Vanilla Cake with Blueberry Filling and Lemon Buttercream!

These cupcakes were one of my very first times actually baking from scratch and I have to admit, despite not liking blueberry all that much, it was pretty good! It's a vanilla cake with a blueberry filling and a lemon buttercream!! So let's get started!

Filling:

• 2 cups frozen unsweetened blueberries (you could use fresh if you prefer)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cake:

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 2 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk (it doesn't matter the fat content I used whole milk though)

Buttercream:

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks softened NOT melted)
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• zest of a lemon
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh because you may as well use the lemon you just zested)

1. You will want to start by finding a medium sauce pan with edges high enough to boil the blueberries for the filling (frying pans will not work...trust me). Then start the blueberries over medium heat and let them simmer until the juices start to boil out. Remember to stir occasionally to avoid burning any of them.
2. Add the sugar and cornstarch. This will act as a thickening agent as well as the sugar sweetening the mixture. Let that go for a little until it's thickened to the consistancy of pudding. If it's too thick you can add water to it but only a little at a time; you can always add more but you can't remove it. Once it's to your liking put it aside until you bake and cool the cupcakes.
3. Next set the oven to 350 degrees. Sift into a bowl the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Combine in a mixer (stand mixer or hand whichever you prefer) the butter and granulated sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, it will take you anywhere from 3-5 minutes. 
4. Add the eggs and vanilla to the mixture and make sure they are well combined! Scrape the bottom and make sure all that wonderfulness is combined! 
5. So all you have left is to mix in the dry ingredients and milk to the butter and sugar mixture. BUT before you do that, you have to mix in 1/3rd dry then half the milk then 1/3rd dry then the rest of the milk and rest of the dry, making sure each time  it is well combined!  There is nothing worse that getting to the bottom of the bowl when you are filling the cupcake wrappers and finding a huge chunk of butter or egg. They won't bake correctly, taste or look right either. Let them bake 18-20 minutes and check it with a tooth pick to make sure it comes out clean.
6. While they cook you can make the buttercream. With a mixer blend the butter, powdered sugar, lemon zest and juice until its light and fluffy. With this is very highly recommend not using a whisk or spoon but a blender because it is a lot of blending to get the butter and sugar mixture fluffy like it needs to be and combined well (lets face it no one likes to bite into a chunk of butter). Add the whipping cream a little at a time until you get it to the consistency that you want. That depends on if you are just spreading it on the cupcake of piping it on. Piping it you want it still firm but loose enough to squeeze through the piping tip. 
7. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled (you can always put them in the freezer to hurry the process if you are like me and lack proper time management but only for 5-8 minutes). Take a small spoon and knife and cut a small hole in the top of the cupcake halfway through the cupcake. Make sure you don't go all the way down or hit the sides of the wrapper, that will result in a messy cupcake. Here you have options now. I saved the top from the cupcake to put it back on once the filling was in, but it's totally up to you if you want to save it or not. Add a tablespoon to a tablespoon and a half of filling to each cupcake. Then you can go ahead and add the buttercream and enjoy the awesomeness that is your own creation!!

See not so bad right! I hope you enjoyed making these for your loved ones as much as I enjoyed sharing them!