Triple Blueberry Cupcakes: Bakery-Style Perfection with Homemade Filling and Fluffy Buttercream
As a pastry chef with 8 years of experience, I dedicated countless mornings to filling display cases with an array of baked goods. My offerings often included moist blueberry scones, which were every bit as delightful as my crunchy-top blueberry muffins. And, of course, blueberry cupcakes were always part of the rotation. Yet, surprisingly, these cupcakes were never a top seller. Despite their appealing look, they consistently lacked the bold, intense blueberry flavor I desired and knew customers expected.
This culinary puzzle became my personal challenge: to craft a blueberry cupcake that truly burst with authentic blueberry taste. My solution? Go all in with a *triple* blueberry approach! This recipe features three distinct layers of blueberry goodness:
- Freeze-Dried Blueberry Powder: Infused directly into the cake batter, providing a natural purple hue and concentrated blueberry flavor.
- Sweet Homemade Blueberry Filling: A juicy, vibrant surprise baked right into the center of each cupcake.
- Luscious Blueberry Frosting: Swirled on top, made with real blueberry filling for an irresistible finish.
The result is a cupcake that is incredibly moist, wonderfully fluffy, and packed with bakery-quality flavor. Best of all, they’re surprisingly easy to make from scratch, ensuring a show-stopping dessert every single time.
If you’re as devoted to blueberries as I am, you’ll love my cinnamon rolls generously filled with homemade blueberry jam. Just like these incredible blueberry-filled cupcakes, they’re overflowing with fresh, vibrant blueberry flavor!
Why These Are The Best Triple Blueberry Cupcakes
What makes these blueberry cupcakes stand out from the rest? It’s the thoughtful combination of ingredients and techniques designed to maximize that irresistible blueberry flavor and achieve a perfectly moist and tender crumb:
The Triple Blueberry Difference
- Blueberry Powder Infusion: We don’t just add blueberries; we infuse their essence. Finely pulverized freeze-dried blueberries (or ready-made blueberry powder) are mixed directly into the cake batter. This provides a deep, natural blueberry flavor without adding excess moisture that can weigh down the cake. It also gives the cupcakes a beautiful, natural purple hue!
- Homemade Blueberry Jam Filling: The heart of these cupcakes is a vibrant, homemade blueberry jam. This ensures a burst of juicy, sweet-tart blueberry flavor with every bite. Making it from scratch allows you to control the sweetness and consistency, creating a truly superior experience compared to store-bought options.
- Blueberry Buttercream Frosting: To complete the triple threat, our frosting is also flavored with the homemade blueberry filling. This creates a cohesive flavor profile throughout the entire cupcake, from the tender cake to the creamy topping, ensuring a consistent and delicious blueberry experience.
Unbeatable Texture and Moisture
- European Butter: Unlike American butter, European butter boasts a higher fat content. This extra fat contributes significantly to a more tender, moist, and luxurious cupcake texture, mimicking the richness found in professional bakery creations. Using it at room temperature ensures it creams properly with the sugar.
- Sour Cream & Oil: The addition of sour cream adds a delightful tang and incredible moisture, resulting in an exceptionally tender crumb. Vegetable oil further enhances moisture without contributing additional fat flavor, keeping the cupcakes soft for longer.
- Cake Flour: This low-protein flour is key to achieving a light, airy, and super-tender cupcake. Its finer texture creates a delicate crumb that practically melts in your mouth.
Let’s Bake Them! Step-by-Step Guide to Perfect Blueberry Cupcakes
Creating these triple blueberry delights is a straightforward process, yielding truly impressive results. Here’s how we’ll bring them to life:
1
Make the juicy blueberry filling. This flavorful jam is the secret weapon for intensely blueberry-flavored cupcakes. Wild Maine blueberries are often my preferred choice due to their smaller size and concentrated flavor. However, regular frozen blueberries work beautifully too! If using regular blueberries, I recommend blending them after cooking to achieve a smoother consistency, as they don’t mash down as easily as wild blueberries. Cook until thickened, then set aside to cool completely.
2
Mix the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse sand. Start by whisking your dry ingredients (cake flour, sugar, blueberry powder, baking powder, and salt) together in a stand mixer. Then, gradually add in the cubed, room-temperature butter. For that distinctive bakery-style flavor and incredibly tender, moist texture, opt for a high-quality European butter like Kerrygold. It has a higher fat content than most American butters, which makes a noticeable difference in the final product. Mix until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture has a sandy, crumbly consistency.
3
Mix in the wet ingredients to form the cupcake batter. In a separate bowl, combine your wet ingredients: vegetable oil, room-temperature sour cream, whole milk, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually add this mixture to your dry ingredients, mixing just until everything is incorporated. It’s crucial to avoid overmixing, as this can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to dense, tough cupcakes. A few seconds of mixing, followed by a quick scrape of the bowl and a final gentle mix, is usually all it takes.
4
Bake the cupcakes in a paper-lined metal cupcake pan. Line your pan with paper liners and fill each one roughly 3/4 full with the beautiful purple batter. This ensures they have enough room to rise without overflowing. Bake in a preheated oven until the tops are lightly golden and spring back when gently touched. Once baked, let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
I always seem to have plenty of blueberries on hand, and if you do too, everyone loves it when I make my homemade toaster strudels with blueberry jam or moist lemon blueberry loaf! These are fantastic ways to enjoy more blueberry goodness.
5
Make the blueberry buttercream frosting. This light and fluffy frosting perfectly complements the rich cupcake base. Start by creaming room-temperature butter until smooth, then gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and airy. The magic happens when you incorporate a portion of your homemade blueberry filling, along with heavy cream and a pinch of salt. This gives the buttercream a beautiful natural purple color and a delicious, genuine blueberry flavor.
6
Core the center of the cupcakes and fill with the blueberry jam. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, it’s time for the delicious surprise center! You can use an apple corer or a small knife to carefully cut a cavity in the center of each cupcake. Then, using a spoon or a piping bag, fill these delicious pockets generously with your cooled homemade blueberry jam. This step is what truly makes these “filled” cupcakes shine!
7
Pipe a border of frosting around the cupcakes with a round piping tip. This step not only adds a decorative touch but also serves a practical purpose: it creates a well, allowing you to fill the center with even more of that delicious blueberry jam. This ensures a generous burst of fruit in every mouthful.
8
Top the center with more of the blueberry filling. After piping the frosting border, fill the open center with an additional dollop of blueberry jam. This creates a visually stunning and flavor-packed finish. For garnish, sprinkle with fresh blueberries for a pop of color and freshness, or use freeze-dried blueberries for an extra textural contrast and concentrated flavor. Or, if you’re like me and love all things blueberry, use both!
Essential Baking Tips for Perfect Triple Blueberry Cupcakes
Achieving bakery-quality cupcakes at home is easier than you think with these expert tips:
- Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: Ensure your butter, eggs, sour cream, and milk are all at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify properly, creating a smooth, well-combined batter that results in a light and even crumb. Cold ingredients can lead to a lumpy batter and a denser cupcake.
- Measure Your Flour Correctly: This is my #1 baking tip for consistent results! Never scoop your measuring cup directly into the flour container; this compacts the flour, leading to using too much. Instead, use the “spoon-and-level” method: fluff the flour in its container, then spoon it into your measuring cup until overflowing, and finally, level it off with a straight edge. For the absolute best and most accurate results, use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients.
- Do Not Overmix the Batter: Once you add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, chewy cupcakes rather than the tender, fluffy texture we’re aiming for. A few seconds on low speed, followed by a quick scrape of the bowl, is usually sufficient.
- Choose Quality Butter: Using a high-quality European butter (like Kerrygold) makes a significant difference. Its higher fat content contributes to a richer flavor and a more tender, moist crumb.
- Cool Cupcakes Completely: It’s tempting to frost warm cupcakes, but resist! Frosting on warm cupcakes will melt and slide off. Ensure your cupcakes are completely cooled to room temperature before coring and frosting. This might take up to an hour or more, depending on your kitchen’s temperature.
- Homemade vs. Store-Bought Blueberry Jam: While homemade jam is highly recommended for its superior flavor and freshness, you can use a high-quality store-bought blueberry jam in a pinch. Just ensure it’s not too watery; if it is, you might want to thicken it slightly with a cornstarch slurry over low heat.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
- Storage: Keep any leftover Triple Blueberry Cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For best freshness, you can also store them in the refrigerator, but bring them to room temperature before serving for optimal flavor and texture.
- Freezer: These cupcakes freeze wonderfully! You can freeze the fully assembled (filled and frosted) cupcakes in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks. To defrost, simply transfer them to the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can freeze the baked, unfrosted cupcakes for up to one month. Defrost them in the fridge, then decorate them fresh when you’re ready to serve.
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Triple Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Filling
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Ingredients
Blueberry Jam Filling
- 3 cups frozen blueberries
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Blueberry Cupcake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup finely pulverized freeze-dried blueberries, or blueberry powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Blueberry Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup blueberry filling, from recipe above
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
For the Blueberry Filling
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In a medium saucepan, combine the frozen blueberries, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla bean paste (or extract), and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries burst, release their juices, and the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and carefully transfer the hot berry mixture to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Pour the blended blueberry mixture back into the saucepan. In a small separate bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch to create a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the bubbling blueberry mixture in the pot. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes longer, or until the filling has thickened to a jam-like consistency. Scrape the hot blueberry filling into a heatproof bowl and set it aside to cool completely to room temperature. This step is crucial for both flavor and proper consistency when filling the cupcakes.3 cups (380 g) frozen blueberries, 3 tablespoons (40 g) granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons (26 g) brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the Cupcake Batter
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Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a standard 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners, ensuring they fit snugly. This preparation is essential before you start mixing the batter.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, whisk together the cake flour, granulated sugar, finely pulverized freeze-dried blueberries (or blueberry powder), baking powder, and fine sea salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds to ensure all dry ingredients are well combined. Add the cubed, room-temperature unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Continue mixing on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand, with no visible large pieces of butter. This process typically takes about 2-3 minutes, ensuring the butter is fully incorporated into the flour mixture for a tender crumb.1 1/2 cups (180 g) cake flour, 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (180 g) granulated sugar, 1/3 cup (37 g) finely pulverized freeze-dried blueberries, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 6 tablespoons (84 g) cubed unsalted butter
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In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, room-temperature sour cream, whole milk, eggs, and vanilla bean paste (or extract). Whisk well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and smooth. Ensure these wet ingredients are at room temperature for optimal emulsification with the butter mixture.1/3 cup (65 g) vegetable oil, 1/4 cup (56 g) sour cream, 1/2 cup (113 g) whole milk, 2 (110 g) eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
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With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix for only a few seconds, just until the ingredients start to come together. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is evenly incorporated, then continue mixing for a very short duration (10-15 seconds) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this will result in tough cupcakes.
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Using an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, evenly divide the cupcake batter among the prepared paper liners. Each liner should be roughly 3/4 full. This recipe yields enough batter for exactly 12 standard-sized cupcakes. Filling them consistently ensures even baking.
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Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Baking time may vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them. The cupcakes are ready when the tops are lightly golden and spring back when lightly touched in the center. A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out clean (ignoring the blueberry powder color). Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. After this initial cooling period, carefully remove each cupcake from the pan and allow them to finish cooling completely on the wire rack before moving on to frosting. This prevents them from getting soggy.
For the Frosting
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the room-temperature unsalted butter on medium speed until it is light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high and beat until fluffy. Reduce speed to low and mix in 1/4 cup of the cooled blueberry jam, room-temperature heavy cream, and a pinch of fine sea salt. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 1-2 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth, with a beautiful natural purple color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. The vanilla paste or extract can be added with the heavy cream for an extra layer of flavor.1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter, 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, 1/4 cup (56 g) blueberry filling, 3 tablespoons heavy cream, Pinch of fine sea salt
Assembly
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Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, place them back into the cooled cupcake pan for stability; it’s much easier to core them this way. Using an apple corer or a small paring knife, carefully cut out the center of each cupcake, creating a cavity for the filling. Transfer the cored cupcakes to a baking sheet or serving platter. Now, fill each core generously with your remaining homemade blueberry filling. Next, transfer the blueberry buttercream frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. Pipe a beautiful border of frosting around the edge of each cupcake’s core. This not only looks elegant but also creates a perfect well to hold even more luscious blueberry jam. Fill the center of the frosting border with an additional dollop of blueberry filling. Finally, garnish the tops with fresh blueberries, freeze-dried blueberries, or a delightful combination of both for a stunning presentation and an extra pop of flavor. Serve immediately and enjoy these triple-blueberry delights!
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Notes
Notes on blueberry powder: I used a 1.5-ounce bag of freeze-dried blueberries, pulverized them in a food processor until it was a fine powder, then measured out the 1/3 cup. If you have blueberry powder, that’s even easier!
Notes on blueberries: If you’re using wild Maine blueberries, there is no need to blend them unless you want to! Their smaller size and intense flavor are perfect as is. If using regular frozen blueberries for the jam, blending is recommended for a smoother consistency.
Storage: Keep leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For slightly longer storage, you can refrigerate them, but allow them to come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Freezer: Freeze the assembled cupcakes (filled and frosted) in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks. Let them defrost in the fridge overnight before serving. You can also freeze the baked, unfrosted cupcakes for up to one month, defrost them, and decorate them when ready!
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.