Patriotic Vanilla Cupcakes Filled with Mixed Berry Jam

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Celebrate the long weekend with these Patriotic Vanilla Cupcakes! Light and fluffy vanilla cupcakes, filled with the best-ever homemade berry jam that’s made from strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries! Then, each jam-filled cupcake is frosted with a dreamy vanilla buttercream frosting and topped with the cutest red, white, and blue sprinkles. Every bite is tender, not too sweet, and bursting with fruity and citrusy flavors! Truly the perfect cupcakes to celebrate Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, or even Veterans Day.

About The Recipe

Happy Friday, everyone! We’re officially kicking off the long weekend with one of our new favorite cupcake recipes. It’s the perfect cupcake to not only celebrate Memorial Day, but also the unofficial start to summer!

It may look like a simple vanilla cupcake, but this sweet cupcake is literally bursting with flavor thanks to the sweet jammy center.

In terms of inspiration, my mom and I wanted to make something that was sweet, simple, but inspired by summer. We talked about SO many different things, but ultimately settled on these sweet cupcakes!

I mean, who doesn’t love vanilla cupcakes?!

And, with the addition of the homemade jam, it adds the delicious summery flavor that we had been looking for.

The blend of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries create a bright and fruity bite that surprises almost everyone!

Then, each cupcake is finished with mile-high sweet buttercream frosting to compliment the fruity and not-too-sweet jam filling.

It’s the perfect combination of flavors that everyone is sure to love!

Reasons You Will Love These Patriotic Cupcakes

• Moist, tender, and FULL of flavor.
• Easier to make than you might think.
• Highly customizable!!
• Perfect for Memorial Day and 4th of July.
• A dessert that everyone is sure to love.

Equipment Needed

• Medium Saucepan
• Mixing Bowls
• Whisk
• Muffin Pan
• Cupcake Papers
• Large Cookie Scoop
• Cake Tester
• Cupcake Corer
• Cooling Rack
• Stand Mixer
• Rubber Spatula
• Piping Bag
• Piping Tips

Ingredients

Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For The Jam:

• Mixed Berries – For this recipe, we used blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries! Though, you can use any blend of berries or only use one berry to make this jam.
• Granulated Sugar – Adds sweetness and creates the “jammy” texture.
• Lemon Juice – Cuts some of the sweetness, while also acting as a natural preservative.

For The Cupcakes:

• All-Purpose Flour – No need for cake flour in this recipe! All-purpose flour creates the perfect texture and structure.
• Granulated Sugar – Adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
• Baking Powder – Leavening is essential in baking! This is what gives these cupcakes their light and airy texture.
• Salt – Cuts some of the sweetness, while also enhancing the flavor of the cupcakes.
• Large Eggs – Remember to set your eggs out ahead of time to allow them to come to room temperature.
• Whole Milk – Milk adds extra protein and fat to give these cupcakes the perfect structure.
• Vegetable Oil – Keeps the cupcakes moist and tender!
• Vanilla Extract – Adds a sweet undertone to these cupcakes.

For The Frosting:

• Salted Butter – We always recommend that you use salted butter for frostings, as it helps enhance the flavor of the frosting and cuts some of the sweetness. Though, if all you have is unsalted, you can use that. Just add a pinch of salt!
• Powdered Sugar – Be sure to sift the powdered sugar, as lumps in the powdered sugar can mean a lumpy frosting.
• Heavy Cream – Using heavy cream in this frosting helps loosen it to make it pipable, while also keeping it light and fluffy!
• Vanilla Extract – A splash of vanilla to give this frosting a delicious flavor.

How To Make These Patriotic Cupcakes

Step 1: Make the jam

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook and stir over medium low heat until sugar melts, berries break down, and the mixture thickens, about 20-25 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare batter

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolk, milk, oil, and vanilla.

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth.

Step 3: Bake

Use a 3 Tablespoon scoop to portion dough, or fill cavities ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cupcakes test done.

Step 4: Make the frosting

With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add cream and vanilla. Beat until well blended.

Step 5: Assemble

Core the cooled cupcakes. Fill each cupcake with jam.

Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes and finish with sprinkles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How To Achieve The Perfect Buttercream

There are are a few things you can do to make sure you get the creamiest, silkiest buttercream every single time!

The first is making sure your butter is room temperature. This is super important! Another is sifting your powdered sugar. Lumps of powdered sugar = lumpy buttercream!

Lastly, if you feel your buttercream is too thick, you can add a splash (1/2 – 1 Tablespoon) of whole milk or heavy cream. This will help loosen it a little.

Decorating Ideas

With these cupcakes, there are a couple of different ways to decorate them to make them really stand out!

• Color the frosting – By coloring the frosting red, white, and blue, you have so many options! You can place all three colors in one piping bag and pipe a swirl on top. You can also keep them separate and pipe each cupcake with its own color. If you’re feeling really creative, you can pipe the American flag on top of each cupcake!
• Add berries – Top the frosted cupcakes with fresh berries to add a fresh, but oh-so cute element.
• Cupcake papers and toppers – Buy some patriotic cupcake toppers and some American flag cupcake papers for a cute way to decorate these cupcakes with no effort!

How To Store

If you have cupcakes leftover, the best way is to definitely refrigerate them! If placed in a lidded and airtight container, the cupcakes should last up to a week. You can also freeze these cupcakes for up to 1 month!

Substitutions

• Store-bought jam can be used instead of making your own.
• These cupcakes can be made gluten-free by using your favorite measure for measure gluten-free all-purpose flour.

Looking for more recipes like this? Here are a few you may like:

Strawberry Cupcakes

Angel Food Cake

Mixed Berry Tiramisu

Grilled Peaches

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Expert Tips

• Fresh or frozen berries may be used to make the jam.
• A 6-ounce package berries = 1 cup
• While cooking, mash the berries with your spoon!
• You can strain the seeds out if you want, but you will end up with much less jam.
• Overcooked the jam? No problem! You can add a few Tablespoons of water to loosen it.
• Be careful to not over-mix your cupcake batter.
• We recommend using a large cookie scoop to ensure that each cupcake is equal in size and not over-filled or under-filled!
• If you’re unsure the cupcakes are baked, you can use a cake tester or tooth pick. If it comes clean, the cupcake is baked through!
• Let the cupcakes cool COMPLETELY before filling and frosting them.
• Depending on how you decorate these cupcakes, you may need more or less frosting!

When you make these Patriotic Vanilla Cupcakes with Mixed Berry Jam, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

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