adapted from The Cake Blog
Lemon and bluberry, a truly iconic flavor combination. This recipe was initially written for an 8-inch cake. I baked the batter in a cupcake tin and paired it with a tangy creame cheese frosting. There's not a lot else to be said here, the flavors speak for themselves.
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a standard muffin pan with cupcake liners. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine the milk and lemon juice and set aside to curd
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high using the paddle attachment. Beat until pale and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time. Mix well after each incorporation. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest. Mix to combine.
Add the flour to mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of the milk. Do this step as quickly as possible to not overmix the batter. In a small bowl, gently toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoons of extra flour. This will prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the cupcake during the baking process. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter, being careful to not break any of the berries. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack.
For the buttercream, use an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment to mix the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, and juice and mix until combined. Gradually add the confectioners sugar, adjusting the amount until the desired sweetness and consistency is reached. Whip the buttercream until smooth.
Use a piping bag fitted with a Ateco 828 open star tip to pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes in a classic swirl shape.