Lemon Blueberry Mini Cupcakes

These mini cupcakes combine sweet and tart with lemon curd filling and blueberry swiss meringue buttercream. Top them with lemon zest and blueberry sauce and you have the perfect cupcake for Spring! 

You can make these in mini form or into standard cupcakes. If you are feeling saucy you can even double these recipes to make a layer cake. All options, equally delicious! 

Lemon Blueberry Mini Cupcakes

makes approximately 4 dozen

Lemon Butter Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoons lemon zest

• 1 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 1/3 cup flour

• 3/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• a pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line mini cupcake pans with cupcake liners and set aside.

Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, beat the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar together until light and fluffy. 

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time. Then alternatively add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture (beginning and ending with flour) and beat until just combined.  

Divide batter evenly between the prepared mini cupcake pans (I use a small 1/2 tablespoon scoop to make sure the cupcakes are uniform). Bake 10-15 minutes, or until cakes are golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to wire racks and cool 5-10 minutes.

Lemon curd  

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely shredded lemon peel

• 3 tablespoon lemon juice

• 3 tablespoons water

• 3 beaten egg yolks

• 1/4 cup butter cut in to pieces

Directions:

In a medium saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir half of the lemon mixture into egg yolks. Return the egg yolk mixture to saucepan. Cook to gentle boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Add butter pieces, stirring until melted. Cover surface of curd with plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour for up to 48 hours. Store in refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to 2 months.

*Curd may need to be sieved for a smoother texture

** Use room temperature egg yolks

Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pint fresh blueberries

• 1/4 cup sugar (make sure you taste the sauce you may need more or less sugar depending on how ripe your blueberries are)

• 3 tablespoons water

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat blueberries, sugar and water until the blueberries begin to burst and the sauce begins to thicken. Then, remove the from the heat a let cool slightly. Then puree sauce to desired texture using a blender or emerson blender.

*Reserve half of the sauce for buttercream and half for drizzling. 

Blueberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1/2 recipe Blueberry sauce

• 5 large, fresh egg whites (150 g)

• 1 1/4 cups (250g) sugar

• 1 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and cool, but not cold

• pinch of salt

Directions:

Add egg whites and sugar to a heat proof bowl and simmer over a pot of water, whisking constantly, until temperature reaches 160°F, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.

Transfer the sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with the whisk attachment, begin to whip until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes or so). 

Once your meringue has reach stiff peaks and the bowl no longer feels warm, switch to the paddle attachment and, with mixer on low speed. Begin to add butter cubes, one at a time, until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture. Add blueberry sauce and salt, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.

Cupcake Assembly:

Howl out a cone shape from the middle of the cupcakes with a paring knife. Use teaspoon fill the space with the lemon curd. Then top with pipped buttercream, sprinkle with lemon zest, drizzle with blueberry sauce and top with a fresh blueberry. 

Enjoy!