Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

What is it with guys thinking that everyday run-of-the-mill activities are appropriate for picking up chicks? I seriously don't get it. If we're at the supermarket and you work at the meat counter where we go for our chicken and beef...no, we're probably not coming to you every other day because we like you, we just want our meat (no pun intended). If we're at an employment agency and you happen to be in our elevator or, even worse, next to us at the same table...no, we aren't looking to give up our number, we just didn't want to sit on some lady's lap to avoid you. I'm not saying these things are a daily or even weekly occurrence, but when they do happen it kinda makes you feel anxious to get up and bolt in the other direction rather than explaining in front of the ten people waiting behind you that no, in fact, you don't want to go on a date, you just want your veal shanks.

For the record, I don't want to imply that I would ever or have ever bought veal shanks, that was someone else. I'm more into baking cupcakes than veal shanks, and if left to my own devices I probably wouldn't even know what to do with a veal shank (oso buco?). These are hopefully my final baked food that doesn't involve maple syrup, brown sugar, pumpkin, or apples for a loooong time. Fall is almost here!!! I like summer just as much as anyone else, but I'm over capris and tank tops for now. These cupcakes are brushed with a tart lemon syrup before getting frosted with a creamy blueberry cream cheese frosting. They are out of this world and you should go get your Target or Trader Joe's on right now if you need to buy some freeze-dried blueberries for the frosting.

Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes 

yield: 10 cupcakes -or- 24 mini cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
For the lemon poppy seed cupcakes and glaze:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
6 tbsp whole milk
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 tbsp poppy seeds

For the blueberry cream cheese frosting:
6 ounces cream cheese, chilled
3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp
1 tbsp blueberry preserves
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup pulverized freeze-dried blueberries
pinch cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 10 cups of a 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups or a 24-cup mini-muffin tin with baking cups. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt into a bowl. Stir together milk and 2 tbsp lemon juice.

Beat butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon zest with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs until fully incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Beat in poppy seeds.

Divide batter among muffin tins (filling each cup two-thirds full). Bake until golden around the edges, 18 to 20 minutes for regular cupcakes and 12-15 minutes for mini-cupcakes.

Meanwhile, bring remaining 2 tbsp lemon juice and remaining 2 tbps sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Let stand until ready to use.

Brush warm cupcakes with half the lemon juice mixture. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack, and let cool for 30 minutes. Brush cupcakes again with remaining orange juice mixture, and let cool completely.

To make the frosting: in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and preserves on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.

Add in the salt, powdered sugar, pulverized blueberries, and cinnamon and beat on low speed until incorporated. Flip the mixer to high speed and beat until light and fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes.

SOURCE
cake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart website.