Blueberry Pancake Cupcakes

It's been awhile since I've baked cupcakes.  I used to bake a new cupcake recipe monthly, but this year has been crazy to say the least.  Running after a toddler and carrying a little guy who is due in the Fall can have that effect on you I suppose.

I looked at my calendar a couple of weeks back and noticed it was one of my co-worker's birthdays today.  I asked her what flavor of cupcakes she typically likes and she mentioned fruit or chocolate.  With the abundance of fresh blueberries in our fridge from my in-laws backyard I decided to bake these Blueberry Pancake cupcakes.



This recipe includes a buttermilk cupcake batter that is infused with pure maple syrup.  The cupcakes are brushed with more maple syrup while they are still warm and once cooled they are topped with home made whipped cream and blueberry sauce.  These cupcakes taste just like blueberry pancakes and are the perfect excuse to justify eating them at breakfast.

Blueberry Pancake Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
14 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. buttermilk
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, plus more for brushing
1 3/4 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

For the frosting:
2 cups heavy cream
6 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar

To finish:
Fresh blueberry sauce
Pure maple syrup

Directions

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk to blend, then set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugars.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Blend in the vanilla.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and maple syrup and whisk to blend.

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition only until just incorporated.  Gently fold in the blueberries with a spatula.  Divide the batter between the prepared liners, filling each about two thirds full (I used a 2.25 inch ice cream scoop and it worked great).  Bake 18-20 minutes, or until cupcakes are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool briefly in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack.  Brush the still warm cupcakes lightly with additional maple syrup.  Let cool completely.

To frost the cupcakes, combine the cream and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-beat.  Transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag filled with a decorative tip.  Pipe a swirl of whipped cream on top of each cupcake.  Use the back of a spoon to scoop out a small dip in the whipped cream.  Fill each dip with a spoonful of blueberry sauce.  Drizzle with a small amount of additional maple syrup on top of the finished cupcakes.

Source: Annie's Eats