Blueberry Pancake Cupcakes
Fluffy blueberry vanilla cupcakes topped with maple buttercream. Turn a beloved breakfast classic into a dessert with these delicious, addicting cupcakes!
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Why this recipe works
I used my denser Greek yogurt cake for these cupcakes. It’s still light and tender, but it has more of an old-fashioned texture, meaning it will remind you a bit of a fluffy pancake. Plus, it’s suuuuper moist and flavorful. Adding blueberries just adds to the vibrant flavors and lovely texture, and there’s nothing like biting into a cupcake and having it burst with blueberries.
In addition, I used some leftover maple spice buttercream. While the spice isn’t exactly traditional to pancakes, we usually add cinnamon to ours, so it just seemed like the right thing to do. Plus, cinnamon and blueberries pair perfectly. Together, the flavors and textures really do feel like the dessert version of a wonderful breakfast classic!
Key ingredients
Flour. Be sure to spoon then level this so it’s not packed in and don’t skip the sifting.
Baking powder and soda. Be sure both are fresh and don’t skip sifting them, as they tend to clump up.
Salt. Sea salt is best!
Eggs. Use fresh, room temperature eggs.
Plain, whole milk Greek yogurt. Be sure it’s room temperature, which usually takes about 30-60 minutes. You can also sub full fat sour cream.
Oil. I prefer avocado (light, not the super expensive, extra virgin—that will turn the cake green) or grape seed oil. They are healthier fats and have a very light taste. Vegetable or canola oil would work, too.
Vanilla. Use pure extract, not imitation, because in a double vanilla cake that’s the only flavor you’re getting!
Buttermilk. You can make your own by combining 1 cup room temperature whole milk with 1 tablespoon white vinegar 5-10 minutes before you make the cake.
Sugar. Not a ton, but just the right amount to create a perfect sweetness and help the cake rise.
Maple spice buttercream. The spice is optional, but I always put cinnamon in my pancakes, so it just felt like the right thing to do!
How to make blueberry pancake cupcakes
1. Sift and whisk the dry ingredients. Set aside.
2. Whisk the wet ingredients well. Whisk well, until fully emulsified (meaning no separation of ingredients—everything should be one homogenous mixture).
3. Whisk in the sugar. Whisk for about a minute, until most of the sugar is dissolved.
4. Fold in the dry ingredients. It will be slightly lumpy—don’t worry, it’ll bake just fine.
5. Bake. Bake in prepared cupcake pans until a toothpick inserted in a middle cupcake comes out with just moist crumbs—no raw batter, but also not clean (this means it’s over baked).
6. Make the buttercream. I like to do this when the cake is nearly cooled, as it’s easiest to work with right after I’ve stirred out the large air bubbles.
7. Frost and decorate. I used a 1M piping tip and added some blueberries for decoration, but drizzling with maple syrup is also a great (albeit messy) idea!
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
Can I make this into a cake?
Yes! This would work in two 8” or 9” pans, three 6” pans, or one 9x13” pan. For any circular cake, you’re always welcome to cut the layers in half or divide the batter into more pans to make room for more filling—it’s a total personal choice. Baking time will increase, from 20-25 minutes for 6” pans (unless using more than three pans—that will bake faster) to 40-45 minutes for a 9x13 pan. Be sure the cake isn’t any higher than the middle rack of your oven or the top could get a little dark in a larger pan. Tenting with foil toward the end should help with this.
Can I use a different frosting?
Yes! You of course could use any frosting recipe you like, but after maple, my favorite is classic vanilla or triple lemon (in fact, I suggest adding some lemon zest to the cake if you use lemon frosting!). Another fun option would be using brown sugar buttercream (you can omit the spice if you’d like). Or, for the true breakfast lover, try coffee buttercream!
What kind of blueberries should I use?
Fresh or frozen both work, although fresh, in-season are always the best. I suggest avoiding really large blueberries, as they could cause the cupcakes to fall apart (we’re talking those huge, how-are-these-natural blueberries). Smaller ones, closer to the size of chocolate chips, are ideal, but any size should work fine. Be sure to pick over and remove any stems. Rinsing is optional, but if you do rinse, lay them out on a towel and gently pat dry.
Frozen work just fine, too! Especially if you have access to quality ones (I love the frozen mountain blueberries from Trader Joe’s). They are frozen ripe, retaining that fresh, in-season flavor. Typically, don’t defrost frozen blueberries if using in baked goods. They tend to turn mushy in defrosting, but baking from frozen will still give you that bursting blueberry texture.
Spoon then level your flour
Don’t scoop your flour! I never knew this until I started blogging, but it seriously makes a big difference. You will end up with roughly 25% more flour than the recipe called for if you just doonk (official baking term right there) your measuring spoon into the flour container and scoop. Gently spoon your flour into your measuring cup then level it off with the back of a knife. Trust me! It makes a difference.
My cupcake tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making these cupcakes. Affiliate links provided.
Reusable silicone piping bags (These are super easy to clean—just turn inside out, wear like a mitten, and wash! I stand mine like a cone hat on my tea kettle to dry.)
Cupcake corer (I love that this comes in two sizes!)
Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY for a fluffy cake)
Cupcake pans (I’ve used many over the years and these are the most consistently successful.)
Blueberry Pancake Cupcakes
- prep time: 25-30 minutes
- bake time: 12-15 minutes
- total time: 45 minutes (plus cooling time)
servings: about 24
Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (306g) all purpose flour, sifted
- ½ teaspoon (2g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (6g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3g) fine ground salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 ounces (170g) plain, whole milk Greek yogurt, room temperature (regular yogurt or sour cream would work, too)
- 1 tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240g) buttermilk*, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (150g) oil (avocado, vegetable, etc.)
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (about 190g) blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw)
- one batch maple spice buttercream (see note, spice is optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325F/165C (350F/175C if at high elevation). Line two cupcake pans with liners.
- If using fresh blueberries, pick over and discard any wrinkled blueberries and remove any stems. Washing is optional, but if you do wash them, lay them out on a towel to dry before using (you can gently pat them to speed this up). If using frozen blueberries, do not defrost (but do remove any chunks of ice that may have formed).
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a large fine mesh sieve to sift then whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, Greek yogurt, vanilla, buttermilk, and oil. Whisk about 1 minute, until well-blended. Add the sugar and mix again about 30-60 seconds, until the granules begin to dissolve.
- Add the flour mixture and whisk gently until mostly mixed, with some streaks of flour still visible (as in, the dry flour is visible–not just lumps).
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries until evenly mixed in. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw. Folding the blueberries in will help mix in the remaining streaks of flour.
- Divide evenly between your cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ full (no more than ¾ full). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle cupcake comes out clean. Check early, around 10 minutes, as climate, elevation, and individual ovens can cause the bake time to vary.
- Let cupcakes cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes cool, you can make the buttercream. See note below about omitting the spices called for (they are optional, depending on your preference). You can also make the buttercream ahead of time. It will keep overnight on the counter, in the fridge for 2 weeks, or the freezer for 1-2 months. If chilled or frozen, let come to room temperature on the counter and stir well before using.
- When the cupcakes are cool, frost as desired (I used a 1M piping tip). Top with a few fresh blueberries.
Enjoy!
Cupcakes should be stored in a truly airtight container. If using a typical cupcake caddy, wrap the seam with plastic wrap to preserve freshness. Cupcakes will last 3-5 days at room temperature.
*You can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon white vinegar to one scant cup (7.5 ounces) room temperature whole milk. Just stir together right before you start mixing ingredients.
Note: I used maple spiced buttercream, but the spices are optional. For a classic “breakfast” pancake taste, omit the spices and follow remaining buttercream recipe as written.
