Blueberry Cupcakes w/ Vanilla or Syrupy Pancake Frosting

Baking is an art that transcends generations, and what better way to embark on this delightful journey than by indulging in the heavenly creation of Blueberry Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting? Bursting with the natural sweetness of blueberries and infused with the warm embrace of vanilla, these cupcakes are a true testament to the joy of baking. This blog post will explore the secrets behind making these delectable treats, providing recipe tips and troubleshooting advice. If you want to make things even more interesting, I share my trick for making these cupcakes taste reminiscent of a blueberry pancake.

The Beauty of Blueberries

Before we embark on our cupcake adventure, let’s take a moment to appreciate the star of our show—the blueberry. Blueberries are a baker’s dream ingredient with their vibrant color, irresistible flavor, and incredible health benefits. Packed with antioxidants and essential nutrients, these tiny berries add freshness and nutritional value to our cupcakes. Whether you choose fresh or frozen blueberries, their tangy sweetness will elevate your cupcakes. Frozen berries carry more moisture than fresh, so a little water is needed if using fresh berries when making the blueberry sauce.

Crafting Perfect Blueberry Cupcakes With Vanilla Frosting (or Blueberry Pancake Cupcakes!)

Crafting the perfect cupcake requires precision and a dash of creativity. Here are some tips to ensure your Blueberry Vanilla Cupcakes turn out flawlessly:

1. The Flour Blend: Opt for all-purpose flour or a 2:1 all-purpose to cake flour ratio for a tender and light texture. 
2. Blending the Butter with the Dry Ingredients: Start by whisking together the dry ingredients, then mix in the room-temperature butter. This is known as the Reverse Creaming Process, which King Arthur Baking Company details further in their blog post. The butter will coat the flour, which will hinder gluten development when liquid ingredients are added. This will result in a soft and moist cupcake.
3. Incorporating the Blueberry Sauce, Extract, and Food Coloring: The extract and food coloring is optional, but the sauce is essential. The sauce will flavor and color the batter, but not to the extent that adding extract and food coloring will. If you’ll skip anything, skip the extract but choose the food coloring.
4. Baking Time and Temperature: Preheat your oven to the specified temperature and closely monitor your cupcakes as they bake. Lightly press the tops of the cupcakes to check for doneness. They will spring back when they’re ready. Avoid overbaking to retain the cupcake’s moisture, and quickly remove the cupcakes from the pan once baked (while still warm) to give them the softest texture.
5. Vanilla Frosting or Pancake Frosting: Use light corn syrup for vanilla frosting and dark corn syrup for pancake frosting. It’s that simple!

Troubleshooting

Even the most skilled bakers encounter a few hiccups along the way. Don’t fret! Here are some common issues you might encounter and their simple solutions:

1. Sunken Centers: This can result from overmixing the batter or opening the oven door too early during baking (usually within the first 10 minutes). Follow the recommended mixing times and resist the temptation to peek inside the oven until the cupcakes are almost done. Also, ensure that your baking powder and soda are fresh.
2. Dry Cupcakes: Dry cupcakes can occur when you overbake them. Check the cupcakes a few minutes before the recommended baking time ends. Additionally, measure your flour accurately, ideally with a digital scale. Too much flour can lead to a drier texture.
3. Eggy Flavor: Overbaking your cupcakes can result in an eggy flavor in the finished product. Be sure to follow the recommended time, but check the cupcakes a few minutes early to prevent overbaking, as every oven is different. 
4. Uneven Rising: If your cupcakes rise unevenly, it could be due to uneven batter distribution in the cupcake liners. Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoons to ensure consistent portions. The liners should be filled 2/3 of the way full–about 3.5 Tbsp of batter. Also, avoid using the convection bake setting if your oven has one.
5. Lumpy Frosting: If your frosting turns out lumpy, it might be due to insufficiently softened butter or powdered sugar clumps. Ensure your butter is at room temperature before beating it, and sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the mix. If lumps persist, beat the frosting for a longer duration, but keep the speed low to prevent too much air from going into the frosting. 

For additional troubleshooting tips, such as calibrating your oven and/or the ideal way to measure ingredients, visit my FAQ page.

Storage

1. Place the cupcakes in a large airtight container in a single layer, and keep the cupcakes away from direct sunlight and heat.
2. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, up to 4 days in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer. If freezing, it is recommended to wrap the cupcakes in plastic once frozen and store them in an airtight container.
3. Thawing frozen cupcakes: To thaw frozen cupcakes, remove them from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. I like a frozen cupcake personally, but most folks prefer thawed. 

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Blueberry Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

David

They say cupcakes are just muffins that believe in miracles. Well, I decided to help a blueberry muffin achieve its dream: Behold, Blueberry Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting! If vanilla frosting is not your thing, I include notes on how to alter the frosting to make the flavor reminiscent of a blueberry pancake.

5

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 17 minutes mins

Decorating 10 minutes mins

Total Time 52 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18 Cupcakes

Calories 389 kcal

Equipment

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Mixing Bowls
• Digital Scale optional
• Sifter optional
• Whisk
• Rubber Spatula
• Stand or Hand Mixer
• Standard Muffin/Cupcake Tin
• Muffin/Cupcake Liners

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Blueberry Sauce

• ¾ Cup Frozen or Fresh Blueberries 100g
• 1 ½ Tbsp Granulated Sugar 18g

Cupcake Batter

• 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour 240g
• 2 Tsp Baking Powder 8g
• ¼ Tsp Baking Soda 1g
• ¾ Cup + 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar 174g
• ½ Tsp Sea Salt 3g
• 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter room temperature, cut into chunks - 84g
• 2 Large Eggs room temperature - 100g
• 1 Large Egg White room temperature - 33g
• ¼ Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil 60g
• 6 Tbsp Sour Cream room temperature - 90g
• 1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Paste 4g
• Blueberry Sauce (see above) or 1/2 Cup Blueberry Puree room temperature - 100g
• ½ Tsp Blueberry Extract (OPTIONAL) 2.5g
• 6 Drops Liquid Blue Food Coloring (OPTIONAL) 0.5g
• ¾ Cup Whole Milk room temperature - 183g

Vanilla or Pancake Frosting

• 1 Cup Unsalted Butter room temperature, cut into chunks - 227g
• 4 Cups Powdered Sugar 480g
• 2 Tbsp Nonfat Milk Powder 15g
• 2 Tsp Vanilla Paste or Extract 10g
• 2 Tbsp Heavy Cream 30g
• 1/4 Cup Lt Corn Syrup Substitute Dark Corn Syrup for the Pancake version - 60g

Instructions

 

Blueberry Sauce

• Add blueberries, sugar, and--if using fresh berries--1 tsp of water to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the sugar from burning. Once the mixture is boiling—cook for one additional minute and remove from the heat. The process should take roughly 6 minutes. Let cool completely.
  ¾ Cup Frozen or Fresh Blueberries, 1 ½ Tbsp Granulated Sugar
  

Cupcake Batter

• Preheat your oven to 350°F / 176°C. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer bowl (fitted w/ paddle) or hand mixer bowl. Add butter and mix on low speed until the mixture appears sandy, about 3 minutes.
  2 Cups All-Purpose Flour, 2 Tsp Baking Powder, ¼ Tsp Baking Soda, ¾ Cup + 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar, ½ Tsp Sea Salt, 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
  
• Whisk together eggs, egg white, oil, sour cream, vanilla extract, blueberry sauce, blueberry extract (if using), and blue food coloring (if using) in a medium mixing bowl until emulsified. Pour the liquid into the flour mix. Fold the ingredients using a rubber spatula until mostly combined and a few white streaks remain. Pour in half of the milk, fold until mostly combined, then fold in the remaining milk until just combined.
  2 Large Eggs, 1 Large Egg White, ¼ Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil, 6 Tbsp Sour Cream, 1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Paste, Blueberry Sauce (see above) or 1/2 Cup Blueberry Puree, ½ Tsp Blueberry Extract (OPTIONAL), 6 Drops Liquid Blue Food Coloring (OPTIONAL), ¾ Cup Whole Milk
  
• Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 and bake until the tops of the cupcakes spring back when touched with your index finger, about 14-17 minutes. Remove hot cupcakes from the pan (I use the handle of a spoon to assist) and let them cool on a wire rack--be careful not to burn yourself or squish the cupcakes.
  

Vanilla or Pancake Frosting

• Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the butter on low speed until creamy. Add the Milk Powder and 1/3 of the Powdered Sugar. Mix on low speed until mostly combined before adding another 1/3 of the sugar. Repeat with the remaining powdered sugar.
  1 Cup Unsalted Butter, 2 Tbsp Nonfat Milk Powder, 4 Cups Powdered Sugar
  
• Add the vanilla and heavy cream, mixing on low until combined. Add the corn syrup, and mix on low for 2-3 minutes. If needed, adjust the consistency of the frosting: additional cream to thin it out and extra powdered sugar to thicken it. Frost cupcakes only after they have thoroughly cooled down. This frosting is very easy to pipe.
  2 Tsp Vanilla Paste or Extract, 2 Tbsp Heavy Cream, 1/4 Cup Lt Corn Syrup
  

Notes

Please Note: Nutrition Facts are estimates only. These figures are calculated via a third-party application using a generic likeness of each ingredient. Nutritional content will vary based on actual brands and weights used for each ingredient and portion size. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 CupcakeCalories: 389kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 3gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 152mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 1gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 546IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Blueberry, Cake, cupcake, pancake, vanilla frosting

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