The chocolate and blackberries in these chocolate blackberry cupcakes makes for the most incredible flavor combination. The cupcakes are not only moist and perfectly chocolatey, but also super easy to make with no stand mixer necessary.
The cupcakes are topped with a beautiful blackberry buttercream flavored with real blackberries. The flavor of the buttercream is so good, you’re going to want to use it on all of your cakes from now on!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Granulated sugar: The granulated sugar can be substituted with brown sugar, or a combination of half granulated sugar and half brown sugar.
Cocoa powder: Use a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder.
Baking soda: Not to be confused with baking powder.
Salt: The amount of salt added to both the cupcakes and buttercream can be altered to suit personal tastes, or alternatively omitted all together.
Milk: For best results use whole fat milk, however lower fat varieties could be used.
Oil: Use a mild flavored oil, such as vegetable, canola or mild olive oil. The oil could also be substituted with 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter.
Eggs: 2 large sized eggs were used in this recipe.
Vanilla extract: The vanilla extract can be substituted with vanilla essence.
Blackberries: Fresh blackberries were used in this recipe, however frozen blackberries could also be used.
Lemon juice: While fresh lemon juice was used in this recipe, bottled lemon juice can also be used.
Butter: Unsalted butter was used in the buttercream, however salted butter can instead be used. If using salted butter, consider reducing or omitting the added salt in the buttercream ingredients list.
Powdered sugar: Ordinary powdered sugar, or confectioners sugar, is used in the buttercream frosting.
Thyme sprigs: Fresh thyme sprigs were used to garnish the frosted cupcakes. These are completely optional, and can be omitted if preferred.
How To Make Chocolate Blackberry Cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
2. Add the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
3. Add the milk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract to another large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Add the hot water, and gently mix until well combined.
5. Divide the cake batter between the paper cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked though. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
6. Add the blackberries and lemon juice to a small saucepan over a low-medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, and continue simmering for 5 minutes or until the blackberries have softened. Mash gently with a fork to release their juices. Strain the blackberries, keeping the liquid and discarding the solids.
7. Add the softened butter, vanilla extract and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a high speed using a wire whisk attachment for 2 minutes, or until pale and creamy. Add the powdered sugar in 2 batches, and beat until well incorporated.
8. Add 1/4 cup of the blackberry liquid to the frosting mixture, and beat on a medium speed, increasing to a high speed, until well combined and the buttercream is fluffy.
9. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your preferred piping tip, and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.
10. Garnish each cupcake by pressing a blackberry and small sprig of thyme leaves into the buttercream before serving.
Storage:
Store these cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
These cupcakes are suitable for freezing. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Chocolate Blackberry Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12 cup muffin tin
- 12 Paper cupcake liners
- Small mesh strainer
- Stand mixer with wire whisk attachment or hand mixer
- Piping bag and piping tip
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup hot water
Blackberry Buttercream
- 1 cup blackberries
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 12 blackberries for garnishing (optional)
- Fresh thyme sprigs for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
- Add the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
- Add the milk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract to another large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Add the hot water, and gently mix until well combined.
- Divide the cake batter between the paper cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked though. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Add the blackberries and lemon juice to a small saucepan over a low-medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, and continue simmering for 5 minutes or until the blackberries have softened. Mash gently with a fork to release their juices. Strain the blackberries, keeping the liquid and discarding the solids.
- Add the softened butter, vanilla extract and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a high speed using a wire whisk attachment for 2 minutes, or until pale and creamy. Add the powdered sugar in 2 batches, and beat until well incorporated.
- Add 1/4 cup of the blackberry liquid to the frosting mixture, and beat on a medium speed, increasing to a high speed, until well combined and the buttercream is fluffy.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your preferred piping tip, and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.
- Garnish each cupcake by pressing a blackberry and small sprig of thyme leaves into the buttercream before serving.
Notes
- The blackberries in this recipe can be substituted with other varieties of berries.
- Take care to mix the hot water carefully into the cake batter to prevent burns.
- The cupcakes are cooked through if they bounce back when lightly touched in the center. Alternatively, insert a skewer or toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If the skewer or toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are cooked through.
- Straining the solids from the simmered blackberries results in a smoother buttercream.
- The buttercream can be spread onto the cooled cupcakes rather than piped, if preferred.
- The buttercream can be made using a large mixing bowl and set of handheld electric beaters in place of a stand mixer.
- If the buttercream is not thick enough, add a small amount of extra powdered sugar. If the buttercream is too thick, add a small amount of extra blackberry liquid.
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