If a cupcake has fruit in it, can it be considered healthy? Fruit is good for you, right? And so is dark chocolate so I vote healthy. Then again, I may be biased. This recipe from Love Bug Blog has lots of blueberry flavor in the filling and the blueberry buttercream frosting. Think chocolate covered blueberries. Yes, I know you want some now.
Chocolate Chunk Blueberry Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1) Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pans with 16 paper liners.
3) Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
4) In the bowl of stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk and allow to incorporate for 30 seconds.
5) Pour in the flour mixture and beat on medium until almost incorporated. Gently fold in the chocolate chunks by hand. Divide the batter evenly among the paper liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
6) Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake near the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove cupcakes from the muffin tin to cool completely on a wire rack.
Blueberry Filling
1 heaping cup blueberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1) While the cupcakes are baking, put the blueberries, water, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a large saucepan.
2) Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir. Reduce heat to medium and constantly stir until blueberries are cooked and mixture is thick. The entire process only took me a few minutes so keep an eye on your pot.
3) Remove from heat and let cool.
4) Reserve two tablespoons of filling for the frosting.
5) Using the cone method fill each cupcake cavity with blueberry filling. Do not replace the cones so that you can really pile that filling in there. I found snacking on the cake cutouts gave me the fortitude I needed to finish making the cupcakes.
4) Reserve two tablespoons of filling for the frosting.
5) Using the cone method fill each cupcake cavity with blueberry filling. Do not replace the cones so that you can really pile that filling in there. I found snacking on the cake cutouts gave me the fortitude I needed to finish making the cupcakes.
Chocolate Sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
dash of salt
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into 1/2 ounce pieces
1) Place the unsweetened chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Set aside.
2) Heat the heavy cream, sugar, butter, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil. Pour the boiling cream mixture over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Whisk vigorously until smooth.
3) Set aside while you make the frosting.
3) Set aside while you make the frosting.
Blueberry Buttercream
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2-2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons blueberry filling
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons blueberry filling
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1) Beat butter at medium speed until smooth. Add one cup of powdered sugar and beat on low until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.
2) Add vanilla, blueberry filling, and cream and beat on low until combined. Add additional powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments until desired consistency is reached. Increase speed to high and beat for two minutes.
3) Pipe onto cupcakes, fully covering blueberry filling. Generously drizzle chocolate sauce onto each cupcake, top with a fresh blueberry if desired, and enjoy!
