Tender Lemon Cupcakes filled with a delicious creamy blackberry filling and topped with cream cheese frosting. The whole thing is decorated with a candy heart. They make an impressive display for any occasion.
You know how people say they are dog people or cat people, and you rarely have bipartisan pet people? Well, I think the same goes for cake or pie. I’ve probably eaten my body weight in pies and cakes over the years, but consider myself more of a pie person than a cake person. I think the reason for that is some cakes are dry and have just an o.k. flavor. That was until these Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Filling!
Over Halloween, our neighbors were having a bonfire after the kiddos finished trick or treating. I wanted to make something that both kids and adults would like, and be easy to eat. I made some little Bundlettes last Christmas that were delicious, so thought about making those into cupcakes. They are made using a cake mix, and quick and easy was what I was looking for. I wasn’t quite in the chocolate mood (a rarity), so decided on lemon. We love lemon with a raspberry filling. Who wouldn’t like that?
Long story short, I couldn’t find the ingredients for the raspberry filling, so thought I’d experiment with blackberry. These cupcakes are so moist, and the blackberry flavor really comes through in the creamy filling. Doesn’t the lavender color of the filling make a pretty contrast to the lemon cake? I frosted each one with cream cheese icing and topped them with a lavender heart.
Don’t have time to make them now? Pin it for later!
Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Filling
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 lemon cake mix
- 1 instant lemon pudding
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Filling
- 6 oz unsalted butter 1-1/2 sticks, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup seedless blackberry jelly I use Polaner all fruit blackberry spread
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Cream Cheese Icing
- 16 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 lbs powdered sugar sifted
Candy Hearts
- White Candy melts
- Purple food coloring
- Decorator sugar
- Paper heart template optional
Instructions
Candy Hearts
- Fill a pastry bag 2/3 full with candy melts and a drop of food coloring. Melt candy melts in the microwave for 15-second intervals, squeezing to mix after each interval. If using, place the heart template under a piece of wax paper, pipe hearts. Sprinkle immediately with sugar and allow it to set.
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prep a cupcake pan with grease or cupcake liners.
- Combine all of the ingredients together and mix until just combined. Fill 2/3 full.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes turning halfway through baking. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. The cake is best if you cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before filling, frosting and serving.
Filling
- Place butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high until creamy (3 to 5 minutes). Add fruit spread and beat until combined. Turn the mixer down to low and add the confectioners' sugar.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, blend the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth.
Assembly
- Remove a plug of cake from the top of the cupcakes using a cupcake corer or apple corer. Fill a pastry bag with the blackberry filling. Snip the end of the bag with scissors and gently squeeze filling into each cupcake. If you don't have a corer, you can top the pastry bag with a medium size decorating tip. Insert the tip through the bottom of the cupcake liner and squeeze to fill. Don't overfill or you will bust your cupcake.
- Fill a pastry bag that has been fitted with a large icing tip. Starting from the outer edge, squeeze frosting in a circular motion. Ease up on pressure and pull up to get point.
- Top with candy heart or other embellishments if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Heavens people! I’ve made these cupcakes twice now, and they are converting me into a cake person. I’ve made them into cupcakes and the little Bundtlettes. Cupcakes or Bundtlettes wouldn’t they be just perfect for a wedding shower, birthday or about any occasion? They are already becoming a regular in my house.
Here are a few more recipes that are convincing me that I’m a cake person!
Super Special Spice Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
Raspberry Chocolate Pound Cake
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Mike
Tuesday 26th of May 2020
Blackberries are one of my favorite flavors. It goes great with cakes.
Saucy Saturdays #23 - La Petit Chef
Tuesday 23rd of February 2016
[…] Lemon cupcakes with blackberry filling by Julie from […]
Rachel
Sunday 20th of December 2015
These sound absolutely wonderful! I must keep these in mind for spring time :)
Julie Menghini
Sunday 20th of December 2015
Thanks Rachel. I do love this combo. It would be great for spring.
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