Growing up, blackberries grew wild in the wooded area across the street and all along our fence line. My mom would send my sister and I outside with a couple of bowls and a job – step 1 for blackberry cobbler. Warm blackberry cobbler with a melty scoop of Blue Bell’s Homemade Vanilla on top is probably the only thing that I’d ever pick over a chocolate dessert.

It’s too bad that I no longer have a place to pick fresh blackberries but they do go on fire sale during the spring and summer months – plenty of time to work them into a pretty salad, a nostalgic cobbler, and a fun cupcake.

The Classic White Layer Cake recipe from Cook’s Illustrated is proving itself to be a very versatile recipe. It’s my favorite white cake and has been engineered to produce what I believe to be the world’s best from-scratch strawberry cake. With some blackberry puree mixed into the batter and classic American style buttercream, it makes a fun purple cupcake with a hint of blackberry goodness.

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Blackberry Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream Frosting

We added blackberry puree to our favorite white cake recipe and got a pretty purple blackberry cupcake.

Ingredients

• 3 6 oz packs blackberries
• 1/3 cup milk, at room temperature
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
• For the frosting:
• 2 sticks butter unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 5 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 Tbsp meringue powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup blackberry puree

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two muffin pans with liners.
2. Puree blackberries in a food processor or blender. Scrape into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. With a rubber spatula, work the blackberries through the sieve, leaving seeds behind. Remove 1/4 cup of puree for the frosting. Your mileage may vary but you should have ~2/3 cup of blackberry puree leftover.
3. In small bowl, combine puree, milk, egg, lemon juice, and mix with fork until well blended. In bowl of stand mixer, add sifted flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. Continue beating at slow speed and add butter. Mix until combined and resembling moist crumbs.
4. Add liquids and beat at medium speed for about 1 minute or until full and evenly combined. Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 30 more seconds. Fill cupcake liners ~3/4 full.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center cupcake in each pan comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pans and then transfer to a covered plate.
6. To make the frosting, cream butter and extracts until smooth.
7. Mix in confectioner’s sugar, meringue powder, and salt and beat 2-3 minutes on high.
8. Add blackberry puree and beat for an additional minute. Adjust consistency, if desired, with additional confectioner's sugar or water.

Notes

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Classic White Cake

Estimated time: 45 minutes