Blueberry Cupcakes

Whenever I think muffin or cupcake, the first flavour that pops into my head is blueberry. I’ve eaten many blueberry muffins in my time — especially from Starbucks — and I absolutely love them!

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart, which I found years ago on Pinterest. It’s the first one I ever tried from her, and it’s stayed a favourite ever since.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• 1 ⅔ cups plain flour
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 stick (115 g) unsalted butter
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup soured cream
• 6 oz (about 170 g) blueberries

For the topping:

• 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

For the icing:

• 1 ¼ sticks unsalted butter
• 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ⅔ cups icing sugar
• ¼ cup blueberry jam

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cream butter and sugar: In a separate mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
4. Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
5. Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the soured cream, until fully combined.
6. Add blueberries: Gently fold in the blueberries by hand — be gentle so you don’t crush them.
7. Fill cases: Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake cases.
8. Make the topping: In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the topping evenly over each filled case.
9. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
10. Cool: Leave in the tray for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Optional Icing:

1. In a mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until smooth.
2. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Strain the blueberry jam through a sieve to remove skins and seeds, then gently swirl it into the frosting — don’t mix it fully, you want the marbled effect.
4. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes as desired.

(I actually decided these cupcakes looked great without the icing, so feel free to skip this step if you prefer them plain!)