Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
Cherries and berries! Don’t you just love the summer season? You walk into the market and the first thing that greets you is boxes and boxes of red, blue, and black. Needless to say, this season I’m obsessed with cooking with cherries and berries and it was the first thing that came to my mind when my friend asked me to fill a cupcake order for him.
Close your eyes and do this with me. Imagine a single blueberry. When you pop it in your mouth, there is not really much of taste, but the minute you sink your teeth in it, it bursts, filling your mouth with sweetness and just a tiny hint of tartness. Now imagine eating a cupcake where the cake is a light, fluffy lemony goodness with just enough sourness to complement the gorgeous coloured sweet blueberry frosting.
For this recipe, I would recommend starting with cooking blueberries as they need time to cool down before you add them to the frosting. (Have you ever watched blueberries cook? They turn from half white skinned to a deep, luscious colour before disintegrating. It is a pleasure to watch!) If the sauce is even the tiniest bit hot, the confectioners’ sugar will melt. First things first though, keep aside a few tiny blueberries to use for decoration in the end.
And I cannot insist this enough. Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature as that is when they best bond with other ingredients. This rule is especially important for the butter used in frosting. It has to be soft enough for you to press it easily with your hand, but not melted. I normally arrange all my ingredients on the counter about 20 minutes before I decide to start.
One last tip before you run into the kitchen. Never underestimate the power of salt. I truly believe that it is the single ingredient that makes everything else shine. Salt your frosting!
The best way to enjoy the fresh berry season. Fluffy cakes with a tang of lemon and the sweetness of blueberries.
In a pan, cook the fresh blueberries and lemon juice on medium heat till they turn into a deep blue colour. After you watch that transition, smash them with the back of your spoon Keep stirring and cook till the sauce reduces and thickens. This should take about 7-8 minutes.
Pass the sauce through a small wire mesh and extract the sauce. (I saved the smashed fruit to spread it over a slice of toast the next day.) Keep the sauce aside, allowing it to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed till it becomes light and fluffy before adding the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon extract.
Once well combined, add about 1/4th of the flour mixture, blending it very well before adding 1/4th of sour cream. Keep repeating flour and sour cream till well blended.
Fold in the lemon juice and distribute the batter into the cupcake tray. Fill in 3/4th of the way.
Bake for 18-20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the cupcakes to cool down on a wire rack.
Cream the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides if needed.
Slowly pour in the blueberry sauce and continue mixing until well blended.
Reduce the speed to low and add the confectioners’ sugar in small increments. I normally use a 1/3rd cup measurement for each addition. Watch the consistency. Once all the sugar is added, add the cream if it seems too thick, and most importantly, add the salt to counter all that sweetness.
Continue to beat for a minute more to make it nice and fluffy before putting it in a piping bag.
Ingredients
Directions
In a pan, cook the fresh blueberries and lemon juice on medium heat till they turn into a deep blue colour. After you watch that transition, smash them with the back of your spoon Keep stirring and cook till the sauce reduces and thickens. This should take about 7-8 minutes.
Pass the sauce through a small wire mesh and extract the sauce. (I saved the smashed fruit to spread it over a slice of toast the next day.) Keep the sauce aside, allowing it to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed till it becomes light and fluffy before adding the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon extract.
Once well combined, add about 1/4th of the flour mixture, blending it very well before adding 1/4th of sour cream. Keep repeating flour and sour cream till well blended.
Fold in the lemon juice and distribute the batter into the cupcake tray. Fill in 3/4th of the way.
Bake for 18-20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the cupcakes to cool down on a wire rack.
Cream the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides if needed.
Slowly pour in the blueberry sauce and continue mixing until well blended.
Reduce the speed to low and add the confectioners’ sugar in small increments. I normally use a 1/3rd cup measurement for each addition. Watch the consistency. Once all the sugar is added, add the cream if it seems too thick, and most importantly, add the salt to counter all that sweetness.
Continue to beat for a minute more to make it nice and fluffy before putting it in a piping bag.