Blackberry Lemon Cupcakes

This year the blackberries are ripe right about now, leaving us in a mad scramble for recipes to use up these delicious fruits (berries) of summer. Whenever I make something with berries, it usually has to have lemon in it, because the lemon+berry combo is just too good to separate. Now these cupcakes you see here are extraordinary, and not just because they have that seriously delicious combo in them.

First, as always, I’ll break it down for you. When you bite into the cake, you realize this might be the moistest cake on the planet. Seriously, I don’t think it could get any more moist if I wanted it to. Then there are the fresh blackberries just wanting to burst out of the cake, as it brings memories of blackberry pie to mind, as cooked blackberries always seem to do. Then a layer of tart lemon glaze dripping down the sides makes a sweet contrast to the fairly mellow flavor of the cake, and THEN...the frosting. You actually cook down some blackberries, purée them, and pour that into the whipped buttercream and oh. my. goodness… fresh blackberry frosting tastes amazing!

These cupcakes are worth using up those blackberries you just picked, or going out and picking some. Make a bright summer statement before those warm autumn flavors take over. Summer is still here. Enjoy all 15 more days of it!!

Blackberry Lemon Cupcakes

Cupcake recipe adapted from smitten kitchen

For the Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp buttermilk
1 1/2 cups blackberries

For the Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Lemon juice

For the Frosting:

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
Pinch salt
2 cups blackberries

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin pan with cupcake papers.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups of the all-purpose flour, the baking powder and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl), use your fingertips to rub together the sugar and lemon zest until the zest is completely incorporated and the sugar is evenly moistened. Add the butter and cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated after each and scraping down the bowl each time. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

5. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, beating until just combined, followed by 1/2 of the buttermilk, another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining buttermilk and the remaining flour.

6. In a large bowl, combine the blackberries and the remaining 2 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, tossing together gently so they are evenly coated. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the blueberries into the cake batter. Spread the cake batter in the prepared muffin pan by 1/4 cupfuls. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cupcakes spring back when gently pressed. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on rack.

7. Once the cupcakes are cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and as much lemon juice to thin to a pourable texture, until smooth. The icing should be quite thick. Spoon glaze onto cupcakes.

8. For frosting, In medium saucepan combine berries and 2 tbsp water, bring to boil, then lower heat to a simmer; stirring and mashing berries for 3 minutes. Strain liquid out of berries. Blend in blender until smooth, and measure out 1/2 cup. Meanwhile, whip butter with whisk attachment on mixer for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Add berry purée. Frost cupcakes as desired, applying a generous amount.

Yield: 15 cupcakes