Is there anything that says summer more than fresh blueberries? How about blueberries and lemon? How about blueberries, lemon, the ice cream man, shish kebabs and a slip-n-slide? Ok, I’m getting a little carried away but I guarantee you’ll be craving one of these cupcakes in about 90 seconds. Lucky for me, the peak of the Virginia blueberry growing season perfectly coincided with the one humidity-free day of the summer.
My friend Jenny is sort of a genius. Two words: baby backpack. Meanwhile I was busy batter-ramming my double-wide stroller through the bushes like a run-stuffing linebacker. Oliver (below) reached out his little paws and devoured blueberries the entire time.
Just pick on the big ones!
Now for the deliciousness. I really can’t think of a better flavor partner for blueberries than lemon. For this recipe, make sure that your ingredients are all at room temperature. No cheating or you could have some extra lumpiness and toughness to deal with.
Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
INGREDIENTS
Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes:
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. milk, room temperature
1 cup fresh blueberries + extra for garnish
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, the cake flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice. With the mixer on low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Blend in the milk. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated.
2. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour. Using a spatula gently fold the berries into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with fresh blueberries.
Makes about 16 cupcakes.
from ahintofhoney.blogspot.com
What is your favorite thing to make with blueberries?
Ingredients
- Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes:
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. milk, room temperature
- 1 cup fresh blueberries + extra for garnish
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, the cake flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice. With the mixer on low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Blend in the milk. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated.
- In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour. Using a spatula gently fold the berries into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with fresh blueberries.
- Makes about 16 cupcakes.
Karen says
My mouth is watering already! My husband loves blueberries, I am going to make these today….. yum!
Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Jill Jackson says
You were right, 90 seconds and I was craving these! Too bad I don’t have them already made and in front of me!
Liz says
Just out of curiousity, I only ever have salted butter in my frig. Would it make a huge difference and/or ruin this recipe? I’m not a “real” cook so I don’t know these things. All I know is I’ve never used unsalted butter and I’m not sure what else I’d do with the other three sticks. Well, I could make more… 🙂
Sarah says
I’ll be completely honest. I rarely use unsalted butter and when I do I usually regret it, wishing it had just a pinch more salt. It could change the chemistry a bit in the cake but I think you are to go with what you have.
Monica says
Omgosh these look amazing and almost too pretty to eat…almost! 😉
Kay says
Jenny is a genius! These look delicious, easy, and so summery. Thanks for another great recipe!
Emily says
Delicious! I just ate 2 cupcakes without taking a breath! I didn’t use the cake flour (just used AP), and used salted butter, and I think they turned out fine. Thanks for this recipe!!! It’s a keeper.
Dawn says
yum! these sound and look delicious-so summery! thanks for sharing. how long should you leave ingredients out to be room temperature?
Alison says
Such a cute post!! It looks the funnest to find the blueberries! I am impressed your shirt was white after blueberry picking. Fun post.
Kimberley says
They look sooo delicious! Especially with the cream cheese icing!
Katie @ This Chick Cooks says
Those cupcakes look amazing with that lemon cream cheese frosting- just perfect for all the delicious summer berries! I host a recipe swap every week and I’d love for you to come by and show off a recipe or two. Have a blessed day 🙂
Katie
Carol R says
Oh yum these sound delicious! Love blueberries and will definitely be baking these later today!
Nesleirbag says
The blueberries look so beautiful on the bushes – how fun to pick your own! The recipe sounds tasty!
Connie says
Hi, love you website and would like to ask you if you would substitute all purpose flour to cake flour? if so do you need to add or remove another ingredient to do so? I’m having a hard time to decide, I see some people swear by it and others state to stick as the recipe reads. I also notice that some recipes including this one above you use both, why is that necessary?
Thanks 🙂
Sarah says
Hi Connie,
I’m not a baking pro so I asked my friend and here is what she said…
You can use all-purpose flour in most recipes with similar results. cake flour is just finer/lighter/has a more “delicate tender crumb” according to joy of cooking. so i recommend it, but if you’ve only got all-purpose, don’t let that stop you from trying a recipe!
Sarah says
I made these yesterday for my nephew’s baby dedication BBQ and they were amazing! Everyone was eating multiple cupcakes… there weren’t any left and I made a double batch. 🙂 I got so many compliments. Thanks for the delicious recipe! Now I’m off to go finish off the extra icing… if my husband’s lucky, I’ll share ;).
Jenna says
I made these cupcakes for my daughters birthday party, and plan on making them again. I don’t care for cream cheese frosting so I made a lemon buttercream instead. My brother came up to me after eating his, and exclaimed- “This is the best cupcake I’ve ever eaten!” 🙂 Thank you for the recipe! I plan on adapting it into a lemon raspberry cupcake too. So good!