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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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