Vanilla Blackberry Cupcakes

With these beauties going bad by the minute, I needed to get them used and into something delicious.  Enter Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Blackberry filling topped with Blackberry Buttercream.  Personally, I think they turned out quite well for an experiment with different recipes, but neither my husband or my daughter will try them.  They are not chocolate, therefore they are not edible.

Does that look inedible to you?  

Okay, so here is what i did...

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix made per package instructions

1 tsp vanilla extract

seeds from 1 vanilla bean

Cook according to package directions.  Don't overcook, there is nothing worse.

Blackberry Filling

recipe adapted from Baked Perfection

4 containers fresh blackberries
3 tablespoons sugar
Juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of salt1/2

Place blackberries in a food processer and process until pureed. Squish the blackberry puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds, set aside.  In a large saucepan, combine the strained blackberries,  lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt. Heat and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Cool completely.  Refrigerate until ready to use. (This can be made several days in advance and any leftovers works well on toast, on pancakes, or mixed in plain Greek Yogurt.)

I think that I got nervous and added a little extra cornstarch, but it will thicken more as it cools, so don't panic.

Blackberry Buttercream

recipe adapted from Your Cup of Cake

1 cup butter, soften to room temperature

1/2 cup blackberry filling (the stuff we just made)

3-4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream the butter, then add the filling and vanilla and cream together.  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time.  It's really important that you beat buttercream frosting a lot.  If you don't you can still taste the powdered sugar in it.  You want it smooth and creamy and the powdered sugar totally melded into the butter.  Add more filling if you want a stronger flavor and add a little milk to get to the desired consistency.  Don't thin it too much if  you are planning on frosting it with a piping tip.  You want it to be able to hold its shape.

Make a hole in the top of your cupcake.  Fill a piping bag or ziplock bag with the blackberry filling and fill the cupcakes.  Then pipe the buttercream on top.

I took them to my official taste testers, and they loved them.

          "Divine...Your frosting is to die for."

I took them to work and they were a definite hit.  

If only I could get my family to try them.  :)