Twenty-seventeen, you guys. Woof. And the holidays. Woof Woof. This year was confusing, to say the least. I spent the first half chemically incapacitated, the second half wholly elated, and the whole lot of it at a loss for words as humanity continues its attempts at devolution.
But in this moment, I am stuffed to the gills with treats and sweets and roasted meats — and plenty of other fine examples of gluttony that don’t happen to rhyme. And I am pushing cupcakes on you at the very last minute, begging you to make them happen in your own kitchen because I can imagine nothing better to accompany your NYE bubbly. Except for maybe a Walking Dead marathon, if your evening is looking to be as eventful as ours. We plan to let the kiddo stay up for the East Coast New Years (does that make us, like, so lame? she’s 2 — tacking on those extra hours between 9 and the ball drop would be more punishment than privilege, right?), and then Chris and I will likely cap the evening nodding off to ye olde zombie grunts with the crumbs of these cupcakes fresh on our fingers. Everyone’s got their own definition of romance.
I’ve said it time and again: a baker I am not. But Serious Eats is one aptly named website, and the folks there more than make up for my naiveté. So when Chris’ birthday rolled around last week, and Lana dictated that we should serve “purple cupcakes” (while the brick of almost-forgotten cream cheese in my butter drawer dictated that we should serve, um, something cream…cheesy?) I was too happy to find the recipe for these Vanilla Cream Cheese Cupcakes (a originally printed in Fruitful, by Brian Nicholson and Sarah Huck) — complete with a plenty purple enough blackberry frosting. And they are so, so good. Ridiculously fragrant from a full quarter cup of vanilla, with an almost cheesecake-like richness and a crackly, sugary top that doesn’t need the buttercream, but, oh, is it delicious.
The original recipe makes an approximate butt-ton of cupcakes, many more than the estimated 24 it reports. In fact, I baked up 24 regular cupcakes and another 24 minis from a single recipe, and I did it all in the Wolf Gourmet Countertop Oven that Wolf Gourmet sent our way just before the holiday. To be honest, we’ve been using this little oven more than we’ve been using the big one (crispiest dino nuggets ever!! I have less shame in saying that than I should), and it heats evenly and quickly, is super energy efficient and even has a cool little “proof” setting for all the bread my clumsy baking ass will never bake. We evicted our microwave in light of its arrival and haven’t regretted it once.
And just in time to rock your New Year, I get to give a Wolf Gourmet Countertop Oven to one of you! To enter to win, comment below with the knob color you’d choose if selected. Comment on this Instagram post for a bonus entry – yay! I’ll choose a winner by random on Thursday, 1/4 at midnight PDT, and the prize will be sent to a US shipping address only (sorry international peeps).
Here’s to a sweet, joyous New Year, friends. Full hearts and bellies. And a 2018 that impresses with its relative normalcy.
xo, and good luck!
Em
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tsps baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Mexican vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup avocado oil (or other light cooking oil)
- ½ cup whole milk
- one recipe Blackberry Lemon Buttercream (below)
- fresh berries, for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cupcake batter as outlined here.
- Pour batter into lined muffin tins. For full-size muffins, bake 20-25 mins, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. For mini muffins, bake for 12-15 mins.
- Let cool completely before frosting with prepared buttercream and garnishing with fresh berries. Enjoy!
- ½ cup ripe blackberries, plus extra for garnish
- zest of one large lemon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
- 4 cups confectioner's sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons whole milk, or more as needed
- Assemble buttercream following the steps as outlined here, subbing blackberries for the black raspberries (but of course use black raspberries, if you have them!) and erring on the side of more lemon zest, when in doubt.
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OH! before you go…
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34 Comments on “Vanilla Cream Cheese Cupcakes with Blackberry Lemon Buttercream + a Giveaway!”
This looks delicious. I love desserts with fruit .
Oops forgot to add that I’d like the red knob. 🙂
I would choose stainless steel for a classic look!
i like the silver knob!
I would of course have to pick the red knobs! Those ovens are so gorgeous! And your cupcakes look insanely good – MUST try!
I like the red knobs!
The butter cream sounds marvelous! I’d go with the brushed stainless knob.
Yummmm! Also they look so cute. Grey or red would look perfect in our new digs ????
I love the classic red knobs that just scream Wolf!
The opportunity to own this amazing piece if equipment has me flabbergasted! I mean, really, I might get to have this in my very own kitchen? Wow, just, WOW!!!
This has been one crazy year. I’ve tried to not let all the events out there get me down or worry me, but, man, they just keep on coming. Between what goes on in our government and the crazy natural disasters, 2018 has to be better, right? One can hope.
As for baking, it’s really not that hard, you just need to be sure to follow trusted well written recipes, and in no time you’ll be a pro! A very helpful website is King Arthur Flour, it’s a great place to find recipes, and they have a hotline to help, another is Smitten Kitchen, Deb has never failed me. One of the most helpful things I can say, when it comes to baking is to get a scale and weight your ingredients. It’s amazing the difference. Especially for flour, which may be why you ended up with so many cupcakes. When scooping flour in a measuring cup, the difference in amount can be almost double! Scales are not expensive. They are easy to use. You also save on dishes, because you can measure everything into one bowl!
Now I’ve babbled on long enough!
Happy New Year!
And thanks again for the chance????
I’d choose the brushed stainless knob!
I’m all about dat red knob. 🙂
Looks festive and simple with just the fruit on top! I’d love the red knobs!
Those red knobs are fun!! And I can’t wait to try these cupcakes. It’s ahoit time I got back into baking.
You had me at “almost cheesecake-like richness”. Red knobs all the way.
Convo with the hubs:
Me: this recipe sounds amazing *literally just read the cupcake name*
Hubby: sounds complicated
Me: well, yeah, but it still sounds good
Hubby: I don’t understand, there’s cream and fruit and vanilla?
Me: yeah, in the frosting
*conversation continues like this for like a year*
Me: well someday I’ll make it and it’ll be amazing
Hubby: *rolls eyes* sure, whatever
And this is why we can’t eat nice things, lol!
The recipe looks amazeballs Em and someday I will make it!
Stainless steel ????
Yummmm. This recipe sounds dangerous! In the best way possible. Like if I make the cupcakes we’ll eat them all. ????
Also, Red knobs all the way! I’m all about the flashy appliances. ????
I vote for the stainless knob!
These cupcakes sound divine! They are on my list to bake asap. I’d choose the brushed stainless knobs if I won!
like the black knob
Stainless steel knob!
I’d go with the black knobs
there isn’t enough color in my kitchen, so id go with red. 🙂
Red knobs to add some pizzazz to our kitchen, matching the pizzazz of your delicious treats!
Silver knob for sure. And your NYE sounds so decent since I’ll likely be passed out with Benjamin before even trying to consume treats!
I like the stainless steel knob the best
I would choose red. Love color in the kitchen!
Looks so tasty! I like the red knob ovens thanks!
Brushed silver for Jamie. 😉
Oh my goodness. These have me dreaming of spring. I’d prefer the Brushed Stainless Knob.
Yum, those look delicious! Wow on the quarter cup of vanilla!! I would stick to the classic stainless 🙂
I’d have to go with the stainless knobs!
wishing you and your family all the best in the new year. If I win I pick the red knobs.
I like the black knob. What a great giveaway!
Mmm cupcakes! My fav. This ones going in my recipe pile!! And as for the wolf.. brushed stainless ????????????