Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place 4 paper liners along the outside edge of a cupcake pan. Gather ingredients to make cupcakes.

Step 2

Add the chocolate and canola oil to a medium bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Stir well to ensure every last bit of chocolate melts. Let cool slightly.

Step 3

Once cool, add the sugar and vanilla and whisk until blended.

Step 4

Add the egg and whisk to combine.

Step 5

Mix the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir until blended.

Step 6

Divide between the cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Step 7

To make the buttercream, gather all ingredients.

Step 8

beat together with an electric mixer the butter, almond extract and lime zest.

Step 9

Add the powdered sugar and beat well.

Step 10

Add the blackberries and beat vigorously to break up the berries. (If you don’t enjoy the crunchy seeds, mash the berries in a small bowl and strain before adding to the buttercream).

Step 11

Add lime juice to taste to bring out the sweetness of the berries. In my opinion, the frosting tastes best if it's allowed to chill in the fridge for a few hours before being spread on the cupcakes.