Blackberry Cupcakes with blackberry cheesecake frosting

Blackberry Cupcakes with Blackberry Cheesecake frosting

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup blackberry puree (reserve about 1 tablespoon if you want to tint your icing)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Whisk together the milk, vanilla and blackberry puree. Add half of the dry ingredients to the electric mixer bowl and mix until just combined. Add the milk/blackberry mixer and continue to mix. Finally add the rest of the dry ingredients until just incorporated.

Divine the batter evenly into the cupcake pan and bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the blackberry puree:

Puree 6 oz blackberries together with 1 tbsp agave syrup and a splash of water. Strain and discard the seeds. This should make about 1/2 a cup but you may have to fiddle with it a bit.

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 c blackberry puree