Blueberry Choc Chip Cupcakes

I know it's berries season! It's evident as the blogs I frequently visit are now featuring delicious recipes with fresh raspberries, blueberries, strawberries ..... all sorts of summer berries. It just makes me drool imagining my teeth sinking into an explosion of sweetness and tartness all at once.


Unfortunately the berries that we get here in Singapore are usually tart and expensive because they're all imported. The frozen version is usually cheaper but then again, I still do find them expensive!

So it was by chance when I was at the supermarket that I came across some blueberries which were being sold for $4.50 (Singapore Dollars that is) - the package weighed about 125 gm. Definitely a steal as it would usually cost about $7.90. I could not resist adding one pack to the rest of my groceries. Whilst waiting for my turn at the check-out counter, I was trying to decide whether I should add it to a cake or a tart. Decisions ... decisions! Life is tough!

I finally opted for cupcakes - I hadn't baked those in quite a while!

The blueberry cupcakes (with the addition of chocolate chips as a twist) turned out soft and moist, and the mixture of fresh blueberries and choc chip was an excellent combination. It so happened that I was meeting some friends for dinner that night, so they ended being the happy recipients of my baking venture!

Blueberry Choc Chip Cupcakes
(makes about 15 cupcakes)

Ingredients

1/2 cup (about 113 gm) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2 cups flour, all-purpose
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar (I had reduced the 1/4 cup by half)
1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup semi-sweet choc chips (I used Hershey's)

Method:

1) On slow speed, cream butter and sugar until soft and creamy. Add the vanilla extract.

2) Add eggs one at a time and mix until blended.

3) Sift all the dry ingredients together. Add into the butter mixture, alternating with milk. I usually start with dry ingredients and end with it as well.

4) Fold in the blueberries and choc chips into the mixture.

5) Fill cupcake moulds to about 3/4. (I use an ice-cream scoop for this part - it's easier and the amounts are more consistent)

6) Bake 375 F, 25-30 minutes. Remove from pan to cool. Before serving, dust cupcakes with some icing sugar.