Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting

Warning: Mini cupcakes are dangerous. You think you can eat five in one sitting because they're only little... Please proceed at your own risk.

Simple, elegant, and flavorful, this two-bite dessert quickly charms its way into your stomach. Any lunch, party, or bridal shower would welcome the arrival of this pretty, petite palate-pleaser.  

I cannot get over the stunning color of this frosting. All praise the blackberry! It reminds me of the blackberry cabernet gelato that Frost sells (probably because it's 105 F outside and I wish I had some ice cream right now... or because I always wish I had some ice cream right now regardless of the temperature...). If you can make this frosting before gobbling up all of the blackberries in the carton (power to you!), then you can make this recipe, and I highly recommend it. 

Vanilla Cupcakes
adapted from My Baking Addiction

yields 2 dozen cupcakes or 6 dozen mini cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
4 large egg whites
8 tablespoon (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until the butter and sugar are very light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until well incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the batter is smooth. Then add the last of the dry ingredients, beating until, yes, that's right, the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Using a large scoop/spoon, distribute the batter between the muffin trays, filling each muffin liner until 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake for 20-24 minutes for cupcakes, and 16-18 minutes for mini cupcakes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. While cupcakes are cooling, make Blackberry Frosting...



Blackberry Frosting

yields about 3 cups of frosting

Ingredients: 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter, softened
1 cup blackberries
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:
Beat the butter, blackberries, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add sugar, one cup at a time, until fully incorporated. Slather on cupcakes. Top with blackberries.

Enjoy.