Since today is Mother’s Day, I thought I’d make something from blueberries, my mother’s favourite fruit. She loved getting a fresh pack in the market or local grocery, to snack on their own, or sneaking them inside pancakes. Since ECQ has been in place, I wish I could bake these for her in Cebu, but at this point, a virtual gift will have to do.
These cupcakes are moist and chewy, topped with softened cream cheese and vanilla frosting. You can also pour the batter into a baking casserole or a round pan to turn it into a small cake, but why make one when you can make a dozen individual cakes for sharing? If you happen to have edible confetti (why not?) in the pantry, you can sprinkle these on top to make it look more festive. If Mum likes nuts, you can change the blueberry topping to a walnut or pecan too.
My cream cheese frosting is laughable at best, but they make the cakes look homey and handmade, a heartfelt greeting to the superwoman in my life.
Baking time: 20 minutes
Yields: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup coco sugar or granulated brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup frozen blueberries
For the cream cheese topping:
3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A squeeze of lemon to soften
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a 12-hole muffin pan. In a bowl, stir together butter, sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until fluffy. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add milk and stir.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Then gently fold in dry ingredients into the liquid mixture. Sprinkle blueberries (leave 12 pieces to top the muffins later) and continue to fold in until everything is incorporated.
3. Pour batter into muffin pan, filling it to 3/4th capacity. Bake for 20 minutes.
4. While waiting for the muffins to finish baking, cream together cream cheese, sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl, until smooth. Once muffins have baked, use a serving knife or rubber spatula to gently swirl the cream cheese mixture on top. Add a blueberry on each topping to decorate (or nuts, or edible confetti).
My sloppy frosting leaves much to be desired. :D
Took a big bite out of the cupcake. Moist blueberry filling was not too sweet, pairing well with the cream cheese.