Blackberry Lemonade Cupcakes- Cake Mix Hack!

Blackberry Lemonade Cupcakes start with a modified box mix and are topped with the most incredible fresh blackberry frosting. Quick. Easy. Delicious.

Looking for more fruity cupcakes? Try my Easy Lime Cupcakes!

This recipe was originally published Apr 30, 2013. It has since been updated with new photos and more helpful tips.

This lemon cupcake is my ALL-TIME favorite cupcake recipe. It is incredibly easy to make and produces light fluffy cakes packed with bold citrus flavor. The secret is pudding. It adds just enough lemon taste to the recipe and helps keep your ingredient list minimal. Seriously, if you make only one thing from this recipe. Let it be the cake. 

OR the blackberry buttercream. Holy dreamy. A homemade blackberry syrup, which takes less than 5 minutes to make, gives you the most delicious fruit flavor and color! You get a naturally pink dyed frosting that is oh-so pretty piped onto the cupcake! Top with a fresh berry and you have got yourself one party ready dessert!

Blackberry Syrup:

1. Combine all of the syrup ingredients in a medium sauce pan.
2. Bring to a boil, and continue to cook until slightly thickened. Cool briefly then transfer to a cheesecloth. Squeeze all of the juice into a container and transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Blackberry Frosting:

1. Cream together the butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment.
2. Slowly add in the blackberry sauce and whip until light and fluffy. Frost your cooled cupcakes.

Tips to make the BEST homemade cupcakes:

1. Be sure you use quality ingredients. 
2. It is so important that you use room temperature ingredients. This ensures even mixing and a perfect batter.
3. Do not over mix your batter. I like to keep my mixer on low/medium speed. This keeps the butter from overheating and the ingredients incorporate evenly.
4. Use a scoop for even cupcake sizes. This isn’t necessary but does make it super simple to keep your cupcakes even.

How do you make a boxed cake mix taste like it is from a bakery?

One of the ways to make a quick dessert is to use a cake mix. You can add ingredients, swap some out, and get so creative. The options are endless, but these are a few of our favorite ways to make a boxed cake mix taste like it is homemade:

1. Add an extra egg. We always use 3 or 4 eggs in a cake mix. It gives it a richer flavor that is AMAZING. Especially when it’s a chocolate cake.
2. Add a little sour cream to boost the flavor.
3. Stir in a pudding mix!
4. Substitute milk for water. This recipe is better with water, but most of the time this easy switch is enough to give it a great boost.
5. Ditch the canned frosting. Opt for a homemade version. All you need is butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or heavy cream.

Want a lighter lemon cake? Try this recipe for lemon basil cupcakes!

The BEST cupcake decorating tips and tricks:

1. Use a piping tip and bag to swirl the frosting on top of a cooled cupcake. My go-to tip is the Wilton 1M. It gives you that classic frosting swirl or soft rose look. 
2. Add fresh fruit as a garnish. Especially when you are making a fruit flavored cupcake! 
3. When in doubt, add sprinkles! Sprinkles come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Sprinkle a few on top of a freshly frosted cupcake for a beautiful finish. 
4. Don’t have a steady hand when it comes to piping frosting? Dollop a good spoonful on top of a cooled cupcake and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Easy to do and still looks beautiful.
5. These would look AMAZING topped with a candied lemon slice.

More Blackberry Recipes:

• Blackberry Mojito 
• Easy Blackberry Lemonade

More Lemon Recipes:

• 3 Ingredient Lemon Truffles
• The BEST Lemonade
• Perfect Lemon Bars
• Lemon Ricotta Cookies

More Cake Mix Hack Recipes:

• Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
• Strawberry Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
• Birthday Cake Pancakes

4.80 from 5 votes

Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting

Created by: Jesseca

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

24 Cupcakes

Blackberry Lemonade Cupcakes start with a modified box mix and are topped with the most incredible fresh blackberry frosting. Quick. Easy. Delicious.

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Cupcakes:

• ▢ 1 box 15.25 oz white cake mix
• ▢ 1 box 3.4 oz lemon pudding mix
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ 1/2 cup oil
• ▢ 3 large eggs

Blackberry Syrup:

• ▢ 2 cups fresh blackberries or frozen berries that have been thawed
• ▢ 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons lime juice

Blackberry Frosting:

• ▢ 2½ sticks 1-1/4 cup butter; softened
• ▢ 2½ cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup blackberry sauce

Instructions

Cupcakes:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
• 2. Add the cake mix and pudding mix into a mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients to combine.
• 3. Stir in the eggs, water, and oil until fully combined.
• 4. Fill the liners 1/2 full, and bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Blackberry Syrup:

• 1. Combine all of the syrup ingredients in a medium sauce pan.
• 2. Bring to a boil, and continue to cook until slightly thickened. Cool briefly then transfer to a cheesecloth. Squeeze all of the juice into a container and transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Blackberry Frosting:

• 1. Cream together the butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment. Slowly add in the blackberry sauce and whip until light and fluffy. Frost your cooled cupcakes.

Equipment

Scoop

Brown Cupcake Liners

Cupcake Pan

The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.

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