Blackberry Cupcakes ~ Seasonal Stuff :-)

It's well worth making the effort to use in season ingredients because...... 1) Superior taste 2) It's cheap/free 3) Doing your bit for the environment.


I love blackberry picking and in my time I've come up with ~ via trial and very painful error ~ the blackberry picking do/don't list.

1. Do wear welly-boots come rain or shine, you will have to stamp down the bush and other things to get to the fruit in the middle.
2. Do take sealable pots.
3. Do take a sturdy bag.
4. Definitely do take the kids!! They will sleep for a week ~ never a bad thing :-)
5. Do watch out for thorns.
6. Do watch out for Stinging Nettles, they also love blackberry bushes!
7. Don't wear baggy clothes, unless you want to be cut out of the bush by firemen.
8. Don't tug on the fruit that doesn't come loose, leave it.

However, me being me, I went today with a baggy cardigan and got stuck about five times and got stabbed and stung more times than I can remember ~ Stupid idiot comes to mind! It was worth it though.

Here's how I made these black beauties.......

Before you start take about 100g blackberries, place them in a saucepan and heat on medium until they bubble, turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 mins. Set adside to cool, then strain through a sieve, use the liquid in this recipe and store the pulp for another recipe (very nice on top of a fruit salad).

Sponge ~ makes 12
150g butter
150g caster sugar
150g self raising flour
2x large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup blackberry juice

• Preheat oven to 180/gas mark 4.
• Line muffin tin with cupcake cases.
• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the first is fully incorperated before adding the next.
• Add the vanilla.
• Fold in half the flour & baking powder by hand.
• Add blackberry juice and fold in.
• Fold in the rest of the flour & baking powder.
• Fill the cases no more than 2/3 full.
• Bake for 20-25 mins.
• When baked place on cooling rack to cool completely.

Blackberry Icing
100g butter
500g icing sugar
20ml blackberry juice

• Cream the butter until light in colour.
• Add the icing sugar 100g at a time and mix on low.
• Add the blackberry juice and mix until incorperated.
• Turn mixer/hand whisk to high and mix for 2-3 mins.

When the cupcakes are completely cooled frost as desired and pop on some whole blackberries.

Et Voila!

ENJOY!!!

xx Kat xx