Description

These Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes are a perfect blend of tangy lemon and sweet blueberries, topped with a luscious homemade butterfly swirl buttercream. Moist and tender, these cupcakes are baked to perfection and decorated with a beautiful watercolor effect frosting that combines classic vanilla and vibrant blueberry buttercream, making them as delightful to look at as they are to eat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups (222 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
1 large egg plus one egg yolk, at room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup (115 grams) fresh or frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons (16 grams) all-purpose flour (for tossing blueberries)

Buttercream Frosting

3/4 cup (115 grams) fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed and drained if frozen)
3 cups (306 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream
Lemon zest, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two standard muffin tins with 15 paper liners to prepare for baking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
Cream Butter and Sugars: Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is fluffy and well combined, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
Add Eggs: On medium-low speed, add in the large egg and egg yolk and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed to incorporate everything evenly.
Incorporate Wet and Dry Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, mix the buttermilk with fresh lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix each addition until just combined without overmixing to retain a tender crumb.
Toss Blueberries: In a small bowl, toss the 3/4 cup blueberries with the 2 tablespoons of flour. Fold these blueberries carefully into the batter with a spatula, being gentle to avoid breaking the berries or overmixing which can cause denseness.
Fill and Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare Blueberry Purée: Using a blender, immersion blender, or food processor, puree the 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries. Pass the purée through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl to remove skins and set aside.
Make Buttercream Base: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and powdered sugar on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat for an additional 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add Flavor and Salt: Add fine sea salt and pure vanilla extract to the buttercream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute to integrate flavors fully.
Create Blueberry Buttercream: Remove half of the buttercream into a separate bowl. Gradually mix in the blueberry purée until the buttercream achieves a vibrant color and flavor but remains thick. If it becomes too thin, add more powdered sugar to thicken.
Finish Plain Buttercream: Add the heavy or whipping cream to the remaining plain buttercream and beat until well combined and creamy.
Prepare Swirled Piping Bag: Using a spoon, transfer the plain buttercream into one side of a large piping bag fitted with a decorative tip such as Ateco #846. Then add the blueberry buttercream to the opposite side of the bag, aligning the two colors side by side without mixing them.
Create Watercolor Effect: Gently squeeze the piping bag so the colors slightly blur together for a watercolor styling effect. Twist the bag and do a test pipe to ensure even color flow before decorating the cupcakes.
Pipe and Garnish: Pipe the swirled buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes. Garnish each cupcake with a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest for an extra pop of citrus aroma and decoration.
Serve or Store: Serve immediately or store cupcakes at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring refrigerated cupcakes to room temperature before serving for best texture and flavor.

Notes

If using frozen blueberries in the batter, do not thaw before tossing with flour to prevent color bleed.
Adding flour to blueberries prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes during baking.
Ensure all ingredients, especially eggs, butter, and buttermilk, are at room temperature to achieve a smooth batter.
Do not overmix the batter once wet and dry ingredients are combined to keep cupcakes light and airy.
For a more intense lemon flavor, increase the fresh lemon zest to 1 1/2 tablespoons.
If the buttercream becomes too thin after adding blueberry purée, adjust thickness by adding more sifted powdered sugar gradually.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the buttercream.
Use fresh lemon zest as garnish to add a fresh, zesty aroma and an attractive finish to the cupcakes.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes, blueberry cupcakes, lemon cupcakes, buttercream frosting, swirl frosting, lemon zest, blueberry buttercream, homemade cupcakes, bakery style cupcakes