Naturally Blue Cupcakes, With Butterfly Pea Flower

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners. If not using liners spray pan with oil.

Step 2

In one bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3

Crack room temp eggs in separate small bowl set aside.

Step 4

In a large bowl with whisk, or in standard mixer with whisk attachment combine sugar, oil, buttermilk, sourdough surplus, mix for 1 minute until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla continue to mix for an additional minute.

Step 5

Pour in pea flower, mix until batter is smooth and even color.

Step 6

Add flour mixture and continue to blend for about a minute.

Step 7

For the last step you will be mixing with a spoon to insure you are not over beating the batter.

Step 8

Add lemon juice and stir well with spoon. You should notice the color of the batter changing from a green/blue, to deeper richer blue. Blend with spoon until color is even and lemon juice is dispersed.

Step 9

Pour batter into cupcake pan and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.

Step 10

With standard, or hand held mixer, using whisk or paddle attachment whip room temperature salted butter on medium high for 2-3 minutes, or until it is smooth and creamy.

Step 11

Add the icing sugar, I like a 1:2 ratio of butter to icing sugar, but I have seen as much as a 1:4 ratio in some recipes, and as low as 1: A ratio of 1:1 is the richest and has the most butter flavor, and a ratio of 1:4 is the sweetest, and will crust the most after piping. Important: when you begin mixing again, start with the blender on LOW, and slowly increase the speed as the sugar is incorporated. Once sugar is incorporated mix on high for 3-4 minutes, adding vanilla, followed by the cream. Start with 2 tablespoons of cream, if you want a thinner icing then just add more cream. For decorating these cupcakes, I like to use between 2-3 tablespoons cream.

Step 12

Continue to whip for another 2-4 minutes, until your buttercream is light and fluffy.

Step 13

Scoop buttercream into piping bag and decorate, fully cooled, cupcakes. I love this straightforward tutorial on piping techniques by Lindsay at Life, Love and Sugar.