Finally, a post...and an Iron Cupcake

So it has been one crazy month. We've moved to LA, and I'm trying to get our apartment set up and find a job. And bake and keep up with this blog. All of which is difficult without internet. I don't get it until Friday! Argh! Anywho, I'm using Jacob's work computer to get this post done, so here goes. My submission to Iron Cupcake: Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes.

And here's how I did it.

Blueberry Cupcakes

adapted from Baking from My Home to Yours

1 pint blueberries

2 cups plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

2/3 cup sugar

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon plus more for garnish

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon lemon curd (recipe below)

scant 1/2 cup milk

1. Using your fingertips, toss the blueberries and 2 teaspoons of flour together in a small bowl just to coat the berries. In another bowl, whisk the rest of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. In a measuring cup with a spout, mix the milk and lemon curd.

2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, rub the zest into the sugar until incorporated and fragrant. Beat the butter in until light. Add the eggs one by one, mixing 1 minute after each. Add the vanilla and mix. Add the flour in three parts and the milk in two parts, alternating beginning with the flour. Gently stir in the berries.

3. Fill lined muffin tin 3/4 the way full and bake in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes, until golden on top.

Lemon Whipped Cream

from New Southern Cooking

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

Grated rind and strained juice of 3 lemons

3 eggs, beaten well

1 cup heavy cream (to be folded in to the lemon curd)

1. Place the sugar, butter, lemon rind and juice, and eggs in a heavy saucepan, and cook gently ove low heat until the mixture is thick but still falls easily from a spoon. (do this with a whisk) Do not boil or let the mixture separate. (I strain my curd so it's silky smooth, especially if I get a little bit of scrambled eggs in it) Refrigerate.

2. Whip the cream to stiff peaks. Fold half of the lemon curd into the cream and top the cupcakes.

There it is. Enjoy!

And here are the prizes:

Our June ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:
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!

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our 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/ .