Blueberry Almond Cupcakes with Blueberry Buttercream Frosting

These blueberry almond cupcakes were inspired by the blueberry almond custard that I made for Taste & Create. In fact, not only were the blueberry almond cupcakes inspired by the custard, but each cupcake contained a little custard surprise inside.

The blueberry almond cupcakes were a hit with all of my tasters. They loved that it was rich, that a strong blueberry flavor came through, and of course they loved the surprise inside. The only one who wasn't a big fan of these cupcakes was me. I think I didn't love them purely because of the buttercream frosting. I know that I don't like buttercream, but periodically I decide to give it another shot. "Maybe with blueberries I'll like it better," I think to myself. But, nope, it's still buttercream.

Before You Begin

Before you begin making the blueberry almond cupcakes, you'll need two things:

1. Blueberry almond custard (assuming you want to fill them, which I highly recommend). Check out my blueberry almond custard recipe.
2. Blueberry syrup. You'll need the syrup for both the cupcakes and frosting. Smash up 11oz of blueberries either by hand or in a food processor or blender. In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring the blueberries and 1/2 C sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
   

Blueberry Almond Cupcake Recipe

makes 16 cupcakes

• 1 C almond flour
• 1 C all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 3/4 C butter
• 2/3 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 C plain yogurt
  
• 2/3 C blueberry syrup

1. Whisk almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs and yogurt.
4. Alternately fold in the flour mixture and blueberry syrup in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
6. Bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. After cupcakes cool, using a small paring knife, cut a cone out of the cupcake, fill with custard, and replace the top.
   

Blueberry Buttercream Frosting

When I frosted the blueberry almond cupcakes, I used half blueberry buttercream and half plain vanilla buttercream to make the swirl that you see in the photo at the top of this post. You could also opt to make the frosting all blueberry buttercream.

• 3 C confectioners' sugar, sifted (add more until it reaches your preferred consistency)
• 1 C butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 3 T blueberry syrup (or 6 T if you want all blueberry instead of half)
  

1. Mix together sugar and butter until they are blended and creamy.
2. Add vanilla bean extract and milk and continue to beat for another minute. If desired, add more confectioners' sugar to make it stiffer.
3. Put half the frosting in a separate bowl and stir the blueberry syrup into it (or you can put the blueberry syrup in all of it if you prefer).
   
4. Line half of a piping bag with the blueberry frosting and half with the vanilla and pipe away!
5. For added fun, top each cupcake with some almond slivers, blueberries, and sprinkles.