Blackberry Cupcakes
When I saw a box of blackberries at Costco this week, I quickly grabbed one. I've never really eaten blackberries, other than tossing frozen ones into my smoothie (and even then, they're in a mixed berry bag). These just looked so juicy and perfect that I had to try something with them.
So I naturally thought of blackberry cupcakes. These cakes were so good that they didn't need the frosting at all. I put pureed blackberries into the batter and into the frosting, but that extra blackberry on top was the perfect addition. My whole family and friends enjoyed these a lot more than I thought they would.
I have to admit, I wasn't expecting greatness with these, and I was even expecting them to be too sour. But the fresh blackberries were perfectly sweet and ripe, and the cupcake was "berry" delicious, teehee. If you have blackberries around, I highly recommend trying this out. Or perhaps making the buttermilk cake with it.
I also loved the gorgeous naturally purple color that came from the fruit! No food coloring necessary ;)
These cupcakes made me think of my favorite cousin in India who is addicted to his Blackberry. I'd make these for him but I think he'd always choose the phone over the cupcake!
Recipe:
Adapted from here
Makes a little over 24 cupcakes (I cut this in half and made about 15 cupcakes)
18 oz blackberries - pureed and strained to remove seeds
1/3 cup milk
6 large egg whites
2 tsp lemon juice
2 1/4 cup cake flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1.5 sticks of butter, softened
Beat the egg whites, lemon juice, and 3/4 cup sugar in a bowl until soft peaks. Then separately beat the butter with the 1 cup sugar, and add in the rest of the ingredients, beating well. Remove 1/4 cup of blackberry puree for the frosting and pour the rest into the bowl. At the end, fold in the egg whites mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes, or till a toothpick comes out with crumbs, not wet batter attached.
Blackberry Frosting
2 sticks of unsalted butter, soft
1/2 tsp vanilla ext
1/4 tsp almond ext
2 cup of powdered sugar (this can vary according to sweetness)
1/4 cup blackberry puree
Cream the butter and slowly add in the rest of the ingredients. You can adjust the consistency by adding milk (to thin it) or sugar (to thicken). I put a lot less sugar and more puree since I wanted the full blackberry experience!
Enjoy :)
I love your cakes that don't need icing! Icing is generally not one of my favorite things. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, the tiny cupcakes with the giant looking blackberries are adorable.
ReplyDeleteWow this is a great resource.. I’m enjoying it.. good article
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I'm curious if you have any suggestions for a dairy-free version of the cake. A dairy-free margarine could substitute the butter, but I'm hoping you have an idea for the milk...
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Hm.. I would probably try almond milk or Lactaid? Soy or rice milk could work as well...
ReplyDeletehope this helps!
The cake flour is is self rising on non self rising?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous, I never use self-rising unless I specify it. Hope that helps! :)
ReplyDeleteWow! I just saw this! I definitely need to try this b/c blackberries grow rampant in seattle in the summer!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever made this recipe as a cake, rather than cupcakes? I'm planning my youngest's birthday party (Sofia the First, themed) and she wants a purple cake, but has a food-dye allergic friend coming. This looks perfect, and I love how deep the color is. Planning on making a 9x13 pan, then cutting it down a little to shape into a necklace pendant. Any alterations you can suggest are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI haven't made this as a cake but I don't see why it wouldn't work! However, depending on the blackberries it might not achieve the perfect shade of purple... You could maybe add a bit of beetroot juice to amp it up? If you look at the link that I adapted it from, hers didn't come out as purple as mine.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! :)
Do you store this in the refrigerator or will it be okay at room temperature?
ReplyDeleteIf you don't ice the cupcakes, then you can just put them in an airtight container in the freezer or fridge. If you do ice them, I would recommend keeping them in the fridge but eating them at room temperature. I prefer my iced baked goods at room temperature but it's also a matter of preference.
ReplyDelete