Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting – Fresh blueberry cupcakes topped with lemon-kissed cream cheese frosting. A perfect summer-time dessert!
Is it wrong that I’m looking forward to fall already? Every year when August 1st hits I breathe a huge sigh of relief. It’s like the home stretch to the very best time of the year.
I can’t wait to conjure up a big pot of comforting pumpkin soup with apple pie for dessert. Call it corny but it’s my way of ringing in the new season.
There’s really only one thing I like about summer and that’s the produce. Especially blueberries.
Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
The cupcakes are soft and tender but dense enough so that the blueberries stay suspended in the batter instead of sinking to the bottom. I hate when that happens.
The cupcakes themselves aren’t overly sweet so the natural sweetness of the berries really pops. They help keep the cupcakes moist too – there’s not a dry or crumbly cupcake anywhere in sight.
The frosting is thick and fluffy with a subtle hint of lemon that is absolutely delicious with the tangy cream cheese. It makes the blueberries come alive and sing. The recipe doesn’t call for adding lemon zest to the batter, only the frosting, but feel free to sneak some in.
I’ll just be here, lying in wait, eating one of the best parts of summer while I dream of giant orange orbs, freshly-picked apples, figs and all the winter squash I can possibly carry out of the store in one haul.
Are we there yet?
Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- Cupcakes:
- 1 + 2/3 cups cake flour not self-rising
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 + 1/4 cups blueberries
- Frosting:
- 10 tablespoons butter room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest just the yellow part not the pith
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 + 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
Instructions
Make the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until pale and fluffy about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time then vanilla.
- Scrape down sides of the bowl. On low speed beat in flour in 3 additions alternating with sour cream starting and ending with flour. Fold in blueberries.
- Fill baking cups 2/3 full.
- Bake about 20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs - not raw batter - attached. Cool completely on wire racks before frosting.
Make the frosting:
- On medium speed beat the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. On low speed beat in vanilla, lemon zest and confectioners' sugar. Turn up to medium speed and beat until light and fluffy 4 - 5 minutes. Refrigerate frosting 20 minutes.
- Frost cupcakes. Store in refrigerator and bring to room temperature before eating.