Mo's Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes with Luscious Lemon Frosting

My friend Mo made this recipe into a divine cake a few weeks ago and I it was amazing. Well, if amazing doesn't do it justice. The cake was very moist and fruity but it still was rich and satisfying!  The buttercream was the best lemon cream cheese buttercream I have EVER tasted. Mo allowed me to take a little from the bowl as she was frosting the cakes, I couldn't get enough of this rich and sinfully creamy frosting. It was a perfect balance of rich and sweet. The lemon zest made the buttercream light and fruity but it the perfect lemon cream cheese buttercream.  I can not gush about this buttercream enough! When the cake was served it was just perfect and my (rather large) slice disappeared too quickly. 

Mo's Cake

I have tagged lemon and blueberry cupcakes and cakes many times in the past. I always had the greatest of intentions of making these tagged cakes but something always came up and the cakes got pushed farther and farther down my list. However, I don't care because no other lemon blueberry cake or lemon cream cheese buttercream will ever need to be made. This takes the cake... (or rather the cupcake!) This is a must try cause it is the best!

 Thanks Mo for my new obsession!

1 year ago:  Laying it out on the Table: Why I hate the fourth of July
Sweet Summer Blueberry Cupcakes
Bon Appétit  | August 2001
2 cups plus 6 tablespoons cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups fresh blueberries (about three 4.4-ounce packages)
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs


Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; butter paper. Dust pans with flour. Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Transfer 1 tablespoon flour mixture to large bowl. Add fresh blueberries and toss to coat. Set remaining flour mixture and blueberries aside( if you are using frozen blueberries allow them to defrost for 1 hour at room temperature and toss in 1/4 cup flour.)
Stir whole milk, vanilla extract, and grated lemon peel in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in another large bowl until light and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture in 3 additions each, just until blended. Fold in blueberries. Divide batter equally among pans.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen. Turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely. Peel off parchment paper.
Transfer 1 cake layer to platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over cake layer. Top with another cake layer; spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. (Cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead of time. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before continuing.) Garnish cake with lemon peel strips, if desired, and serve.

Delicious!

Luscious Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
slightly adapted from Bon Appétit  | August 2001
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel- finely
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in lemon peel, food coloring and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until just firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes. 

Cupcakes without frosting are awesome muffins