Blackberry Cupcakes

These blackberry cupcakes are flavored with fresh blackberry juice and finished with a creamy, blackberry cream cheese frosting. Garnish with a ripe blackberry for a simple and elegant presentation!

Servings: 8

Cupcakes:

  • 8 ounces (227g) fresh blackberries (about 2 cups)

  • ⅖ cup (100mL) whole milk, room temperature

  • 1⅔ cups (200g) all-purpose flour

  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg, room temperature

  • ¼ cup (61g) full-fat yogurt or sour cream, room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

  • 4 ounces (113g) fresh blackberries (about 1 cup)

  • 8 ounces (227g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature

  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

  • 3½ cups (420g) powdered sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

 

HOW TO MAKE BLACKBERRY CUPCAKES:

Cupcakes:

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line the wells of a 12-count cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.

  2. Place the blackberries into a medium size bowl and use a fork or potato masher to macerate them (you can also use a food processor or blender). Once you have a significant amount of juice, use a mesh sieve to strain the liquid from the flesh and seeds into a measuring cup with a handle. You want ⅓ cup (80mL) of juice. If you have less, continue to mash the blackberries until you have enough. Discard the flesh and seeds.

  3. Add enough whole milk to bring the level to ¾ cup, then stir the mixture together and set it aside.

  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

  5. In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the melted butter, sugar, egg, yogurt, blackberry juice + milk mixture, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until completely smooth.

  6. Reduce the mixer speed to low, slowly adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined. Then, fold gently by hand with a large spatula and press out any large lumps of flour that remain by scraping them against the side of the bowl.

  7. Fill the cupcake liners ⅔–¾ of the way full with batter. Bake for 15–17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before decorating.

Frosting:

  1. Use the same method for retrieving blackberry juice as you did for the cupcake batter. You will have about 2 tablespoons of blackberry juice. Set this aside and save it for step #3.

  2. In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.

  3. With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until the mixture starts to come together. Slowly add the blackberry juice until the frosting is the desired consistency, keeping in mind that this frosting will already be loose since it is cream cheese based.

  4. Frost the cupcakes and top with a fresh blackberry, if desired.

Cupcakes will stay fresh covered at room temperature up to 3 days. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Cupcakes freeze well, frosted (without a blackberry) or unfrosted, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Fresh April Flours.

Rachel Perry