Blueberry Cupcakes

Blueberry cupcakes with a soft vanilla crumb, juicy blueberries, and a light, super flavorful blueberry frosting.

I make this blueberry cupcake recipe when I want something delicate and bakery-style, with real blueberry flavor in every bite.

I tested a few versions, and this one stays light and perfectly scented, with blueberries that don’t turn the batter heavy or soggy.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Soft and fluffy texture that stays moist (not dense).
• Big blueberry flavor from real berries, not just extract.
• Easy to customize: keep them simple, or add a filled center for a bakery finish.

Ingredients you need

• Butter: unsalted, room temperature, for a smooth and creamy batter.
• Granulated sugar: regular white sugar for a clean, balanced sweetness.
• Eggs: large, room temperature, for a light and fluffy texture.
• Buttermilk: adds moisture and tenderness (can be replaced with yogurt or sour cream).
• Flour: cake flour for a soft crumb, or all-purpose flour if needed.
• Baking powder: the only leavening agent for a proper rise.
• Vanilla extract: pure vanilla for flavor.
• Salt: enhances and balances sweetness.
• Blueberries: fresh or frozen (use frozen straight from the freezer, do not thaw).
• Mascarpone cheese: cold, for a rich but light frosting.
• Heavy cream: full-fat and cold, for a stable whipped texture.
• Powdered sugar: sweetens and smooths the frosting.

Tips for this recipe

• Use fresh or frozen blueberries: Frozen blueberries work well—use them straight from the freezer, without thawing, to avoid bleeding into the batter.
• Toss blueberries with flour: Lightly coat them before folding in to help distribute them evenly.
• Do not overmix: Stop mixing as soon as the flour is incorporated to keep the cupcakes light and fluffy.
• Strain the blueberry purée: A smooth purée makes a silky frosting, without skins or chunks.
• Cool completely before frosting: Warm cupcakes will melt the mascarpone frosting and ruin the texture.

How to make blueberry cupcakes

This blueberry cupcake recipe is easy to make and works with fresh or frozen blueberries.

This recipe is based on my classic vanilla cupcakes recipe, which I use as the base for many of my fruit cupcakes.

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and creamy.

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for about 3 minutes until smooth.

Fold in the flour mixture and buttermilk in batches using a spatula, mixing just until combined.

Gently fold in the blueberries coated in flour, without overmixing.

Fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full with the batter.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 15–17 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely on a wire rack before filling or frosting.

This filling uses my simple blueberry compote recipe, cooked until thick and flavorful.

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan: blueberries (fresh or frozen), sugar, and lemon juice.

Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until thick and jammy.

Cool completely before filling the cupcakes using a cupcake corer.

This topping is made using my blueberry frosting recipe, with mascarpone and real blueberry purée for a light, stable texture.

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl: cold mascarpone, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and blueberry purée.

Mix at medium-low speed for 2–3 minutes, until smooth, thick, and pipeable.

Pipe the blueberry frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and decorate with fresh blueberries or a little blueberry compote.

Chill for 30 minutes before serving to help the frosting set.

Storage

• Fridge: Store blueberry cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months, then thaw at room temperature and frost before serving.

Recipe Variations

• Lemon blueberry cupcakes: add lemon zest to the batter and use lemon frosting.
• Blueberry filled cupcakes: fill with blueberry jam or compote for a bakery-style center.
• Blueberry buttercream cupcakes: replace mascarpone frosting with vanilla buttercream.
• Mini blueberry cupcakes: bake as minis and reduce baking time.
• Simple blueberry cupcakes: skip the filling and frost lightly for an everyday version.

If you’re looking for a cake version instead, check out my blueberry cake recipe, made with a different batter but the same fresh blueberry flavor.

Recipe Questions

Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes. Use them straight from the freezer without thawing.

How do I keep blueberries from sinking?

Lightly coat them with flour before folding into the batter.

Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?

Yes. Bake the cupcakes one day ahead and frost before serving

More Cupcake Recipes

• Raspberry cupcakes
• Strawberry cream cupcakes
• Lemon curd mascarpone cupcakes

I hope you’ll love this recipe! If you try this recipe, feel free to leave a comment. It always helps. Happy baking!

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