Blackberry Cupcakes
by Anja
It's a pretty disappointing summer here in Switzerland. Many cool and rainy days - sometimes it rains for days at a row. Some areas are flooded, and our river carries way too much water for save swimming. So instead of enjoying summer actvities outdoors, I find myself in the kitchen much more than I would usually do during the short summer months.
At least this way I have a chance to honor the short summer. For example with these blackberry cupcakes. Easy to make, light and fluffy and perfect to enjoy even on rainy summer days. When it looks like fall outside, these cupcakes are a sweet reminder it actually is summer. We keep our hopes up for August to make up July.
Ingredients (for 12 large cupcakes)
for the cupcakes:
1¾ cup all-purpose flour
1¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature
for the frosting:
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
1½ cup powdered sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
8 ounces (1 stick) cream cheese, softened
about 30 blackberries
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/ 350°F and line muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
2. Separate the eggs and beat egg whites until firm.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a lareg bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla.
5. Alternate adding the sour cream and the dry ingredients to the batter.
6. Fold the egg whites into the batter a little at a time until evenly mixed.
7. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups.
8. Bake for 15-18 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
for the frosting:
1. Place ½ cup (about 16 berries) in a small bowl and puree with an electric hand blender(or regular blender). Using a mesh strainer held over a bowl, push the puree through with a spatula (you should be left with about a tablespoon of dry seeds which you can then discard).
2. Cream the butter, sugar, and salt together, starting on low speed. It takes about 2 minutes for the mixture to start to come together. At this point, continue to cream the mixture for 2-3 minutes at medium-high speed until it is light and fluffy.
3. Mix the cream cheese in 2 ounces at a time and then cream for 2 more minutes (be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl).
4. Add the blackberry puree and vanilla and mix until combined.
5. Place frosting tip in a piping bag and fill the bag with the frosting. Pipe onto cupcake by starting in the middle and working out and then back in and up. Top each frosted cupcake with a blackberry.
Enjoy!
It's a pretty disappointing summer here in Switzerland. Many cool and rainy days - sometimes it rains for days at a row. Some areas are flooded, and our river carries way too much water for save swimming. So instead of enjoying summer actvities outdoors, I find myself in the kitchen much more than I would usually do during the short summer months.
At least this way I have a chance to honor the short summer. For example with these blackberry cupcakes. Easy to make, light and fluffy and perfect to enjoy even on rainy summer days. When it looks like fall outside, these cupcakes are a sweet reminder it actually is summer. We keep our hopes up for August to make up July.
Ingredients (for 12 large cupcakes)
for the cupcakes:
1¾ cup all-purpose flour
1¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature
for the frosting:
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
1½ cup powdered sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
8 ounces (1 stick) cream cheese, softened
about 30 blackberries
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/ 350°F and line muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
2. Separate the eggs and beat egg whites until firm.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a lareg bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla.
5. Alternate adding the sour cream and the dry ingredients to the batter.
6. Fold the egg whites into the batter a little at a time until evenly mixed.
7. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups.
8. Bake for 15-18 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
for the frosting:
1. Place ½ cup (about 16 berries) in a small bowl and puree with an electric hand blender(or regular blender). Using a mesh strainer held over a bowl, push the puree through with a spatula (you should be left with about a tablespoon of dry seeds which you can then discard).
2. Cream the butter, sugar, and salt together, starting on low speed. It takes about 2 minutes for the mixture to start to come together. At this point, continue to cream the mixture for 2-3 minutes at medium-high speed until it is light and fluffy.
3. Mix the cream cheese in 2 ounces at a time and then cream for 2 more minutes (be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl).
4. Add the blackberry puree and vanilla and mix until combined.
5. Place frosting tip in a piping bag and fill the bag with the frosting. Pipe onto cupcake by starting in the middle and working out and then back in and up. Top each frosted cupcake with a blackberry.
Enjoy!
