Blackberry Lime Cupcakes
A tart fluffy vanilla lime cupcake is topped with sweet, creamy blackberry buttercream making these blackberry lime cupcakes a summer favorite!
I have a fun post for you guys today!! First there are these blackberry lime cupcakes. Delicious. Tart. Pretty much summer in a cupcake. Second, I’m doing a fun Q&A Blog Hop with my contributor friends over at Or So She Says! The talented Mariel of OSSS thought it would be a great idea to get to know us better since we all come from diverse backgrounds. Amazing idea!! And you get to learn a few new things about yours truly in the process π
But first let’s talk about these cupcakes in case you were here only for them (I don’t blame you!!). These cupcakes are my new favorites π Blackberries are so unappreciated if you ask me because people think they are tart but I am a HUGE fan. Love them! We have a fluffy vanilla lime cupcake (my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe is used as a base) topped with a whipped sweet blackberry lime frosting. They are the perfect sweet and tart combination.
Blackberry Lime Cupcakes
A tart fluffy vanilla lime cupcake is topped with sweet, creamy blackberry buttercream making these blackberry lime cupcakes a summer favorite!
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 2Β½ cups all-purpose flour
- ΒΎ teaspoon salt
- 1Β½ teaspoon baking powder
- ΒΌ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Blackberry Lime Frosting:
- 3 Β½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups sifted confectionersβ sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2-3 tablespoons blackberry compote (see below)
For Blackerry Compote
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Zest and juice of Β½ a lime
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners or silicone baking cups.
- In a medium bowl sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes on medium speed. Add the lime zest and mix for an additional minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract and lime juice.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined. Scrap down the side of the bowl as needed.
- Pour batter into prepared pans. Fill liners about ? full. Bake cupcakes until lightly golden or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 12-14 minutes.
- Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
For the Blackberry Frosting:
- Make compote first: Combine all the ingredients for compote plus ½ cup water in a small saucepan set over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until berries are soft and thicken about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Pass through a fine sieve if desired. Let cool to room temperature before using. (Chill in fridge if you are in a hurry!)
- Whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer. The butter will become pale and creamy
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except blackberry compote and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Then increase speed to medium and mix for 6 minutes until the frosting is very light, creamy and fluffy. Add blackberry compote and whip for additional minute or two to combine.
- Frost cooled cupcakes.
I started contributing over at OSSS once a month at the beginning of the year and it has been an amazing experience. What an amazing group of women and blogs. You need to check out their blogs below.
Let’s get on with the blog hop questions shall we?
What inspired you to start your blog (or shop?)
I wanted to learn how to bake basic things like cookies, cakes and cupcakes and stop buying them out. So I started the blog to chronicle my baking mishaps, catalog my favorite recipes and possibly meet new baking enthusiasts. (It all worked out thankfully!!)
What’s your favorite and least favorite thing about blogging?
My favorite thing about blogging is creating new recipes and meeting so many people via our combined love for the food. Least favorite = writing. I was not gifted in the creative writing or writing area in general. I struggle with it daily and makes me dislike blogging from time to time.
Tell me with only 20 words, 20 things you love.
Life, God, family, Shoes, chicken wings, shoes, photography, girlfriends, parks, travel, movies, macarons, science, tea, husband, purses, hand lotion, cake stands, Mall of America, Indian food, Starbucks, did I say shoes?
What is the one recipe you are most often asked to share?Β Please share it with us!
Favorite Vanilla Cupcake Recipe β the perfect moist, fluffy and crumbly vanilla cupcake with a whipped vanilla buttercream. A solid base for many creations.
5 favorite beauty products, right now… what are they?
Aie aie this is hard. I donβt really use beauty products and I know I should. I am getting to that age. But I use this facial cleanser-toner and moisture set daily. Wait does hair count? I use Carolβs daughter shampoo and conditioner, hair butter and oil regularly. Yay! That was 5, Iβm a lady π
What’s your personal mantra(s)?Β Something you tell yourself on a regular basis?
Hmmm, I tell people all the time that life can suck sometimes, so suck it up! (I seriously need to be more cuddling). To myself, I’m always reminding myself to make an effort to live a happier, community-oriented life.
What movie made you laugh more than any other?
Nothing stands out in particular but recently I loved The Heat with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock.
If you could recommend one family vacation, what would it be?
We havenβt been on many family vacations but I would love to take a trip to Italy with the hubby. Lots of history, good food and romantic place.
What goals are you currently working on?
Work: I am working on graduating from grad school in the next year. Blog: I want to blog less but focus more on quality. Focus on recipe creation and improving my photography, as thatβs one of my favorite parts of blogging. Life: Spend more time with the hubby, family and friends. Be more present with the people I am spending time with. UNPLUG!! Like right now, the boy and one of my girlfriends are playing cards in front of me but I am on the computer ‘blogging’ π
Please share links to 3 blog posts (or items from your shop) that are special to you (or favorites of yours), and explain why.
Hmmmm hard one, there are so many recipes on the blog I love.
This Cherry Vanilla Champagne Cake is one of my favorites because it was made for the blog’s first anniversary! After a year of learning so much and meeting some amazing peeps, this cake was a celebration of the community of Blahnik Baker.
One of my favorite cakes to make this year was this minion cake for my niece’s birthday. It was so much fun and turned out great!
Creating original recipes that actually turn out good is hard and creating ones that actually turn out great? Rare!! Which is why I love this Pina Colada Cheesecake. For all the right reasons π
Thank you for sticking around for the Q&A blog hop! If you have time, I would love for you to answer one or two of these questions as well in the comments below so I can get to know you a little better!
Beautiful cupcakes, Zainab!
I was totally nodding along and agreeing with everything you said during your Q&A, Zainab. Especially when it came to your personal goals, unplugging, being more present. Yes yes and yes! And when i come here, I get both quantity AND quality. Don’t knock your writing, Zainab. If you weren’t a fantastic writer, I wouldn’t come back (seriously! Blogs that have little by way of content and just throw out recipes don’t hold my attention for long). You are fabulous, woman. And these gorgeous cupcakes are fabulous too! I know what you mean about the poor under-appreciated blackberry. They’re my favourite berry to eat because they’re so insanely sweet.
Awww thank you Nancy!! you always have a way of making me feel better. I do struggle with the writing but I think it’s because I put too much pressure on myself and also I read other people’s blogs I love and enjoy and can see I am no where there. But that’s really all perspective! Everyone has what they are great at!! By the way…your conference weekend looked amazing!! I cannot wait for the recap π
Enjoyed reading this post, Zainab. I love anything like this that gives me a little more insight into the blogger behind the beautiful recipes!
The blogger’s life IS hard sometimes, isn’t it? It’s really hard to ‘keep up’ with everything. So much so that I think all bloggers must be pretty determined, persistent people!
As usual these cupcakes look like a work of art. That purple frosting looks just to die for and I love the idea of the blackberry-lime combo, too. I bet that would be a great flavour combo for a macaron, too. π
It’s hard to keep up indeed but the fact that we enjoy it makes it a little easier!!
Loved these cupcakes! So pretty! And loved learning more about you. Indian food is also one of my favorites. Love the spices and the naan of course.
Thanks Mallory!! Indian food is so spicy gooood π
Unplugging is hard! I had a similar experience while preparing my Q&A answers too.:( And what a great idea to have your readers answer a question or 2…it’s great to get to know more about them as well!!
Isn’t it hard? I’m glad we are all struggling with the same things π Thanks for stopping by Jana!
I love the combination of tat and sweet flavors like in these blackberry lime cupcakes – not to mention they are just plain GORGEOUS!
Thanks Shashi!!
This was such a fun post to read! Haha, you and me “life sucks. suck it up.” I’ve said that before too … I haven’t won any awards for counseling 101 haha! You are definitely a lady! And a beautiful one at that, even without hundreds of products. π That is a great blogging goal of quality over quantity and your posts are really reflecting that! Your photography is just stunning. Looking back at your archives, you have mastered the lighting so well. I want to dive right into each of your photos (so gorgeous!) Fruity desserts for the win, especially when they involve blackberries. Mmm yum! π Pinned!
Hahha Mary Frances, I am not winning any awards in counseling either lol! In my defense, my friends love hearing the truth from me. They actually get surprised when I start sugar coating things and they know something is up :p Why thank you for thinking I’m a lady!! You made my day!! I love going back into the archives and see how far things have come. It’s truly a learning curve!! Thanks dear π
what pretty cupcakes! i love blackberries π
These cupcakes look fantastic! Especially the frosting! Also the color is really lovely.
Loved this post Zainab! I really enjoyed reading your questions and answers and of course these cupcakes are gorgeous π
Thanks Kelly!! Hope you are having a great week!
What gorgeous cupcakes, Zainab! Such a lovely color for the frosting, and I bet they taste pretty darn good, too. π I hadn’t seen that Minion cake before, but WOW. That is so good!! I don’t have anyone to make it for in the present, but I will certainly pass your tutorial on to those who do!
Thanks Alyssa!! That minion cake is one of my favorites lol!
Zainab! I’m so glad I found your post, after Samantha pointed it out to me. Duh. I was all bummed that I didn’t get to read about you… but, now I did! You are so super talented. Your photography is awesome, can’t imagine you needing more work on that. π Thanks for contributing for me. I’m so lucky to have you share your mad cooking skills with my readers too. Keep up the great work!
Yay!! Thank you Mariel. I love your blog and contributing over there has been a great experience. Learning so much!!