beat on low speed after each addition until combined. Then beat on high speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. If frosting is too thin, gradually add more sugar, beating on low at first until combined, then beating on high. Either pipe or spread frosting onto cupcakes, then top each with a fresh blackberry.Enjoy!!
KatherineTo see more of my awesome work, check out my website, and to follow my day-to-day life, be sure to follow my other blog!
