Sweet Saturday!

Happy Saturday, my lovely friends! I hope you have a wonderful weekend planned. :o)

My card for sweet Brandon isn't quite done, so I'll be back with that tomorrow. Today I'm here to sweeten your weekend with a burst of sunshine in the form of a cupcake! Exploding with fruitiness in honor of spring, I am sharing Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with you! :o)

I had been eyeing this recipe since last May and am happy to report it lived up to the hype. Light and fluffy lemon cake is paired with juicy blueberries and topped with a dreamy lemon cream cheese frosting. As much as I adore rich and chocolatey confections, there are certainly times I want a breezy, summery dessert to match the sunshiny days. This was met with rave reviews from my loved ones, especially this incredible frosting. I think next time I will try using a blueberry compote inside the cupcakes to see which version I like best. Either way, you cannot go wrong with this light and satisfying cupcake! (I have read that this also tastes great with a lemon Swiss meringue buttercream or a lemon-spiked whipped cream frosting. I'm pretty sure my family would be devastated if I didn't use this lemon cream cheese one, though. It is perfect!)

Thank you for visiting me today! I'll be back tomorrow with a card for the beloved I Feel the Love Project! :o)

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: approximately 16 cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
¾ cup cake flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
1 cup fresh blueberries

For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 large lemon
Additional fresh blueberries, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the ¾ cup all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice. With the mixer on low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Blend in the milk. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated.

In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Using a spatula, gently fold the berries into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about ¾ full. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until well-combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until fully incorporated, then increase the speed and beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with fresh blueberries.

Source: Annie's Eats