Summer Blackberries

Yay! My first entry for Iron Cupcake Earth.

The theme for this month was Summer Berries, I chose blackberries and to make my cupcake 100% summer I used lemon, orange and coconut too.

I still kinda clueless of when I'm suppose to publish the recipe and all, but since I just finished my cupcakes I rather publish the recipe right now than forget it later :P

Oh but before I post the recipe I want you to see the pictures (so you start feeling the urge to bake some haha):






Oh! and let me tell you I'm competing to win the following prizes:

• A sweet cupcake ID bracelet by INSANEJELLYFISH, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5021935
• A groovy linocut piece from BLOCKHEAD PRESS http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6108705
  
• a sweet surprise from Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Cupcakery, http://www.acupcakery.com/
  
• PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!

Here are the corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com; a t-shirt from UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .


Remember to vote starting June 28 to July 6!! :)


And now the recipe :)

Blackberry and Orange Filling

Ingredients

(Note: this recipe is to fill 24 cupcakes)

1 pound of blackberries
2 tb of orange zest
2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup of water

Place the blackberries (slightly mashed) with the water, orange juice and zest in a heavy saucepan, let it boil for 1 minute. Then add the sugar and cook on medium heat until it starts to thicken (aprox 20 min). Remove from heat, let cool and refrigerate if you are not using it right away.


Classic Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

Source: http://www.creativeconfectioneryblog.com/2009/01/classic-vanilla-cupcake.html

Makes 24 cupcakes

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla, or add another flavor
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place papers in 2 (12 cup) cupcake pans.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In your mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until thickened and lightened to a cream color, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended. Mix in the sour cream. Mix in the flour mixture until it's incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Pour into prepared cups, put one teaspoon of the filling on top of each cupcake and bake 23 minute. Remove from oven and let sit in pan for 10 minutes.


Frosting

Ingredients

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tbs orange zest
3 tbs dry shredded coconut

Sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in the condensed milk, butter, and lemon juice to make a smooth icing. Add the coconut extract. In a small container mix the orange zest and the coconut. Cover the cupcakes with the frosting and sprinkle it with the orange and coconut.

Enjoy!! :)