A light and fluffy lemon cupcake that is completely bursting with fresh juicy blueberries. Filled with a homemade lemon white chocolate cream, all wrapped up as a delicious butterfly cake with the top placed back on top. This cake is such a simple, delicious and spring time bake.
I love butterfly cakes. They were the first cakes that I learnt to make and always remind me of Sunday afternoons were I would bake with my nan as a little girl. Making treats for the whole family to enjoy at the end of the weekend. Back then, we would either do a traditional buttercream inside the cake, or if it was a special occasion, or a if we were making an afternoon tea then we’d treat everyone to a fresh cream filling. This is my take on that traditional bake. A classic and simple cupcake, with the inside ‘scooped’ out and filled with a good helping of cream filling.
But this one is up levelled slightly. This time around, I made a lemon blueberry bake and filled it with my homemade white chocolate and lemon cream filling. This filling was originally made to be the inside of my homemade white chocolate and lemon truffles. But I had quite a bit leftover, so I decided to turn the leftovers into an icing. Although slightly more time consuming to make than a traditional cream or buttercream frosting, the extra time and work is completely worth it.
Blueberry
To start with, make the lemon white chocolate cream filling. Place the cream and butter into a saucepan and place over a medium heat until the butter starts to melt, making sure that this does not come to the boil as this could spoil the cream. Pour this mixture into a bowl over the rest of the white chocolate, adding lemon juice and zest. Giving everything a good stir until completely melted and mixed together. You need to wait for this to be fully cooled down before you can start to add the icing sugar.
This may seem a little bit backwards, however this is the most time efficient way to create this bake. Whilst the filling is cooling, start to bake the cakes so that the filling is cooled and ready to add the icing sugar once the cakes are cooled.
Whilst these are baking and cooling make a simple batch of cupcakes. I like to make a small batch as these cakes are best eaten fresh, due to the fresh cream filling. I used the all-in-one method here to make things even quicker and easier. Throw all of the cake ingredients into a bowl, except the blueberries and fresh lemon zest, and mix with an electric mixer until you have a nice smooth batter. Add the lemon zest and fresh blueberries in last and give a separate, light mix.
I would recommend using an unwaxed lemon for this bake. This will not only give a better flavour and texture to the finished cakes but also helps to add a little bit more moisture to the cakes as the natural oils in the lemons can help add flavour and moisture to the bake.
Blueberry
Once cooled and ready to mix, place the cream filling into a bowl and add the icing sugar. Using an electric mixer, slowly mix until everything is well combined. It’s best to do this on a low setting so that you can really control what is happening. As this has fresh cream in, it is very easy to overmix, which is something that you want to avoid. Once mixed, set aside and start to prepare your cakes.
Once the cakes are cooled, it’s time to assemble them. Start by cutting out a ‘well’ in the middle of the cake, placing the removed cake to the side as we’ll be using this later. Fill the inside of the cake with the lemon white chocolate cream filling. I normally add a heaped teaspoon, but you can add more or less, depending on your preference, don’t worry if it flows out onto the top of the cake – this is the look we’re going for.
This is where you’re going to use that extra bit of cake. For this, you can either leave it in a circular shape or cut it in half, creating butterfly wings. If leaving it in a circular shape you can simply place this on top of the lemon white chocolate cream icing. If cutting into butterfly’s, place one half on the side of the cake, repeating on the other side, creating a butterfly like appearance.
Top with a light dusting of icing sugar and you’ve just made the perfect spring time afternoon bake!
Ingredients
- CAKE:
- 2 oz / 60 g Self Raising Flour
- 2 oz / 60 g Butter
- 1 oz / 30 g Caster Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Milk
- 90 grams Fresh Blueberries
- Zest of 1/2 Unwaxed Lemon
- CREAM FILLING:
- 10 grams Unsalted Butter
- 50 grams Double Cream
- 12 grams White Chocolate
- Zest of 1/2 Lemon
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 3 oz / 85 grams Icing Sugar, plus extra for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180*c/350*f/Gas Mark 4/160*c Fan Oven.
- Line a cupcake tin with cases and set aside.
- Start by making the white chocolate lemon cream filling. Place the cream and butter into a saucepan and place over a medium heat until the butter starts to melt, making sure that this does not come to the boil as this could spoil the cream.
- Pour this mixture into a bowl over the rest of the white chocolate, adding the lemon juice and zest. Making sure that everything is well mixed together and nice and smooth.
- Set this aside and allow it to cool completely, we'll come back to finish this later.
- Place the margarine and sugar into a bowl and using an electric mixer beat together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, self-raising flour and milk to the mixture, blending until fully combined.
- Stir through the lemon zest and fresh blueberries and spoon the mixture into your prepared tin.
- Cook for 16 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and light and fluffy. You can tell the cakes are ready when they spring back when lightly pressed. You could also insert a skewer into the middle of one of the cakes and if it comes out clean, then the cakes are ready.
- Once ready, remove from the oven.
- Allow the cakes to sit in the tin for roughly 5 minutes, then place on a wired rack to cool. Whilst waiting, start to make the frosting.
- Whilst waiting for them to cool, you can finish making the cream filling. Ensure that the cream mixture is completely cooled before continuing. If it is, then add the icing sugar to the bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, slowly mix until everything is well combined. It's best to do this on a low setting so that you can really control what is happening. As this has fresh cream in, it is very easy to overmix, which is something that you want to avoid. Once mixed, set aside and start to prepare your cakes.
- Now the cakes have cooled, start to prepare the middle. Using a sharp knife, cut a 'well' out of the centre of the cake. Placing the removed cake to the side as we'll be using this later.
- Add a heaped teaspoon of cream filling to the centre of each cake, filling the hole that you've just made.
- This is where you're going to use that extra bit of cake. For this, you can either leave it in a circular shape or cut it in half, creating butterfly wings. If leaving it in a circular shape you can simply place this on top of the cream filling. If cutting into butterfly's, place one half on the side of the cake, repeating on the other side, creating a butterfly like appearance.
- Dust with a little bit of icing sugar for the perfect finishing touch!
Notes
I would always recommend eating these fresh (hence the reason that I make a smaller batch), as close to making as possible. Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge for no longer than 2 days as the fresh bream can turn the cake soft if left too long.
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