Homemade Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream

So, I made some DELICIOUS cupcakes over spring break. These homemade lemon cupcakes with a blackberry buttercream frosting were to die for!!! I got the recipe from bakerbynature, and you should definitely check her out. I didn’t have all of the ingredients that she used, so I did have to make some substitutions. They took a little more effort than boxed cupcakes, but trust me, they’re soooo much better and great for a rainy baking day. I even brought some of them back to school with me, and I used them to get a date! Never underestimate the power of a homemade cupcake.  

THANK YOU TO BAKERBYNATURE!  Please take a look at some of her recipes!  I plan on trying some more soon!  

https://bakerbynature.com/lemon-cupcakes-blackberry-buttercream/

For the cupcakes:

• 1 3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp lemon extract 

For the Blackberry Buttercream:

• 1 cup-ish blackberries
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY soft
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (do not SKIP!)
• 4 cups confectioners sugar (more if needed), sifted

Instructions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 mold muffin tin with paper liners. 
• In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well to combine and sift a little more for good measure.  
• In a large measuring cup or bowl combine sour cream, milk, vanilla, and egg whites.  Mix well.  
• In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat melted butter and sugar on medium speed until well combined; about 2 minutes.  Go ahead and taste it, because butter and sugar are my favorite, and I know you want to.  
• Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar combination, beating until just combined. Add in the liquid mixture from earlier and beat on low until combined.  Do not over mix.  
• Divide the cupcake batter evenly into the 12 molds, then place the pan in the oven. Bake for about 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before topping with frosting.  For me, the cupcakes took about 20 minutes, but bakerbynature knows best.  

For the Buttercream: 

• Combine the blackberries and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and stir constantly until blackberries have become soft enough to mash effortlessly.; about 6-7 minutes It will look like blackberry jam. Once the mixture can coat a spoon (you will have about 1/4 cup of blackberry puree) remove from heat. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl and push the puree though, leaving any seeds/large chunks behind. Allow mixture to cool completely before using.  This does take a while, but trust me it is worth it in the end.  Gives a great rich taste.  
• Place soft butter in the body of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat butter on medium-speed until completely smooth, scraping down the sides when needed.  Add in the blackberry puree and beat until completely combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. Add in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed. Once all of the sugar has been added, add in salt then increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 full minutes. Then you're done!  Ice those cooled cupcakes and ENJOY.