Description
These rich and moist Chocolate Blackberry Cupcakes combine classic chocolate flavor with a vibrant blackberry twist. Topped with a creamy blackberry-infused buttercream frosting and garnished with fresh blackberries and thyme, these cupcakes are perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup hot water
Blackberry Syrup
- 1 cup blackberries
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Blackberry Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup blackberry syrup (from blackberries and lemon juice)
Garnish (optional)
- 12 blackberries
- Fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until fully combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and mix until just combined. Gently stir in the hot water until the batter is smooth and fully combined.
- Fill Cupcake Liners and Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the lined cupcake cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Blackberry Syrup: In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, combine blackberries and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes until the blackberries soften. Mash gently with a fork to release juices, then strain the mixture, reserving the liquid and discarding the solids.
- Make Buttercream Base: Place softened butter, vanilla extract, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a wire whisk. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes until pale and creamy.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add the powdered sugar in two batches, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Incorporate Blackberry Syrup: Add ¼ cup of the strained blackberry liquid to the frosting. Beat beginning on medium speed and increase to high speed until the buttercream is fluffy and smooth.
- Pipe and Garnish: Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag with your preferred tip and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes. Optionally, garnish each cupcake with a fresh blackberry and a small sprig of thyme before serving.
Notes
- Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting.
- Straining the blackberry mixture ensures a smooth frosting without seeds.
- Fresh thyme adds a subtle herbal note that pairs beautifully with blackberries, but can be omitted if preferred.
- Leftover blackberry syrup can be used as a drizzle on the cupcakes or in drinks.
- Storage: Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
