Berry Cupcakes

Monday, October 14, 2013

Berry Cupcakes use the puree of fresh fruit to impart a sweet, tart, berry flavor into the cupcakes and the frosting. Use any berries you prefer, I went with the combination of raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry.

I’ve got more pink treats lined up for you guys. Hope you don’t mind… I made these cupcakes a couple months ago and honestly had no idea they were going to turn out to be such a pretty pink color. I decided to sit on the post so that I could post it in October.

These Berry Cupcakes were the first cupcakes I brought in to work since moving back to Ohio. A couple people at work knew I had a food blog, but I don’t think they fully comprehended what that meant. These cupcakes caused a great deal of buzz. People were really impressed with the “professional” look of them.

I have to admit, piping frosting on a cupcake is one of my favorite things to do. They say if you do something for 10,000 hours, you’re an expert at it. I surely haven’t come close to piping frosting for 10,000 hours yet, but I know I’ve baked an frosted a LOT of cupcakes in the past 6 years that this blog has been around.

The original recipe just used blackberries, but I decided to go for the tri-berry combination of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. The cupcakes themselves have a great berry flavor, but the frosting is what shines on these cupcakes. It has a great berry flavor that has a smidge of tartness to counter the sweetness that you get with this type of frosting.

Don’t forget about my Power of Pink Challenge! Make something PINK during the month of October to raise Breast Cancer Awareness and a chance to win a $100 donation to the charity of your choice.

One Year Ago: White Chocolate Raspberry Blondies and Pumpkin, Dulce de Leche Oat Bars
Two Years Ago: Neapolitan Cheesecake Cake
Three Years Ago: Roasted Beet Hummus
Six Years Ago: Open Faced Chicken Salad Club and Chicken Sausage and Roasted Veggie Pizza

Berry Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes
18 oz fresh fruit - I used 6 oz each of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries
1/3 cup milk, at room temperature
6 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 powdered sugar
1 Tbsp meringue powder
pinch of salt
1/4 cup fruit puree

Directions:

For the Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two muffin pans with liners.

Puree berries in a food processor or blender. Scrape into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. With a rubber spatula, work the berries through the sieve, leaving seeds behind. Remove 1/4 cup of puree for the frosting. You should have ~2/3 cup of blackberry puree leftover.

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.

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.

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.

For the Frosting
Cream butter and extracts until smooth.

Mix in confectioner’s sugar, meringue powder, and salt and beat 2-3 minutes on high.

Add berry puree and beat for an additional minute. Adjust consistency, if desired, with additional confectioner's sugar or water.

Recipe seen on Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Cupcakes, Dessert, Frosting, Power of Pink

3 comments »

38 Responses to “What’s your secret?”

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1

BMK — January 28, 2008 at 1:15 pm

Those are adorable! I love the idea of lemon meringue cupcakes.
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2

~Amber~ — January 28, 2008 at 1:51 pm

They are adorable!! Great job and I am glad you had success with the recipe.
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3

Shawnda — January 28, 2008 at 2:27 pm

Congrats on a successful challenge!
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4

slush — January 28, 2008 at 3:03 pm

OMG, are they cute! Like little porcupines. So glad it turned out for you. Fab job!
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5

Aparna — January 28, 2008 at 3:24 pm

I really liked your idea of making the cupcakes. No cutting up and great single sized servings. They look just great.
Makes me wonder– why didn’t I think of that?
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6

Tempered Woman — January 28, 2008 at 3:36 pm

Hey~ I made lemon maringue cuppies too! I am so sold on making pies this way in the future- very fun. Love the spikies- great job.
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7

Nikki57 — January 28, 2008 at 4:39 pm

Your LMP looks great! I love the cuppies
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CB — January 28, 2008 at 5:22 pm

LMP cuppys rule! ::high five:: love all the pictures of your process… great job!
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9

Marye — January 28, 2008 at 5:29 pm

I really like the little pies everyone is making..now I want to redo mine.blessings,
marye
http://bakingdelights.com
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10

michelle — January 28, 2008 at 7:15 pm

Oh so cute! I had considered trying my second attempt in a cupcake tin… until I waited until the last minute, that is! 🙂
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11

ruthEbabes — January 28, 2008 at 9:27 pm

Congrats! These look fabulously divine!
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12

Butta Buns — January 28, 2008 at 9:40 pm

Ah ha, another fellow Boston baker! Your tarts are beautiful! Love the peaks on the meringue!
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13

How To Eat A Cupcake — January 28, 2008 at 10:19 pm

Those are so perfect!

PS: I have those red measuring bowls. I love them! 😀
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14

I(dot)J — January 28, 2008 at 11:49 pm

so SMART to have all of your ingredients out FIRST. I really should know this by now.
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15

Dolores — January 29, 2008 at 1:52 am

Ooooh, I love your cupcake-pies. How’d you make the meringue spikey?

And what did the husband think of the final product?
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16

breadchick — January 29, 2008 at 2:00 am

your little ones are adorable. Great job on your challenge!!
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17

MrsPresley — January 29, 2008 at 2:35 am

your lemon meringue cupcakes are so cute! job well done! 🙂
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18

Beth G. — January 29, 2008 at 2:36 am

They’re so cute!! Great job!! :O)
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kate — January 29, 2008 at 2:54 am

i had that crust shrinkage problem too. it’s a bummer.

———-
kate
http://www.thecleanplateclub.net
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20

Jen — January 29, 2008 at 2:58 am

Dolores – I just spread the meringue around and then using a spatula, pressed it into the meringue and pulled it out and voila! Spikes!
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21

Andrea — January 29, 2008 at 3:06 am

Your little cupcakes are adorable! That was a great idea!
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22

Princess of the kitchen — January 29, 2008 at 7:32 am

Your little tarts lok just lovely. well done!
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23

Big Boys Oven — January 29, 2008 at 8:31 am

a challenge executed incrediblely well!
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24

Deborah — January 29, 2008 at 3:54 pm

They look just perfect!!
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25

Candace — January 29, 2008 at 4:10 pm

Nice job!
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26

Megan — January 29, 2008 at 7:34 pm

Too cute! Love the cupcakes. I want one!
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27

Carrie — January 30, 2008 at 12:02 am

My crust did the same thing! Your cupcakes look great though!
~Carrie from bakersbakery.wordpress.com
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Lane — January 30, 2008 at 6:35 am

Your “pie-cups” look perfect. Great job!

Jane of VeganBits.com
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29

Lunch Buckets — January 30, 2008 at 6:48 am

Very cute! Did you turn away and silently mock your husband “my mom makes a great…”, no of course you wouldn’t have, I must be projecting 🙂
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30

Sheltie Girl — January 30, 2008 at 3:19 pm

You did a wonderful job on your lemon meringue tarts!

Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

~ We’re lactose intolerant at our house too.
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31

Quellia — January 30, 2008 at 5:27 pm

Nice cupcakes! And if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been a DB’er for a year and friends and family, all non-bloggers, always know what I’m making. They kinda have to since I always tape the recipe up on the kitchen cupboards!
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32

creampuff — January 30, 2008 at 8:52 pm

Yayy! I love reading success posts like this! They look great and that’s a good idea to bake them in muffin tins. Well done!
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33

BrineS — January 31, 2008 at 7:22 am

I love your little lemon meringues!
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34

Jen Yu — January 31, 2008 at 5:53 pm

Awesome! I love how differently everyone’s turned out, but these little cuties are so adorable 🙂 Great job!!
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35

Claire — February 1, 2008 at 1:34 am

So cute! I’m sure everyone enjoyed you addition to the spread!
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36

Jigginjessica — February 2, 2008 at 4:31 pm

I love cupcake idea. One big pie seems so messy, these seem neat and tidy. Congrats on another successful challenge!
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37

Jelli Bean — August 20, 2009 at 3:09 pm

The shrinking crust always affects my mini cupcake pies too. The trick is to make them overhang the cups enough so that they shrink down to just the right size. Your little pies are darling!
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38

kijiji in edmonton canada — September 14, 2013 at 11:12 pm

It’s awesome for me to have a website, which is helpful in
favor of my know-how. thanks admin

Berry Cupcakes