Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • CAKE
  • 1.5 cups cake flour (plus 2 tablespoons for coating berries)
  • 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise)
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1 large egg white (at room temperature)
  • 2 tablespoons milk (at room temperature)
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream (at room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups fresh or frozen blackberries (use remaining berries to garnish cupcakes)
  • FROSTING
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 1 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar
  • 16 ounces (2 liquid cups) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon lime flavored instant gelatin (or any flavor of your choice)

Instruction

  • Heat oven to 350° F. Line cupcake wells with paper liners. Set aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Add butter to the bowl of an electric stand or hand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the bowl of the mixer with the butter (discard the pod, or reserve for another use). Beat at medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until creamy and light in color. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat for one more minute.
  • Add sugar to the butter mixture and mix for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Mix until incorporated.
  • Combine milk and sour cream with vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer. Use 2 tablespoons of flour to coat the blackberries, then gently fold them into the batter.
  • Divide batter between the prepared paper liners, filling each about 3/4 of the way full. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.