Fresh Blackberry Cupcakes
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These fresh blackberry cupcakes start with my go-to vanilla cupcake base, subtly flavored with real blackberry juice and finished with a creamy blackberry cream cheese frosting. Garnish with a fresh blackberry for a simple yet elegant finish.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Bushel and Berry®.
A BLACKBERRY TWIST ON MY FAVORITE VANILLA CUPCAKES
Before I taught people on the internet how to bake, I owned and operated my own cake baking and decorating business, meaning I’ve baked my fair share of cupcakes since I first started baking from scratch in 2010. These blackberry cupcakes stem from my go-to vanilla cupcake recipe, the one that’s been on Fresh April Flours since my very first year of sharing recipes back in 2014. It’s also the same one my own kids request for their birthday parties every single year. Basically, it has totally earned its keep.
The original cupcake recipe leans hard on vanilla-infused milk for flavor, but here, I pulled that back and let fresh blackberries take the lead instead. I won’t tell you these are “absolutely bursting” with blackberry flavor, because they’re not– this isn’t a “bite into a blackberry” cupcake.
What you get is more subtle: a soft vanilla crumb that gives way to a wave of blackberry right at the back of the tongue, then the cream cheese frosting (also flavored with fresh blackberry juice) picks up where the cake left off.
A NOTE ABOUT THE BLACKBERRIES
Fresh blackberries do double duty in this recipe– their juice carries the flavor, and small flecks of their flesh add freckles and body to both the batter and the frosting. What they don’t get an invitation to is the actual bite— the seeds are quite large and pull focus from an otherwise smooth crumb and silky frosting, so every berry gets mashed and strained before it goes anywhere near the mixing bowl. It’s a small extra step that makes a real difference in the final texture.
Though frozen and thawed blackberries will work just as well for this recipe, I urge you to go for fresh. Thanks to Bushel and Berry®, I always have fresh blackberries available to me when they’re in season, and I particularly like this blackberry plant, Baby Cakes®, because it stays small enough to grow in a patio container and doesn’t have any pesky thorns!
HOW TO MAKE BLACKBERRY CUPCAKES
You’ll need to make fresh blackberry juice in two places here, but you can do it all at once and be sure you’re measuring out just what you need, if you prefer. All in all, you will use almost an entire 12oz container of fresh blackberries, with enough leftover for garnish.
Squeeze out that fresh blackberry juice: mash your blackberries and strain out the juice. You’re aiming for ⅓ cup, so keep mashing until you hit that mark. Top the juice off with whole milk to reach ¾ cup total, then set this mixture aside.
Whisk your dry ingredients: you’ll do this all in one bowl and set it aside until you need it a few more steps from now.
Beat together the wet ingredients: we’ve got melted butter, sugar, egg, yogurt, the blackberry milk mixture, and vanilla extract. Whisk this all together until it’s smooth, and don’t forget the milk, yogurt/sour cream, and eggs should be at room temperature for even incorporation.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones: I like to use a mixer on low for this, but I can also get it done successfully with just a spatula. You’ll just want to make sure that if you’re using the latter method that you press out any big flour lumps by hand. Even when I use a mixer, I often have to finish pressing by hand for a bit. Just be sure not to overmix– your cupcakes will be dense.
Bake the cupcakes: juuuuust until the tops spring back when you tap them. These cupcakes can dry out easily if you overbake them, so keep a close eye and pull them right when they’re finished.
MAKE THE FROSTING
This frosting is a blackberry version of my favorite cream cheese frosting. It’s smooth and creamy, but take note that means it can be a little on the looser side. This is just something to keep in mind if you’re making these cupcakes in a warmer climate. The fridge works wonders for frosting that’s having a hard time staying where you prefer it to stay.
Make more blackberry juice: mash and strain a second batch of blackberries (or use what you got the first time if you did everything at once). You’re looking for about 2 Tablespoons of juice.
Make the cream cheese frosting base: beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy, then add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on low speed. Next, bump things up to medium until it starts to come together.
Turn it blackberry purple… Which is basically pink: slowly stream the blackberry juice into the frosting until the frosting hits the consistency you want. Remember, cream cheese frosting is naturally looser, so don’t over-correct and beat and stir before deciding to add more liquid.
DECORATING TIPS
Since this is a looser frosting, I do not recommend using a piping tip to decorate the cupcakes. Instead, use a small offset spatula to dollop the frosting on top of the cupcake and swirl it around in a haphazard manner. It does not have to be pretty. In fact, these cupcakes lend well to a “rustic” look. Top with a fresh blackberry, if desired.
As I mentioned, these cupcakes are not screaming “blackberry flavor,” but rather bring those floral and earthy blackberry notes in subtly, with a sweetness made more complex by the naturally sweet isolated juice.
They’re the perfect *something different* to bring to the cupcake spread– both visually and on the palate.
Fresh Blackberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
CUPCAKES
- 8 ounces (227g) fresh blackberries about 2 cups
- ⅖ cup (100mL) whole milk1 room temperature; this measurement is approximate– see note #3
- 1 and ⅔ cups (200g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter melted and allowed to cool
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature2
- ¼ cup (61g) full fat1 yogurt or sour cream room temperature2
- 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
- 3 and ½ cups (420g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
CUPCAKES
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line the wells of a 12-count cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- 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. You can discard the flesh and seeds.8 ounces (227g) fresh blackberries
- Add enough whole milk to bring the level to ¾ cup (this is where things get approximate), then stir the mixture together and set it aside.⅖ cup (100mL) whole milk1
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.1 and ⅔ cups (200g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer4 or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the melted butter, sugar, egg, yogurt, blackberry + milk mixture, and vanilla extract on medium to high speed until completely smooth.½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg, ¼ cup (61g) full fat1 yogurt or sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, then slowly add 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. Small lumps are ok.
- Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ to 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
- 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 #3.4 ounces (113g) fresh blackberries
- 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.¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, 8 ounces (227g) full fat block cream cheese
- 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 at the desired consistency, keeping in mind that this frosting will already be loose since it is cream cheese based.3 and ½ cups (420g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Frost the cupcakes using an offset spatula to dollop frosting on top and swirl it around in a haphazard swirl. 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.
Notes
- Full fat dairy: it is imperative to use full fat dairy in this recipe for moisture, since we’re using melted butter, therefore removing some natural moisture.
- Room temperature ingredients: these are always a good idea when using room temperature butter as it makes for easier incorporation into the batter. To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, place eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
- Approximate measurement of milk: you will be mashing the berries, measuring the juice, and adding enough milk to bring the total to ¾ cup. Since you will want this to be room temperature, you can measure out ⅖ cup (or 100mL) to start.
- Mixer: I’ve had repeated success making these cupcakes in a bowl without a mixer, which is my preferred method for this cupcake batter.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.