Lemon Cupcakes with Fresh Blueberry Buttercream

image credit : bakerbynature.com

Ingredients

For the Lemon Cupcakes:

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup full-fat sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 large egg plus one egg yolk, at room temperature
1 and 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the Fresh Blueberry Buttercream:

1. 1 and 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, if using frozen don't thaw
2. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
3. 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY soft
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (more if needed), sifted
6. 1 tablespoon heavy cream (more if needed)
7. 1/4 cup fresh blueberries, for decorating (optional)

Instructions

1. For the Lemon Cupcakes:
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 12 mold cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk well and set aside.
4. In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add in the sugar, lemon extract and lemon zest and beat until well combined. Add in the egg and egg yolk and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add in 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix until just combined (this should take about 5 seconds). Add 1/2 of the sour cream and mix until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour and sour cream, being sure to mix on low until just combined. Turn mixer off. Using a rubber spatula, quickly fold in the lemon juice.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cupcakes are cool, frost and decorate. The cupcakes may also be frozen, unfrosted, and stored in a freezer safe bag, for up to 2 months.
6. For the Fresh Blueberry Buttercream:
7. In a small saucepan combine blueberries and lemon juice; bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly and gently smashing the blueberries smooth, until thickened into a deep, dark blueberry reduction, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl and push the puree though, leaving any skin/large chunks behind. Allow mixture to cool completely before using. If you'd like to have enough blueberry puree to drizzle on the cupcakes, double this recipe and set half aside for decorating.
8. Once the blueberry puree has cooled, place the softened butter in a large bowl or in the body of a stand mixer. Using a handheld mixer, or with the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, beat butter on medium-high (scraping down the sides as needed) until completely smooth; about 2 minutes.
9. Add in a 1/4 cup of the blueberry puree and beat until completely combined; about 1 minute (don't worry if the mixture looks weird at this point).
10. Add in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed. Once all of the sugar has been added, add in the cream and salt, then beat on high-speed for a full 2 minutes - this thickens up the frosting and makes it nice and fluffy.
11. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

For more detail bakerbynature.com

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