Blueberry Cupcakes

These Blueberry Cupcakes are loaded with blueberries, filled with Blueberry Curd, topped with a delicious Blueberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Indulge in a burst of sweet and tangy bliss with these irresistible Blueberry Cupcakes.

I am going to teach you step-by-step on how to make these cupcakes. This is one of the best desserts I’ve made lately.

Let’s begin by making the Blueberry Curd. It should be the first thing you make.

The Blueberry Curd will be the filling of the cupcakes, and also used in the frosting. So you need time to make it and chill before using the curd in the recipe.

How to Make Blueberry Curd

To make the curd, first make the blueberry juice. Simply cook the blueberries and lemon juice over medium-heat for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then strain the blueberries, squeezing with a spatula, to release as much juice as possible. Essentially, you want to end up with 1/3 cup of blueberry juice, because that’s what you will need for the recipe.

You can use fresh or frozen blueberries. Frozen blueberries can be more watery, and produce more juice.

Set the blueberry juice aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. Once incorporated, add the yolks, and beat again for 1 to 2 minutes, until completely incorporated. Add the blueberry juice and mix.

This step of beating the eggs, butter, and sugar is done so the curd can be cooked without a double boiler, and the eggs won’t scramble. When you beat the eggs, the proteins will start to denaturate, or unfrill, and with the addition of sugar, that will help raise the temperature at which the eggs start to coagulate. This will both prevent the curd from tasting eggy, or being lumpy once we cook it.

Anyway, after beating the ingredients together, add the mixture to a small saucepan, it can even be the one where you cooked the blueberries to make the juice.

Place the pan over medium low heat, and cook, stirring non-stop, until the curd reaches 170ºF. At that point, remove it from the heat to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, let it come to room temperature. Then let the curd sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours before using.

How to make Blueberry Cupcake Recipe

Once we have our curd ready, let’s make the Blueberry Cupcakes.

We are making a simple vanilla cake batter, and then adding blueberries before we bake.

I like to use a different technique than simply mixing blueberries into the batter before spooning the batter into the muffin tins.

Let’s see how to make the batter first.

Beat the butter, oil, and sugar together in a large bowl.

Add the eggs, vanilla, and mix.

Then, add the milk and flour mixture, alternating. Mix until the batter is smooth.

Now, mix the blueberries with a tiny bit of flour, just to coat them.

Pour about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the prepared batter on the bottom of each cupcake paper liner.

Top with the blueberries. Use a toothpick to swirl the blueberries very gently.

Then top with more batter until each cupcake tin is 2/3 full.

Bake the cupcakes in the oven for about 18 minutes, until you can touch a cupcake and springs right back, or when a toothpick inserted in the cupcake comes out clean.

Once the cupcakes have baked and have cooled down, you can make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream

How to make Blueberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

First thing to do when making Swiss Meringue Buttercream is to remove the butter from the fridge about 30 minutes before you start the recipe. The butter has to be at 72ºF. If the butter isn’t at the proper temperature, the buttercream will turn out soupy.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, and place the egg whites and sugar in a glass bowl. Place the bowl over the water, to form a double boiler.

Whisk the sugar and whites until they become a syrup. The syrup should reach 140ºF.

Remove from the double boiler and whisk with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. It can take a while, specially since the syrup will be warm. You want to make sure there are stiff peaks before you finish whipping.

Add the butter, one pat at a time, while whisking with the mixer.

Continue to whip until all the butter is incorporated, and the frosting should become thick and smooth.

Add the blueberry curd and mix to combine.

Troubleshooting Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

• Soupy buttercream: If the buttercream is too soft, soupy, or not coming together, it’s because the butter was to warm, or the meringue wasn’t whipped to the proper consistency. In this case, insert the bowl with the frosting in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes. Whip again until smooth. If it is not creamy enough, place it back in the fridge and repeat.
• Pockets of air: If you are done making the buttercream and notice it has lots of pockets of air, mix the buttercream with a spatula for about 5 minutes, deflating it. You can also use a stand mixer, and mix on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment for at least 5 minutes.
• Curdled buttercream: If the buttercream has chunks of butter, or is curdled, or separated, place the bowl with the buttercream over a double boiler, while mixing, for a few minutes. Return it to the mixer, and beat until smooth. Repeat this process of placing it over the double boiler and whipping again until you obtain a smooth frosting.

To assemble the cupcakes

Use an apple corer, or a spoon to remove the center of each cupcake. You could also use a small pairing knife, or a cupcake corer.

Place the curd in a piping bag, pipe inside of each cupcake. Alternatively, you could spoon the curd in the center of the cupcakes, but I find the piping bag method less messy.

Top the cupcakes with the frosting. I used a piping bag fitted with the tip 4B to pipe the Blueberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream on the cupcakes.

You can top the cupcakes with fresh berries if you wish.

Recipe Variations

• Instead of the Swiss Meringue Buttercream, top the cupcakes with a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, or Lemon Buttercream, then they will become Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes.
• Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to the cupcake batter, to give it a lemon twist.
• Instead of blueberries, you could make these into raspberry cupcakes, by using the exact same instructions, substituting the blueberries for raspberries instead.
• Skip the curd, get store-bought blueberry jam and use that instead as if it was the curd. You can use it to fill the cupcakes, and also add some to the buttercream.

Storing the cupcakes

The cupcakes can be stored in the fridge or freezer. In the fridge for up to 4-5 days, in an airtight container. In the freezer for up to 1 month.

To serve the cupcakes that are in the fridge, let them sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

And to serve the frozen cupcakes, thaw them in the fridge overnight, and then let them sit at room temperature before serving.

Cupcake tips

• Don’t over mix the batter. Once you add the flour, mix just until the batter is incorporated.
• Instead of mixing the blueberries with the batter, scoop some batter into the cupcake tin, top with blueberries, followed by more batter. This will prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom.
• You can make 8 jumbo cupcakes, or 14 regular size cupcakes with this recipe.

Here are some more dessert recipes you might like:

• Blueberry Coffee Cake
• Mango Cupcakes
• Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
• Nutella Cupcakes
• Blueberry Puff Pastry
• No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

Blueberry Cupcakes

Camila Hurst

These Blueberry Cupcakes are loaded with blueberries, filled with Blueberry Curd, topped with a delicious Blueberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Indulge in a burst of sweet and tangy bliss with these irresistible Blueberry Cupcakes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 14 cupcakes

Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients

  

Blueberry Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 191 g
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter 56 g, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil 60 ml
• 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk 120 ml, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup blueberries 95 grams
• 1/2 tsp all-purpose flour

Blueberry Curd

• 1 1/2 cups blueberry 285 grams
• 3 tbsp lemon juice 45 ml
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter 85 grams, at 72ºF
• 2/3 cups sugar 133 grams
• 4 yolks

Blueberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 3 large egg whites 100 grams
• 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
• 1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams
• 1/4 cup blueberry curd

Instructions

 

Blueberry Cupcakes

• To make the Blueberry Cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line 14 cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with the granulated sugar and oil on medium speed for about 1 minute, until creamy and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg until combined before adding the next. Add the vanilla and mix.
• Add one third of the dry ingredient mixture. Mix on low speed until incorporated.
• Add half of the milk, mix to combine.
• Add another third of the dry ingredients and mix.
• Follow by the remaining milk.
• Lastly, add the last third of the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula, or stir on low speed until incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, mix the blueberries with the 1/2 tsp of flour.
• Pour one tablespoon of batter on the bottom of each cupcake liner.
• Top the batter with a few blueberries in each cupcake cavity. Spoon some more batter on the top of the blueberries until the cupcake tin is 2/3 of the way full.
• Bake for about 18 minutes. Start checking the cupcakes at the 15-minute mark, and keep baking and checking as necessary. To see if the cupcakes are ready, gently press with your finger on top of the cupcakes, and if they spring right back, that means they are done baking. Let the cupcakes cool before filling and frosting.

Blueberry Curd

• To make the Blueberry Curd, start by adding the blueberries and lemon juice to small saucepan. Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and let the blueberries cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, until reduced, and falling apart. Use the back of the spatula to smash the blueberries as you stir.
• Pour the blueberries through a strainer, and push down on the blueberries to release as much juice as possible. You should have at least 1/3 cup of juice.
• In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a mixer over medium speed for 1 minute.
• Add the egg yolks and beat for another 1 to 2 minutes, until well combined.
• Add 1/3 cup of blueberry juice and mix to combine.
• Pour the mixture in a saucepan. Cook over medium low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring non-stop, until the mixture temps 170ºF.
• It’s important to never stop stirring the curd, and not cook at a high temperature, so the eggs don’t scramble. If that happens, the curd will taste like eggs.
• Remove the curd to a bowl. Cover with plastic, let it come to room temperature, and then refrigerate for at least a couple hours up to 3 days.

Blueberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• Before starting, make sure your mixer is ready to go. If you are using a stand mixer, fit it with the whisk attachment.
• You can also use a hand mixer for this recipe, leave it prepared.
• Make sure the butter is at the proper temperature, it should be at 72ºF.
• Place a small pot with two inches of water over medium heat. Bring the water to a simmer.
• In a large glass bowl, add the sugar, and egg whites.
• Whisk the sugar and egg whites together. Place the bowl over the pot with the simmering water to form a double boiler.
• Continue to whisk the egg whites and sugar until it becomes a syrup that temps 140ºF.
• Remove the bowl from the double boiler. Transfer the syrup to bowl of a stand mixer. And if using a hand mixer, you can keep the syrup in the bowl.
• Start whipping the syrup with the mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Raise the speed to medium-high.
• Whip the syrup for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until it reaches stiff peaks.
• The meringue should be glossy, and the peak should be shooting straight up.
• Cut the butter into pats. With the mixer at medium speed, add one butter piece at a time to the meringue.
• Wait for one butter pat to be incorporated before adding the next one, and continue to whip with the mixer.
• By the end, the butter should have incorporated with the buttercream, which will be creamy and fluffy.
• If the buttercream is soupy, or not coming together, it’s probably because the butter was not at the right temperature or the meringue wasn’t whipped to stiff peaks.
• One way of fixing it is to put the bowl with the buttercream in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes and then try to whip it again, until it comes together.
• Once the buttercream has become smooth and thick, add the blueberry curd, mix on low speed until incorporated.
• The final step is to mix the buttercream on low with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or by hand with a spatula, to eliminate any air bubbles for the meringue.

To assemble

• To assemble the cupcakes, remove the core of each cupcake with a spoon or apple corer. Spoon or pipe some of the blueberry curd in the center of each cupcake.
• Place the Blueberry Frosting in a piping bag fitted with the piping tip of your choice. I have used the 4B piping tip.
• Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake.
• You can place a few blueberries on top of each to decorate.

Storage

• These cupcakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

Blueberries 1: Instead of adding the blueberries to the batter, we scoop some batter into the cupcake tins, then spread blueberries on top, and put more batter over the blueberries, swirling with a toothpick gently. This is done to prevent the blueberries from all sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes. Coating them in flour will also help.

Blueberries 2: You can use fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries.

Curd: Here are some important tips for the curd: make sure you whisk the eggs with the butter and sugar before cooking the mixture, this prevents over cooking of the eggs, thus preventing the curd from tasting eggy. Another important tip is to cook the curd at low heat, stirring non stop, to prevent again overcooking.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream 1: Make sure the butter is at 72ºF before making the frosting. The meringue should have stiff peaks before you start adding the butter, or the buttercream might turn out soupy. Another reason why the buttercream could be soupy or not coming together is the butter temperature. If the butter is too warm, or the kitchen where you are working is too hot, the buttercream might not come together. In this case, place the bowl in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes, and try to whip it again.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream 2: This is an optional step. Use the paddle attachment, or mix the buttercream by hand with a spatula on the lowest speed, for at least 5 minutes, to eliminate air bubbles, this will make the buttercream extremely silky and smooth.

Keyword blueberry, cupcakes