These fluffy white cupcakes havea blueberry preserve filling and are topped with Crème Fraîche Frosting, a slightly tangy take on traditional buttercream. Drizzle a bit of blueberry sauce on top for an added wow factor!
This recipe is an entry in the 2019 Bonne Maman Bakeoff and is not sponsored by Bonne Maman in any way.
I make no secret of my love for berries. They are, without a doubt, my favorite kind of fruit. And while I think strawberries win for eating by the pound (not kidding), blueberries are probably my preferred berry for baking. Although raspberries can give them a run for their money, for sure. Basically, I JUST LOVE ALL OF THEM.
The sad part of berry love is that their day in the sun (I’m punny, right?) is so short. Every year, I blink and the strawberries are gone. My raspberry bush gives one glorious harvest, and then I have to wait for another whole year. And here’s a great recipe for raspberry cupcakes if you want to try those!
And I have yet to feel like I’ve actually had a successful blueberry season–I’m always either too early or too late, which means I’m foraging through bushes while dripping sweat and swatting bugs.
But thank goodness for preserves, jams, and jellies, no? They save those fleeting summer flavors in a jar that we can enjoy all year long. And while I will never turn down the opportunity to top some toast with a good quality spread, one of my favorite things to do with them is fill cakes. Or in this case, cupcakes. I mean, why should layer cakes have all of the fun?
They really shouldn’t. So instead, we’re going to cut out the center of these cupcakes and give them the fruit filling treatment. I used Bonne Maman Wild Blueberry Preserves, and I really do love them. They have a true blueberry flavor, and the texture is just gorgeous-so smooth and light, with tiny wild blueberries spread thoughout. Truly so, so good.
Tips for Perfect Cupcakes
- This recipe is an updated version of this one. And while the measurements are all given by weight and volume, I highly recommend baking with weights. Your results will be much better, and far more consistent.
- If you are using tulip paper liners like I did here, rather than the standard pleated ones, you may end up with only 10 or 11 cupcakes. Just keep that in mind when dividing out the batter
- To be sure they are done, I recommend the toothpick test. Simply poke the center of a cupcake or two with a toothpick, and they are ready when only a few moist crumbs come out on it.
Notes on the Crème Fraîche Frosting
- This recipe is essentially an American Buttercream, but we’re replacing some of the butter with crème fraîche. Because it has a much higher liquid content than butter, you’ll end up with a softer frosting. Keep that in mind when working with it, if it starts to get too soft to pipe nicely, simply pop your piping bag in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes to let it firm up a bit.
- Before you drizzle the blueberry sauce over it, freeze the frosted cupcakesfor about 10 minutes. This prevents the frosting from melting under the topping.
- Store in the fridge, and bring to room temperature before serving. Cold cake tends to feel rather dry and dense when you eat it.
Blueberry Filled Cupcakes with Crème Fraîche Frosting
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 cupcakes 1x
Description
These fluffy white cupcakes are filled with blueberry preserves, then topped with a Crème Fraîche Frosting, a slightly tangy take on traditional buttercream. Drizzle a bit of blueberry sauce on top for an added wow factor!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (32 g) cornstarch
- 3/4 cup (150 g) white sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 6 Tbsp. (85 g) butter
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 cup (4 oz.) milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- Blueberry Preserves
For the Crème Fraîche Frosting:
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
- 3/4 cup Crème Fraîche
- 4 1/2–5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the Drizzle:
- 1/3 cup blueberry preserves
- 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp. water
Instructions
To Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350° and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all of the dry ingredients. Add the butter and, using the whisk attachment, beat until the mixture resembles soft sand and there are no large chunks of butter left. If the butter is very soft, the mixture may become a paste, which is fine.
Add the egg whites one at a time, and beat well after each addition. With the mixer running on low, slowly add in the milk and extracts until well incorporated. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat the batter for 2 minutes on medium speed.
Divide the batter between the 12 muffin tins, then bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when you tap them gently. Remove them and let cool completely before frosting.
To Make the Frosting:
In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and the creme fraiche with an electric hand mixer. It may look slightly curdled, but will smooth out. Add in the powdered sugar 1-2 cups at a time and mix it in on low speed to avoid and explosion of powdered sugar. Add until it reached a pipable consistency–it will still be soft.
Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and fill it with the frosting. Set aside (in the refrigerator if your kitchen is hot) until ready to pipe the frosting on.
To Make the Drizzle:
Place the blueberry preserves in a small saucepan. Mix the cornstarch into the water, then stir it into the preserves. Cook them over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture has bubbled and thickened. Set aside and let it cool.
To Assemble the Cupcakes:
Cut a circle in the top of the cupcakes, about an inch across and about 2/3 down into the cupcakes. Fill with about 2 tsp. of the blueberry preserves, then pipe the 2-3 swirls of the frosting over the top. Put the frosted cupcakes in the freezer for about 10 minutes, then drizzle some of the cooled topping over the top of each.
Store in the refrigerator until serving, then let come to room temperature.
Notes
- This recipe is an updated version of this one. And while the measurements are all given by weight and volume, I highly recommend baking with weights. Your results will be much better, and far more consistent.
- If you are using tulip paper liners, rather than the standard pleated ones, you may end up with only 10 or 11 cupcakes. Just keep that in mind when dividing out the batter
- To be sure they are done, I recommend the toothpick test. Simply poke the center of a cupcake or two with a toothpick, and they are ready when only a few moist crumbs come out on it.
- This recipe is essentially and American Buttercream, but we’re replacing some of the butter with crème fraîche. Because it has a much higher liquid content than butter, you’ll end up with a softer frosting. Keep that in mind when working with it, and if it starts to get to soft to pipe nicely, simply pop your piping bag in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes to let it firm up a bit.
- Before you drizzle the blueberry sauce over it, I recommend popping the frosted cupcakes into the freezer for about 10 minutes so that it doesn’t just melt.
- Store in the fridge, and bring to room temperature before serving. Cold cake tends to feel rather dry and dense when you eat it.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-23 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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Thursday 20th of February 2020
[…] Blueberry Creme Fraiche Cupcakes […]
Monika
Wednesday 5th of June 2019
Does the 6 Tbsp. (85 g) butter need to be straight from the fridge (i.e. cold) or at room temperature?
Rebecca Neidhart
Thursday 20th of June 2019
Hey Monika, Thanks for the question! It should be room temperature, but not at all oily.
Monika
Wednesday 5th of June 2019
I know I know I know that creme fraiche stands alone; however, it is very expensive. Could I use sour cream in the frosting instead? Thank you!
Rebecca Neidhart
Thursday 20th of June 2019
Yes! However, sour cream has a higher liquid content, so you may want to reduce the amount used