With a lemon buttercream and a hint of lemon in the cake, this easy Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes recipe will be a fast favorite.
Summers of my childhood were sand and swimming, bike riding and castle building. They were fresh corn from the farmstand and salad bar dinners. And they were freedom. So much freedom.
That’s how my children’s earliest summers were too. I delighted in them having the same summertime experiences I did.
But things changed. They had to.
Our lives took a detour as the world became a different place. I needed to do something to give them a better life so we moved to Maine. It was a good change — a necessary one.
In doing so, summers changed too. My children’s summers were swimming and laughter, camps and biking, hikes and food trucks. It was different, but also gloriously fun. And although their summers have had decidedly more structure than mine, it’s still carried freedom for them.
I used to think that the summers of my childhood were perfect — there could be nothing better. But I have learned that there’s no such thing as the perfect summer. Summer perfection can come in many forms and shapes, many configurations and experiences.
This brings me to this recipe. Summer is a time of freshness — fruits, vegetables, herbs. So there are so many ways to enjoy summer’s perfection. This is one of them
This recipe is summer in a cupcake — sweet-tart lemon, bright blueberries, a tender crumb. It’s delightful. It’s the dessert you want for your next backyard gathering.
And, perhaps better, the cupcake batter is made in a single bowl — so easy! Then all that’s left is to whip up the lemon buttercream and to garnish. Decorating with more blueberries and yellow sprinkles or sugar crystals helps.
When you make these, store the leftovers in an airtight container. They should be consumed within five days, if they last that long. They probably won’t.
I hope you are enjoying summer right now, in whatever summertime perfection looks for you.
Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup olive oil
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup blueberries
Frosting:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the egg, milk, oil and lemon zest and stir until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in the blueberries.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. Remove from the oven and let cool thoroughly.
- Once the cupcakes are cooled, combine all ingredients for the buttercream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until smooth. Decorate the cupcakes with buttercream, blueberries, sprinkles and more as desired.