Blueberry and Vanilla Cupcakes

Using whole and crushed blueberries is a nice combination as the whole ones pop in the baking and make little pockets of fruit in the cake, whereas the crushed ones make the cakes all blue and beautifully scented.

Cake Ingredients (makes 12 - 18)

375g (13oz) plain flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened

200g (7oz) caster sugar

2 eggs

240ml (8 fl oz) milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g fresh blueberries

Frosting Ingredients

250g butter

500g icing sugar

75ml milk

50g fresh blueberries

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Combine the flour, baking powder and salt together and put to one side.

2. Line a deep cake tin with 12 cupcake cases.

3. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric beater until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour mixture a little at a time alternately with the milk and vanilla.

4. Using a fork crush half of the blueberries and then fold the crushed and whole blueberries into the cake batter. I save a small handful to decorate the cakes but this is optional!

5. Fill the cake cases about one half to two-thirds full, I filled mine half full and it made 24 cupcakes.  Cook for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of a cake. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool.

6. To make the frosting place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add half of the icing sugar and then the milk and vanilla. Mix these ingredients with an electric beater and when combined add the rest of the icing sugar. Then add the blueberries and mix until they break and make the frosting all purple! If it’s a bit too runny or too stiff just add more milk or icing sugar until you get the consistency you like best.

7. Decorate the cooled cakes with the frosting and decorate with blueberries or whatever else you fancy.