This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes 🫐
Bright lemon and juicy blueberries are a match made in spring-dessert heaven, and these cupcakes lean all the way in. Tender lemon cake studded with fresh blueberries gets crowned with a naturally purple blueberry cream cheese frosting, made with a quick blueberry reduction, so it’s as pretty as it is delicious. They’re the ones people ask about at every gathering.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Muffin Tin
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
For Cupcakes
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 8 tsp fresh lemon juice juice from about 1.5 lemons
- 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups fresh blueberries tossed in a squeeze of lemon juice + 1 tbsp flour
For the Frosting
- 2/3 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 1/3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup salted butter softened
- 1.5 8oz packages of cream cheese softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
To Make Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, combine butter and sugar until creamy.
- Add eggs and combine until just mixed.
- Add milk, lemon juice and mix again.
- Add flour and salt and combine until batter forms.
- Toss blueberries in 1 tbsp flour and a squeeze of lemon juice. Fold blueberries into batter.
- Transfer to greased cupcake pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until inside of toothpick comes out clean.
To Make Frosting
- In a medium saucepan, heat blueberries and sugar over medium heat. Use a masher to break down blueberries once softened, cooking for 8-10 mins until blueberries are thick like a jam paste.
- Remove from heat and let cool (I tossed it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes). Beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy (about 2-3 mins).
- Add vanilla and mix.
- Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
- Fold in blueberry jam and top on cooled cupcakes. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Tips for Making This Recipe
Toss the blueberries in flour. Coating them in a spoonful of the flour before folding them in keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes. Reduce the blueberries for the frosting. Cooking them down into a jammy reduction gives the frosting its natural purple color and real berry flavor without making it runny. Cool completely before frosting. Warm cupcakes will melt cream cheese frosting, so be patient and let them cool all the way.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep the blueberries from sinking?
Toss them in a little of the recipe’s flour before folding them into the batter. The light coating helps them grip the batter and stay suspended as the cupcakes bake.
Fresh or frozen blueberries?
Fresh are ideal, especially in the batter. If you use frozen, don’t thaw them first and toss them in flour, or they’ll bleed and turn the batter gray.
How do I get the frosting naturally purple?
A quick blueberry reduction, blueberries cooked down with a little sugar, stirred into the cream cheese frosting gives it that gorgeous color and flavor, no food dye needed.
How should I store them?
Because of the cream cheese frosting, keep them refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days. Let them sit out a bit before serving so the cake softens.
Never Run Out of Dinner Ideas
One new family-favorite dinner in your inbox each week, made with love.
My 5 Most-Loved Pastas, yours when you join
