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Saloni Mehta’s zesty blueberry cupcakes from Vegan Baking Made Simple are vegan cupcakes with lemon, blueberries, and blueberry cream cheese frosting. The cupcakes bake up tender, with fresh or frozen blueberries tucked into each one. Lemon zest and lemon juice add a bright citrus flavor that cuts through the sweetness.
The frosting adds another layer of blueberry flavor. Vegan butter, powdered sugar, vegan cream cheese, vanilla, lemon zest, and blueberry preserves create a sweet topping with tangy notes. The preserves leave streaks of fruit through the frosting, so the cupcakes look pretty without much decorating.
Read more: Blueberry Crumble Pie
These zesty blueberry cupcakes make a good dessert when you want something smaller than a cake but still special enough to share. The recipe makes eight cupcakes, which suits a small gathering, birthday table, or weekend bake. Chill the frosting before assembling so it holds its shape, then let the cupcakes set briefly in the fridge before serving.
Reprinted with permission from Vegan Baking Made Simple by Saloni Mehta. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Saloni Mehta.
How to make these vegan cupcakes
Ingredients
Blueberry Cupcakes
- ¾ cup + 1 tsp unsweetened vegan milk room temperature
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ⅛ cup + 4 tsp vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp + 1½ tsp cornstarch
- ½ cup blueberries fresh or frozen (3–4 blueberries per cupcake)
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
2 batches Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup vegan butter cold and cut into cubes
- ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp 50 g powdered sugar sifted
- Zest of ½ lemon
- ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp vegan cream cheese room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of ½ lemon
- ¼ cup blueberry preserve or blueberry jam homemade or store bought
Instructions
- For the blueberry cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a cupcake tray with eight cupcake liners. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the vegan milk and lemon juice. Allow this mixture to sit for a few minutes until it is slightly curdled. Then add the oil to the milk mixture, and mix using a hand whisk until fully combined. Add the granulated sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Give it a good mix.
- In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and cornstarch. Add the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients in three small additions, whisking in between each addition. Once the cupcake batter is fully mixed, portion it into the cupcake liners three-fourths of the way full for each cupcake using a cookie scoop or a ladle. Once you have portioned the cupcake batter, evenly distribute the blueberries into every cupcake by slightly pushing them into the cupcake batter. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until they are firm to the touch in the center of the cupcake. Let the cupcakes cool completely in the cupcake tray, and prepare the blueberry cream cheese frosting. Alternatively, you can also store these cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- For the blueberry cream cheese frosting, prepare a double batch of my Cream Cheese Frosting. Beat the vegan butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or in a mixing bowl with an electric whisk for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides.
- Add the powdered sugar and lemon zest to the mixing bowl. Mix on a very low speed until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated, and then mix on a medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes to make it fluffy. Scrape down the sides using a spatula.
- Add the room temperature vegan cream cheese and vanilla extract to the vegan butter mixture. Mix for 1 to 2 minutes until it is fully incorporated. Add the lemon zest and blueberry preserves, and give it a mix using a spatula in order to have streaks of blueberry throughout the frosting. Chill the frosting for 1 hour or until you’re ready to assemble the cupcakes.
- Arrange all the cupcakes on a clean tray. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the frosting, and gently place the frosting onto the cupcake. Chill the cupcake for 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Use an offset spatula or a teaspoon to make a swirl in the middle of the frosting. Gently rotate the cupcake and dab the frosting. The frosting will slide off the spatula in a teardrop-like shape, and as you turn the cupcake, it will form a plateau of icing on top of the cupcake. Repeat for all the cupcakes and serve.
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