Blueberry Cupcakes, Lemon Filling & Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Love and Duck Fat has over 100 recipes at this point, and not a single cupcake. Until now–with these spring-inspired blueberry cupcakes with lemon curd filling and blueberry cream cheese frosting. I admit; I’ve shunned the pretty little cupcake so far.
I’ve managed to make some cakes. There are several chocolate cakes, an apple cake and even a few upside-down cakes in my roster. I’m proud of those cakes. Cakes are imposing. They are a big accomplishment to pull off for a beginner baker like me.
Not that cupcakes aren’t difficult to do…they just don’t have the dignity a cake possesses. Eating one doesn’t require you to cut open the whole thing to take your one little slice—cut just so. They are perfectly portioned out (usually a little heavy on the frosting for me) and so damn trendy.
Let me take that back, cupcakes are actually a little passé. They are everywhere. Aren’t cake pops the thing now? Or is it gourmet doughnuts? Cronuts?
Who really cares. Because when presented with a perfect little cupcake, I still want to devour it.
In the case of these blueberry cupcakes, I thought of making a cake version first. Except I have a full-time job now, and a toddler and a blog. I needed to make something a little more forgiving. It’s one thing to screw up a few cupcakes. Screwing up a whole cake when I barely have time to sleep is not an option.
Cake decorating is a talent that eludes me, despite plenty of fine art training. Cupcakes make for good decorating practice because I can mess up most of them and still have a few that are photo-worthy. They also taste pretty damn good.
The cake in these blueberry cupcakes is perfectly-moist and loaded with vanilla bean specks. A few fresh blueberries in the batter burst when you bite into them. The frosting has a ton of blueberry cream-cheesy flavor, and is naturally colored. When you take a bite, you get a mouthful of fresh lemon curd filling that is not too sweet—or too tart. It’s delightful. The whole experience screams, “spring.”
I wonder if this blueberry cupcake with lemon filling and blueberry cream cheese frosting will remain my single cupcake recipe? Or have I opened the door to a flood of cupcake creations? I’m honestly a little concerned. Don’t be surprised if I start making donuts to stave off the cupcake flood. I already have a donut pan saved in my Amazon cart.
You can make this recipe easier by using a store bought lemon curd (find it in the jelly section of your supermarket). I've included a lemon curd recipe if you prefer to make it from scratch.
Ingredients
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 cup (225 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups (175 grams) cake flour, not self-rising
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) full-fat sour cream (or full-fat plain yogurt)
- 1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil (60 ml)
- 1 tablespoon pure (not imitation) vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) whole milk
- 32-48 fresh blueberries + more for garnish
- 4 tablespoons frozen blueberries
- 1 cup of butter, room temperature
- 8 oz of cream cheese, room temperature
- 1.2 oz (34 grams) freeze dried blueberries, processed in a mini food processor until it is powder
- 3-5 cups of confectioners sugar, sifted
- 3 lemons
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 extra-large eggs
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Method
Preheat oven to 350 F/175 C.
Split vanilla bean down the middle. Using the back of your knife, run the knife up the cut in the bean, scraping the seeds out of the bean. They will clump together, Add the tiny seeds to the sugar in a small bowl.
Use the back of a spoon to break up the vanilla bean clumps and mix them thoroughly into the sugar. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Stir in the vanilla bean sugar.
Add the butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes, The texture should look like a very fine crumb texture.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, beating on medium speed until just combined,
Slowly add the milk while mixing on low speed.
Fill cupcake liners just over half full. Drop 2-3 blueberries in each.
Bake for 15 minutes and test with a toothpick to see if they are done. If not, bake a few minutes more. They should not brown.
Remove cupcakes from tin and allow to cool.
In a very small saucepan, cook frozen blueberries over medium heat until they soften. Mash with a spoon and cook another 2-3 minutes more on low heat, allowing the juice to evaporate until a thick paste forms. Do not let it burn. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until combined and fluffy. Add blueberry powder and blueberry paste.
Add 3 cups of confectioners sugar and mix until well combined.
Add more sugar if necessary, until the mixture is creamy and spreadable.
Zest the lemons with a zesting tool or vegetable peeler. If using a peeler, scrape the back of the skin to remove any white.
Add the zest to a food processor with a steel blade.
Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is finely chopped.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter. Beat in the sugar mixture. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the lemon juice and salt and mix well.
Pour into a 2-quart saucepan and cook on medium heat until thick while stirring constantly (about 10 minutes). It should remain just below a simmer.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Assembly:
Using a melon-baller or small spoon, scoop out the middle of each cupcake. Fill with a spoonful of lemon curd. Frost with blueberry frosting and garnish with fresh blueberries.
http://loveandduckfat.com/blueberry-cupcakes-lemon-filling-blueberry-cream-cheese-frosting/
Resources:
Lemon Curd Recipe from Ina Garten
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting Adapted from Week of Menus
Vanilla Cupcake Recipe slightly adapted from Cupcake Project
I honestly feel that Blueberries and Lemon are the perfect marriage of flavor. It’s one of my favorite flavor combinations, and these cupcakes look amazing!
Ashley B. recently posted…They Say…
Oh boy, these are right up my alley! I am BIG on cupcakes, but I have never had a blueberry one before. I want to try one ASAP now 😉
Robin (Masshole Mommy) recently posted…Stalking Celebrities in the Hollywood Hills
Okay, these look AMAZING!!! And they have blueberry and lemon and cream cheese, so they’re healthy enough to be eaten for BREAKFAST, right?! LOL I say cupcakes for breakfast is the start of a great day! 🙂
Kristen from The Road to Domestication recently posted…How to Slice a Pineapple
That frosting is a beautiful color! These look divine!
Krystal (@KrystalS) recently posted…#ad Easy Grilled Chicken Sauce Bar With Recipes #TysonMovieTicket #CollectiveBias
These look absolutely delicious, the blueberry cream cheese frosting sounds so yummy!
Touristmeetstraveler recently posted…New York City Travel and Dining: Top 4 Pizzerias in NYC
Those look so good and you probably make it look easy. Mine might taste as good but they would definitely not look like that!
Jennifer Williams recently posted…Check Out the Kohl’s Cares Fila Collection
Those look really good. I think blueberry and lemon would pair together really well.
These look almost too pretty to eat! But I would probably get over it.
Triplezmom recently posted…Summer Basketball Fun
Lemon and blueberries together I wouldn’t have thought of that. this sounds delicious.
becca recently posted…Monday Music Moves Me 5-19-14
i love the color. they look delicious!
dina recently posted…Food Words Added to Dictionary
Whoa! These look crazy good, Marni! The lemon filling, the icing. It’s all perfect! Pinned. Have a good evening!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks recently posted…Easy Skillet Tamale Pie by A Little Claireification
Thank you Julie!
These look delicious! I’m not a pro-cake decorator either, so I prefer cupcakes. I usually have at least a few that look great!
Pam recently posted…Simple Strawberry Pops Recipe #StreamTeam
Your blog is too fancy for me! I LOVE this recipe but I feel like I’d fail miserably lol. Do you want to come over and bake for me this weekend? 😉 😀
Beth recently posted…Orange Glad May 2014 Review
I’d love to, Beth! 2 cooks in the kitchen + a little wine is always better 🙂
Those look so good! I can see some stained faces from those. 🙂
Barb recently posted…Cream of Asparagus Soup
Those look so fluffy and delicious. And the presentation is amazing! Very pretty!
Veronica recently posted…Check Us Out On Houzz
These cupcakes look delicious and they are absolutely beautiful. I’m not a big fan of blueberry personally but my son loves it.
Tough Cookie Mommy recently posted…Working Mom Confessions
These flavor combinations are delectable! I can hardly wait to make some.
Liz Mays recently posted…The Bribe: Peach Pie recipe from ‘LABOR DAY’
These look amazing. I don’t believe I have ever had lemon and blueberry together! I would love to give that a try.
Pam recently posted…BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light Sweepstakes
Oh wow! These are so impressive! And I bet they taste awesome!
Amanda recently posted…Simple Skincare #KindToCitySkin Review & Giveaway
I really love these cupcakes. I would be curious how blueberry and lemon would taste. Tart and sweet – Those are my two favorites.
Mommy2Jam recently posted…“Love me, hold me, spoon me!” ~ Stonyfield
Darn it! After midnight, and now I have to go grab a snack. You had me at cream cheese!
Denise Gabbard recently posted…Friday Fess Up Time!
I love the colors of these cupcakes! They’re so beautiful Lemon and Blueberry deserve each other! What a fabulous cupcake. I have to try it!
Ashley Gill recently posted…Purex Crystals Dryer Sheets Giveaway
You always post the most delicious recipes! These look amazing and would have been so perfect for my daughter’s birthday party a few weeks ago!