It’s time for part 4 of my sweet summer treats series – and let me tell you, this last part is a worthy finale! The irresistible treat I have for you today is a delicious berry cupcake that’s nothing less than the perfect indulgence on a summery day. These cupcakes combine sweet-and-sour raspberries and blackberries with the nutty depth of blended oats. Topped with a refreshing mascarpone frosting, they’re guaranteed crowd-pleasers!
Whether you’re planning a summer birthday party, a relaxed gathering with friends, or just want to surprise your family with a sweet treat on a Sunday afternoon, these zesty berry cupcakes with a creamy mascarpone frosting are the perfect choice! They taste fresh and are incredibly delicious – the perfect summery treat or dessert.
The best part? While these cupcakes look special – and are certainly perfect for special occasions –, they’re actually quite easy to make and don’t take long at all. That makes them perfect for summer because who wants to spend all these sunny days in the kitchen when you could be outside?
These cupcakes are also very adjustable. You don’t need the exact berry mix I used to make it work. The oats give structure and flavor, while the berries add natural juiciness – so feel free to mix and match fruits depending on what’s in season. You can easily stick with only raspberries or only blueberries or even swap them – for blueberries, strawberries, redcurrants, or even a completely different fruit. For a lighter version, skip the frosting – thanks to their flavorful ingredients, they are just as delicious as simple muffins as they are as cupcakes. Or why not turn them into a cake, with or without frosting? If you do this, just extend the bake to 30–40 minutes and test with a toothpick – it should come out clean.
So let’s get straight to the recipe for these irresistible berry cupcakes – and then, of course, to the best part: eating them!
For 10-12 cupcakes, you’ll need:
- 50 g oat flour or blended oats
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 50 g raw cane sugar
- 50 g brown sugar
- 100 g butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 120 ml milk
- 1 tbsp freshly pressed lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 100 g fresh raspberries
- 100 g fresh blackberries
For the frosting, you’ll need:
- 500 g mascarpone
- 3 tbsp strawberry jam
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
- 1-2 tbsp freshly pressed lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Recipe:
I. Make the cake batter
- Preheat the oven to 175° C or 350° F.
- In a large bowl, mix oat flour or blended oats, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. If you don’t have oat flour on hand, you can just blend rolled oats in a blender – that’s what I usually do, and it works just fine.
- With a stand or hand mixer, beat butter, raw cane sugar, and brown sugar with vanilla sugar or vanilla extract on high speed until creamy.
- Add the eggs, one after the other, and whisk until fully integrated into the sugar-butter mixture.
- Lower the mixer speed to slow and gradually add milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until combined.
- Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. I personally find it much easier to switch to mixing by hand here – that helps to avoid overmixing, which would make the cake soggy.
- Sieve 1 tbsp of flour over the raspberries and blackberries – that prevents them from sinking. Gently fold them into the cake batter.
- Spoon the cake batter into a muffin tin, laid out with paper or silicon muffin forms. Divide between 10–12 muffin forms.
- Bake at 175° C or 350° F for 20–25 minutes for muffins, or 30–40 minutes if baking a single cake, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Take them out of the oven and let them cool completely.
II. Make the frosting
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Before you start, chill your mixing bowl and whisk in the fridge for 5–10 minutes to keep the mascarpone cold – this prevents it from becoming runny.
- In a large bowl, gently whisk the mascarpone, jam, and sieved icing sugar with lemon zest and lemon juice. Start with only one tablespoon of lemon juice and add more after tasting if needed. I recommend whisking the frosting ingredients by hand – it’s important not to overmix and this gives you more control. As soon as the frosting ingredients are combined and creamy, stop whisking.
- If preparing this in advance or if the muffins aren’t ready yet, cover tightly and keep the frosting in the fridge until you need it.
III. Decorate the cupcakes
- Spoon the frosting on top for a rustic look, or pipe it with an icing bag for a more elegant presentation.
- Add a single raspberry or blackberry on top of each cupcake.
Notes:
- It’s best to serve the cupcakes shortly after topping them with frosting. They’ll keep for a few hours in an airtight container in the fridge, but if you need to make them further in advance, I recommend storing the muffins and frosting separately and assembling them just before serving. It only takes 5–10 minutes, depending on whether you use a spoon or a piping tip.
- If you’re storing the frosting, always keep it in the fridge – otherwise, it will turn runny.
- I’m using strawberry jam for the frosting because raspberry or blackberry jams tend to have seeds and aren’t as smooth. If you’d like a more violet color instead of pink, try blueberry jam.
Approximate nutritional values per cupcake:
- Calories: 365-435 kcal
- Protein: 5-6 g
- Carbs: 27-33 g
- Fat: 25-30 g
- Fiber: 1.5-2 g
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