Light, vanilla cupcakes filled with fresh blueberries and topped with a fresh blueberry buttercream frosting. These Blueberry Cupcakes are a delicious, lighter treat!
Trading Smell for Hearing
I’ve been updating you all on my recent sinus surgery. Positive notes: I went to my two week post-op, was doing well, and felt like I was recovering some breathing abilities as well as an improved sense of smell. Negatives: Three days later I got an ear infection that perforated my ear drum, and have lost some hearing. I’m currently taking lots of prednisone to try to recover the hearing. If it’s not better by Wednesday, I get an injection into my inner ear. So, fingers crossed for good hearing test news on Wednesday.
As I said, my sense of smell IS returning. My husband brought in some herbs from the garden the other day and I got really excited and said, “I can smell them!” He followed up with, “but I bet you can’t hear them.” It was a fair point.
Honestly though, no matter what happens, I’m good. But, since thats not a real happy subject, I want to write about something fun. So, I am going to share a happy, fun recipe! And that recipe would be these Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Buttercream.
Pete the Cat
If you have a toddler or pre-schooler in your life, you probably know about Pete the Cat. Pete the Cat has lots of great books as well as a TV show. My kids love the show. Especially the episode about some missing blueberry cupcakes. They want to watch that episode every chance they get.
Recently, my son asked if we could make Blueberry Cupcakes like Pete. Obviously, I said yes. So, last week when my daughter was napping, we did it. The whole time my son instructed me on how the cupcake making went in the show, and therefore how we needed to do it. “Mom, Pete licked the spoon, so I need to.” “Pete put a blueberry on top, so I want to do that.” “Pete got to frost their cupcakes, so I want to frost ours.” It was pretty much a re-enactment of the show, minus the talking toad stealing our cupcakes at the end.
Blueberry Cupcakes
These cupcakes are soft, delicious, and not at all difficult to make. The best part: they use fresh blueberries. There is nothing better than a fresh blueberry. Here are a few tips for if you decide to re-enact the Pete the Cat Missing Blueberry Cupcakes episode for yourself:
- I use Wilton Muffin pans and http://linksynergy.walmart.com/link?id=GB4dvgn/RiY&offerid=223073.55717549&type=2&murl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FBabyCakes-Paper-Cupcake-Liners-White-100-Count%2F55717549">BabyCakes Paper Cupcake Liners, White, 100-Countregular old paper cupcake liners.
- I like the taste of fresh, crushed peaches in these muffins. The peach taste is very subtle. However, if you want to use something else, you could try applesauce.
- The lemon taste is subtle with these cupcakes. If you prefer more lemon zing, consider the zest of two lemons. For my family though, the zest of one lemon is perfect.
- I piped the frosting for these Blueberry Cupcakes with a 12″ Wilton bag and a #12 tip from this set. If you have big chunks of blueberries in the frosting, it will not pipe well, especially if you use a smaller tip. So, make sure you puree the blueberries well. I use a http://linksynergy.walmart.com/link?id=GB4dvgn/RiY&offerid=223073.43317543&type=2&murl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FMini-Prep-Plus-3-Cup-Food-Processor-Pink%2F43317543">
mini food processor to do this.
- Depending on how sweet you like your buttercream, and the water content of your blueberries, the amount of powdered sugar and blueberry puree used may vary for you. That is why I say use 1/2 cup powdered sugar followed by 1 tbsp of blueberry puree when making the buttercream. This will help ensure you reach your desired taste and consistency.
- If you’re looking at my photos thinking, “why do some of the blueberries look white?” That is because I froze the cupcakes overnight before photographing them. It had nothing to do with taste, and everything to do with being unable to photograph them around my children.
Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Buttercream
Ingredients
Blueberry Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup crushed peach
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- zest of 1 large lemon
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Blueberry Buttercream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup all vegetable shortening
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In base of a stand mixer fit with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until lightened and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Next, beat in egg until combined, scraping down sides as needed.
- Beat in crushed peach, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest until well mixed, scraping down sides as needed.
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda. Alternate beating flour mixture and milk into mixer, in about 3 additions each, scraping down sides as needed.
- Finally, stir in fresh blueberries.
- Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full of batter. This recipe makes about 18 cupcakes.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until tops are light golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the middle cupcakes comes out with just a few crumbs.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Blueberry Buttercream
- Use food processor to process blueberries until they turn into a fine puree, about 1 minute.
- In base of a stand mixer fit with paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening until lightened, about 2 minutes. Then, beat in shortening and vanilla extract.
- Alternate beating in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tbsp of blueberry puree until desired consistency and taste is reached. For me, this is 3 cups of powdered sugar and about 6 tbsp of puree.
- Use buttercream to decorate cupcakes as desired.
Disclaimer: All nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is not guaranteed.
If you enjoyed these Blueberry Cupcakes, you should check out these other SugarSpicesLife recipes:
Baked Blueberry Cake Donuts
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake
Muddy Buddy Cupcakes
Chewy Oreo M&M Cookies
Lemon Blueberry Granola
Links to items used to make this recipe:
I love blueberry cupcakes! These look so delicious!
Thanks so much, Natalie! 🙂
i love making blueberry cupcakes. this looks absolutely delicious.
Me too! And thank you! 🙂