Blueberry Cupcakes w/ Lemon Mascarpone Frosting (★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆)

This past week we were privy to the ultimate in Hollywood glamour, sophistication, and artistry.

Or at least, that's what we're promised...and crossing our fingers for.

But whether or not the Avengers received one too many nominations or Seth MacFarlane has a beyond amazing voice and a dirty mouth, I love taking part in this night reserved for the film elite.

The Academy.

The Awards.

The Oscars.

Every year we have a little party.

I say "little" because there's less than ten people.

But trust me, we do not take this day lightly.

There's food.  Trivia.

And my favorite.
Voting.

Each person gets a ballot and casts their vote for the winners.  Whoever predicts the most correctly is bestowed a prize.

Last year it was a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints.  A small token to some, but, man, did it feeeeeeel good!

Every year, the competition gets more intense.
By now, we've all added "pre-Oscar research" to our list of things to do before the big day.
Weighing five opinions per category is totally reasonable, right? 

But the best part of this years show -- we'll go ahead and leave Seth MacFarlane, in a suit (weakness #1), singing in the vein of Ol' Blue Eyes (weakness #2), out the equation -- the best was this dress and Jennifer Lawrence.

All of her.

She's a Hollywood experiment.

Like somebody thought it would be a hoot to throw in a completely normal, exceedingly awkward, yet surprisingly talented girl into the mess that is fame, fortune, and Jack Nicholson.

I mean, how totally relatable is she?!?  Am I right?

No other actress I know of is so starstruck by every celebrity she meets, freely brings up her "hyperactive" bladder, and spews any off-the-wall comment that comes into her pretty little head.

So when she tripped on that first stair on her way to accept her award, I just chuckled to myself, "Oh. That's so Jenn!"

Like we're buddies or something.
Only, we're not.
But we totally could be!

So to celebrate this great achievement of hers (and those of many others), I made these cupcakes.

Because nothing says "Wow, you were outstanding in that movie!  When you cried, there was snot -- and in that moment, you were unattractive.  Clearly your dedication was above all else this year" like a rustic looking blueberry and lemon mascarpone cupcake. 

So maybe I won't be winning "Best Train of Thought" or "Best Appropriately Themed Cupcake."

But that's okay.  Because everyone loved them.

The cupcakes were so dense and moist.

And the frosting was the perfect blend of cream, lemon, and sweetness.

Perfect enough to help hide the fact that I forgot half of the sugar in the cupcakes when I doubled the recipe.  

Twice. the. amount. means. twice. the. sugar.

Classic Nat!

Blueberry Cupcakes
adapted from Sallys Baking Addiction

• 3 Cups Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1 Cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, melted
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 1/2 Cup Milk
• 4 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Package of Freeze Dried Blueberries (1.2 oz or 1/4 Cup Ground)

Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
adapted from Week of Menus

• 4 Tbsp (1/2 Stick) of Butter, softened
• 8oz Mascarpone Cheese
• 2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar 
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• (Optional) Additional Lemon Juice to Taste

Makes Approx. 24 Cupcakes
Preheat Oven to 350F

1) In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix and set aside.

2) In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.  Heat in 30 second increments.

    Note: If you don't have unsalted butter, that's okay.  Just omit the added teaspoon of salt listed in 

              the recipe. 

3) Add sugar to the melted butter and stir until sugar starts to dissolve.  The mixture will still be very 

    grainy.  Place bowl in refrigerator for 1 minute. 

4) Take butter/sugar bowl out of the fridge and add the remaining wet ingredients one at a time, beating 

     in between each addition - eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla.

5) Add the dry ingredients to the batter in small increments until well combined.
6) In a food processor (or coffee grinder) grind the freeze dried blueberries until almost a fine powder.

7) Add ground blueberries to batter and beat/stir well.

8) Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and fill each to about 3/4 full.  

9) Bake at 350F for approx. 20 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted into the center, comes out clean.  

    Allow these to cool completely before frosting. 

10) For Frosting: Beat together softened butter and mascarpone cheese.  Mixture should be fluffy.

11) Add lemon zest and sugar, one cup at a time.  For stiffer frosting, add more sugar.  

If Jenn gets to win, then why can't I?

Clearly I'm not above self promotion, people.

*Special thanks to my sister for being obnoxiously photo happy, yet very helpful in snapping away at me baking this week.  One less day to have to worry about getting flour and butter caked into my lens.

Fastest Easiest Ever: Citrus Cupcakes (★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆)

So just for arguments sake, say you were taking a night course.  Every Wednesday for twelve weeks you attended said class.  And in return for giving up your valuable evening hours, you got to know your classmates pretty well -- mostly in part, because night classes are unpopular.  

I mean, who wants to spend their confection baking, gym fat-busting, dog fight hummingbird watching, [insert preferred activity here] spare time sitting on their tush in a darkened room for hours on end?

Well...me, I guess.  

And a select few others.  The cream of the crop...in my most humble opinion.  

Moving on...

If after spending the equivalent amount of time with these new found friends as you did in fifth grade at that crazy youth camp where you were forced to strap yourself to a rope and repel down a rock even though you didn't want to and were sure you were going to die...and after actually making it safely to the ground your counselor offered the most comforting words of "I told you so,"...you would agree that some sort of celebration involving food would be in order, right?  Right!?  

Then why, pray tell, did I find myself dumb-faced and gaped-jawed when no one wanted to shake things up for our final class.  Are people this lazy?  Or worse, have Californians become so healthy that they no longer eat for pleasure?  

No.  I refuse to make eating a job.

So even though I was out-voted, my baking/need-to-feed-people gene compelled me to bring something.  Someone in that room needed a cupcake.  And this could not go unrectified. 

The only problem was I had literally two hours to make something happen.

That's when I came up with these - Fastest Easiest Ever "Citrus Cupcakes."

What you need:
1 - Box Lemon Cake Mix
1 - Small Box Instant Lemon Pudding
1 - Can Cream Cheese Frosting
1 - Lime (for zest and slicing)
1-2 Tbsp Lime Juice (from a bottle or pick up an extra lime)

Step One:
Preheat oven.  Prepare cake mix, adding one package of lemon pudding (the "dry cake" savior).  Bake according to directions on box.

Step Two:
While cupcakes are baking, zest lime then slice into thin halves or quarters.  Add 1-2 Tbsp of lime juice to cream cheese frosting.  Do this to taste, adding a tbsp at a time.  I ended up adding about four tbsp and regretted it later...the flavor will sneak up on you!

Step Three:
Wait.  Rest.  Relax.  Sneak in a chapter or two of "Catching Fire" while you mull over the intricacies of the whole Gale/Peeta debate.  Gale for Katniss, Peeta for me.  At least...that's what I did.

Step Four:
After cupcakes have cooled, frost and top with lime slice and a sprinkle of zest.  Voila!

Literally took me an hour and a half from the first picture shot to lemony/lime goodness in my mouth. Can't beat that!

Eat your heart out California!