Red White and Blue cupcakes

It's cupcake hero time again! This month is being hosted by I heart cuppycakes and Crazy Delicious, the theme is "Red White and Blue" I immediately thought of my blueberry muffins I made twice last week... and again this weekend... but this brought on an interesting discussion between John and myself...

steph: i made cupcakes want one!
john: they look like the muffins you made last week... those were yum
steph: actually they're blueberry "cupcakes" let me put the topping on so you can have one!
john: wait... is it the same recipe as last week? are they still healthy?
steph: well it's the same recipe but they are cupcakes now...
john: why are they cupcakes now if it's the same recipe
steph: because they are for cupcake hero... not muffin hero...
john: but what makes them cupcakes now???
steph: they have a topping and aren't naked... if it's naked it's a muffin, a topping makes it a cupcake...
john: you're a nut
steph: is true
john: can I have a muffin now...
steph: cupcake

So! Back to the cupcakes :D These are super moist and delicious. They have quickly become my favorite muffin or cupcake that involves fruit. These things are perfect for a nice hot summer day. Made with fresh blueberries and covered in a pile of cool whip and strawberries... it doesn't get any better then this!


Blueberry Cupcakes
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
2.5 Tb splenda blend (or 1/4 cup white sugar)
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 6 oz containers ff lemon yogurt (so 12 oz total)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 lemon
1.5 - 2 cups blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
1-2 cups fat free cool whip
12 strawberries
12 large blueberries

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, or in my case I just used silicon baking cups.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl blend apple sauce, yogurt, egg and vanilla thoroughly. Stir the wet mixture into the flour mixture just until combined. The batter will be very thick.

hot out of the oven

Add the blueberries and stir gently. Divide the batter between the 12 silicon baking cups (or lined baking cups) (they will be very full cups) and bake for 6 minutes at 425, reduce heat to 350 and continue cooking for 12-14 minutes, or until tester inserted into center comes out mostly clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

Once completely cool use a spatula to pile on a healthy serving of cool whip. Quarter strawberries and add in a pinwheel pattern on top, add another little blob of cool whip and top with the largest blueberry you can find.

Chow!


Eating these things results in many giggles and faces covered in blueberries and cool whip. If you want to avoid such a fun mess you can do something my Nana taught me. Simply break (or cut) the top of the cupcake off, take the stump of a bottom and place it on top of the frosting, broken side facing the frosting, to make a nice little sandwich! No more frosting in your face :)