Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

These blueberry cupcakes are soft and fluffy, studded with wild blueberries, filled with blueberry curd, and topped with the prettiest naturally colored and flavored blueberry cream cheese frosting! The frosting uses mashed defrosted wild blueberries mixed into it to give it that beautiful pastel purple color. They’re the perfect soft and fluffy cupcake filled with tons of blueberry flavor!  

🧁 Why you'll LOVE this recipe

• Blueberry: There are blueberries in every part of the cupcakes - the batter, the filling, and the frosting.
• Blueberry curd filling: It's easy, creamy, rich, and packed with blueberry flavor. It's like lemon curd but blueberry! Makes the ultimate filling.
• Cream cheese frosting: It's thick, creamy, and not gloopy. It uses frozen wild blueberries to color and flavor it so you don't need to go looking for freeze dried fruit.
• Soft and fluffy: The cake part of the cupcakes are super soft and fluffy! A combination of butter and oil gives them flavor while also keeping them soft and moist for days.

For more blueberry curd desserts, check out this blueberry lemon cake recipe.

📝 Key ingredients

Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.

Cupcake & frosting ingredients

• Blueberries: Frozen wild blueberries will give you the best results because they have a stronger flavor and less water content than regular blueberries. You could use fresh blueberries, but frozen are more affordable and available all year round.
• All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
• Cream cheese: Brick style full fat cream cheese will give you the best cream cheese frosting ever.
• Oil & butter: A combination of butter and vegetable oil make the fluffiest cupcakes. The oil keeps them moist and light, and the butter gives them lots of richness and flavor.

Blueberry curd ingredients

The blueberry curd filling is optional but adds so much rich blueberry flavor! It's very easy to make as well. I have a separate recipe post for blueberry curd which goes into more detail on how to make it.

• Whole eggs: Three whole eggs are used to thicken the curd.
• Wild blueberries: Fresh or frozen wild blueberries give the most amount of flavor. You can use regular blueberries if that's what you have but you won't get as vibrant of a color and flavor as you would with wild. And the result might not be as thick.
• Lemon: You will need a ¼ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, which is about 2 squeezed lemons.
• Unsalted butter: The butter makes this curd silky smooth and rich. For a dairy free version use dairy free butter. It might be too salty if you use salted butter so I don't recommend it.

👩‍🍳 How to make blueberry cupcakes

The process of making these blueberry cupcakes are divided into three steps: the blueberry curd filling, the blueberry batter, and the frosting/assembly.

Blueberry curd filling step by step

Step 1: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, eggs, salt, and whisk until smooth. Add lemon juice and blueberries, whisk to combine.

Heat on medium low heat, whisking frequently to prevent burning. Cook until simmering and thickened. It's ok if the blueberries don't break down and remain whole.

Step 2: Strain the blueberry curd through a sieve into a heat safe non-metal bowl, mashing the blueberries to release all the juice. Remove the seeds and skins.

Step 3: Add the cold and cubed butter into the strained hot curd. Whisk to melt the butter. Cover with a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap placed directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. 

Step 4: Refrigerate until chilled and thickened. Store up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Cupcakes step by step

Prep: Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Prepare a 12 hold regular sized cupcake tin by lining with muffin papers.

Step 1: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine softened butter, oil, and sugar. Beat together until lightened in color and creamy. 

Step 2: Add eggs, one by one, beating well in between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla extract and buttermilk, beat to combine. 

Step 3: Sift flour and baking powder into the bowl of wet ingredients. Fold the batter until no more dry streaks of flour remain. 

Step 4: Combine blueberries and 1 tablespoon of flour in a separate bowl. Mix well to coat the blueberries and add into the cupcake batter. Fold to combine. 

Step 5: Portion the batter evenly into the cupcake liners and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached. 

Step 6: Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting and filling.

Blueberry frosting step by step

Step 1: Add softened butter into a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat until creamy and lightened in color, about 8 minutes. Scrape down the bowl frequently. 

Step 2: Add salt and powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Scrape down the bowl and beat well with each addition for a super creamy frosting! Beat for an additional 5 minutes until very light and fluffy. 

Step 3: Add cream cheese, piece by piece, into the frosting. Beat well to combine. The frosting will start to get even lighter. 

Step 4: Mash the defrosted blueberries with the back of a fork to break up the berries. Add them into the frosting along with all the juice and vanilla extract, beat well to combine. Transfer to a piping bag with a large open star tip. 

Step 5: Cut a circle out of the middle of each blueberry cupcake. Fill the cupcakes with cooled blueberry curd. Place the cut out piece of cupcake back on top to cover the curd.

Step 6: Pipe frosting on top and decorate the cupcakes with fresh blueberries (optional). 

🥄 Make ahead and storage

Store unfrosted blueberry cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. 

Filled and frosted cupcakes are best eaten the same day they're made but they will be ok in the fridge for up to 2 days.

The blueberry cream cheese frosting is best prepared and piped the same day you make it. However, the blueberry curd can be made up to a week ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

✔️ How to get a firm, pipeable cream cheese frosting

Cream cheese frosting has a tendency to get gloopy, but follow this recipe and these tips to prevent this from happening!

1. Use a good quality, full fat, brick style cream cheese frosting like Philadelphia cream cheese. Don't use low fat because it has a higher moisture content.
2. Use softened butter. When you put your finger on it, it should be soft enough that you can indent it but not too soft that it's super greasy and melted.
3. The cream cheese should be softened only for about 10 minutes. It shouldn't be too soft or the frosting will be gloopy.
4. Add pieces of cream cheese after beating the butter and sugar together. This prevents the cream cheese from releasing too much water.
5. Use frozen and defrosted wild blueberries for the frosting. They have the most amount of pigment with the least amount of water content.

This blueberry birthday cake is also frosted with blueberry cream cheese frosting.

❔ Why use frozen wild blueberries?

Wild blueberries are smaller and more flavorful than farmed blueberries. They pack more flavor and have more pigment - which is exactly what I want in these cupcakes! Furthermore, frozen wild blueberries are accessible all year round.

These blueberry cheesecake cookies and blueberry pop tarts are also made using wild blueberries.

❔ Can I use regular farmed blueberries?

Regular blueberries (fresh or frozen) will work in this blueberry cupcake recipe. Because they are larger - they don’t distribute as evenly throughout the cupcake batter. Also, you get stronger blueberry flavor from wild blueberries. 

If using fresh blueberries for the frosting, be sure to smash them with a tablespoon of granulated sugar so that they release all their beautiful juice.

📖 Recipe FAQs

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📖 Recipe

Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Mary

These blueberry cupcakes are soft and fluffy, studded with wild blueberries, filled with blueberry curd, and topped with the prettiest naturally colored and flavored blueberry cream cheese frosting! The frosting uses mashed defrosted wild blueberries mixed into it to give it that beautiful pastel purple color. They’re the perfect soft and fluffy cupcake filled with tons of blueberry flavor!  

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Shop Ingredients

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Chill Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Baking, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 573 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• ▢
  cupcake liners
• ▢
  cupcake tin

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Blueberry Curd

• ▢ ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ¼ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
• ▢ 1 cup blueberries frozen wild blueberries
• ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter cold and cubed

Cupcakes

• ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
• ▢ 1 ½ cup all purpose flour 180g
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 cup blueberries frozen wild blueberries (don’t defrost)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Frosting

• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 4 cups powdered sugar plus one cup extra, if needed
• ▢ 4 oz cream cheese full fat brick style, softened 10 minutes at room temperature
• ▢ ¼ cup blueberries frozen wild blueberries, defrosted
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ fresh blueberries for topping (optional)

Instructions

 

Blueberry Curd

• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, eggs, salt, and whisk until smooth. Add lemon juice and blueberries, whisk to combine. *Use a non-metal saucepan like a ceramic coated one to prevent the curd from having a metallic flavor if you prefer*
  ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 cup blueberries
• Heat on medium low heat, whisking frequently to prevent burning. Cook until simmering and thickened - it's ok if the blueberries don't break down completely.
• Strain the curd through a sieve into a heat safe non-metal bowl, mashing the blueberries to release all the juice. Remove the seeds and skins.
• Add the cold and cubed butter into the strained hot curd. Whisk to melt the butter. Cover with a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap placed directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
  ¼ cup unsalted butter
• Refrigerate until chilled and thickened. Store up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Prepare a 12 compartment regular sized cupcake tin by lining with muffin papers.
• In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine softened butter, oil, salt, and sugar. Beat together until lightened in color and creamy.
  ¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• Add eggs, one by one, beating well in between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla extract and buttermilk, beat to combine.
  2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ cup buttermilk
• Sift flour and baking powder into the bowl of wet ingredients. Fold the batter until no more dry streaks of flour remain.
  1 ½ cup all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Combine blueberries and 1 tablespoon of flour in a separate bowl. Mix well to coat the blueberries and add into the cupcake batter. Fold to combine.
  1 cup blueberries, 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• Portion the batter evenly into the cupcake liners and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached.
• Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting and filling.

Frosting & Assembly

• Add softened butter into a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat until creamy and lightened in color, about 8 minutes. Scrape down the bowl frequently.
  1 cup unsalted butter
• Add salt and powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Scrape down the bowl and beat well with each addition for a super creamy frosting! Beat for an additional 5 minutes until very light and fluffy.
  ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, 4 cups powdered sugar
• Add cream cheese, piece by piece, into the frosting. Beat well to combine. The frosting will start to get even lighter.
  4 oz cream cheese
• Mash the defrosted blueberries with the back of a fork to break up the berries. Add them into the frosting along with all the juice and vanilla extract, beat well to combine. Transfer to a piping bag with a large open star tip.
  ¼ cup blueberries, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Cut a circle out of the middle of each blueberry cupcake. Fill the cupcakes with cooled blueberry curd. Place the cut out piece of cupcake back on top to cover the curd.
• Pipe frosting on top and decorate the cupcakes with fresh blueberries (optional).
  fresh blueberries

Notes

Storage: Filled and frosted cupcakes are best eaten the same day they're made but they will be ok in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store unfrosted blueberry cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. 

Make Ahead: Blueberry curd can be made up to a week ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Cupcake Tips:

1. Have all ingredients at room temperature
2. Measure the flour with a scale. If using a measuring cup, fluff the flour with a spoon and gently scrape excess off the top without packing it in. 
3. Don't overmix the batter after the flour is added. 
4. Use an oven thermometer. 
5. Use full fat, brick style cream cheese for the frosting. 

 

 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 573kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 6gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 233mgPotassium: 118mgFiber: 1gSugar: 57gVitamin A: 845IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 1mg

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