From the moment I made and tasted this cupcake I was in love. The cupcake is very light and fluffy with a hint of lemon and the frosting is bursting with blackberry flavor. This cupcake makes a perfect treat for summertime. I adapted my recipe from bakerbynature.com and found it to be rather simple to make. The frosting might sound intimidating but it really is easy to do. The ingredients and directions are below and I hope you will give it a try. Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk (2% or whole)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 stick butter, melted (if using unsalted add in 1/4 teaspoon salt)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
For the frosting:
- 1 cup fresh blackberries plus more for topping on each cupcake
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, very soft (if using unsalted add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt)
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
Directions
For the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Using a large stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand held mixer, beat the butter and sugar for about 2 minutes or until well combined. Beat in the egg whites until well combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Slowly add in the dry ingredients until just combined. Next, mix in the sour cream, milk, vanilla and lemon juice at low speed until just combined. You do not want to over mix. Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 - 3/4 of the way full. Bake about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
In a small saucepan, combine the blackberries and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir constantly until the blackberries have become soft enough to mash, 6-7 minutes. Once the mixture can coat the back of a spoon remove from heat. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl and push the puree through. Allow the puree to cool before using. While it is cooling, place the butter in a large stand mixer with paddle attachment or using a hand mixer and beat the butter for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl as needed. Add in the blackberry puree and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and add in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time. Beat at low speed after adding in each cup. Once all the sugar has been added, beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Frost the cupcakes to your desire and top with a blackberry. The cupcakes can sit out for a day and then store in the refrigerator and take out 30 minutes prior to serving. Enjoy!