Grace Kelly Cupcakes

source: Fine Cooking
prepared by: Andrea
serves: 20

My mom frequently forwards me her Fine Cooking newsletter - the holiday editions are my favorite.  Some of our beloved recipes have originated from this newsletter including beer chicken which David posted in May 2010.  This year was no exception - once I saw the recipe for Lemon-blueberry buttermilk cupcakes, I knew they would be perfect for our annual 4th of July BBQ.  The author, Evan Barbour, fondly refers to them as "the Grace Kelly of cupcakes" which is what we've been calling them.  They were the perfect treat for a 100 degree Houston summer night - not too heavy.  The icing was a bit runny - but I attribute the cause primarily to the heat.  David put the dish cloth underneath to catch any drips, I thought it looked tacky but he thoughtfully chose a red one with stars (from Grandma) to match the patriotic theme. 


Link to the blog with the original recipe post 
http://chocolateandchaturangas.com/

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups bleached flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Zest of 3 lemons
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 tbsp. flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put paper cupcake liners in a 12-cup muffin pan. Toss the blueberries with 1 tbsp. flour. Beat the butter, lemon zest, and sugar for 5 minutes at medium speed until light and fluffy (be sure to do the entire 5 minutes – this makes a big difference!). Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping bowl and beaters between each to incorporate.

Sift flour with the baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add a quarter of the flour mixture to the butter-egg mixture. Then add vanilla and a third of the buttermilk. Repeat, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping well after each addition. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Pour batter into prepared muffin pans. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool pans on a rack for 5 minutes. Turn cakes out and cool completely.

for the icing

8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 stick softened butter
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/3 cup honey
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Large pinch of salt

In a mixer or a large bowl, combine the ingredients until completely smooth. It will be a bit runny, but that’s how it’s supposed to look (I prefer my icing creamy and on the runny side; add more confectioner’s sugar or less honey/lemon juice if you beg to differ).

Ice the cooled cupcakes and top each with the prettiest blueberries you can find.