I got really excited about this frosting (not to mention I was distracted by the fact I was Periscoping this whole process), and I didn’t take a picture of the ingredients. I think you can forgive me, though.
One of my co-workers, Sergio, had a birthday on Thursday, and I’m the Official Bringer of Birthday Treats, so that’s how these cupcakes came into being. Sergio and I had had a whole conversation about cake a few days ago, and he’d indicated he has the same love for Funfetti that I do. As such, I bought a Funfetti cake mix.
Now, I’m usually someone who prefers to make things rather than buy them pre-packaged. 9 times out of 10, when I’m baking, I don’t use cake mixes unless it’s an ingredient in something (cake mix cookies, for example).
But I’ve had some reconfigured thoughts on store-bought/pre-packaged stuff, especially after my podcast interview. If you want to make a cake, and you want to go buy a box of cake mix to make that cake…you should 100% go buy that cake mix and make the hell out of that cake. You don’t have to tell anyone it’s boxed. (Conversely, you can tell EVERYONE it’s boxed if you want. Who cares?)
If someone’s going to give you a hard time because you made them a cake from a box instead of from scratch, they’re not someone you want to bake a cake for anyway. If you go to the store and buy a rotisserie chicken and heat up some green beans and make boxed mashed potatoes for a hot date you have, and the person you’re cooking for scoffs at store-bought chicken…maybe go date someone else.
Some people say about comic books “Well, it doesn’t matter what they’re reading as long as the kids are reading!” and I never really understood that, but I think I do now. You mixed up those potato flakes and stirred in the milk and the butter. You made those mashed potatoes! You don’t have to spend hours and hours peeling, cooking, mashing, seasoning, whatever those mashed potatoes to make someone a meal and let them know you like them.
I’m not 100% sure where that soapbox came from, but I’ll get off of it now.
Long story short, I knew Sergio liked the specific Funfetti, so that’s what I made. Since I feel strongly about making my own frosting, though, I dug up one of my Pinterest pins called 55 Frosting Recipes and made this blackberry frosting from the Natasha’s Kitchen blog.
It’s got sugar. It’s got berries. It’s got cream cheese. What else do you need?
Blackberry Frosting
Makes 3 cups of frosting
From Greek Yogurt Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting at Natasha’s Kitchen
Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces and softened to room temperature
1/2 cup (1 package) blackberries
Puree blackberries in a food processor, then strain them through a fine mesh strainer to get the seeds out. Push them through the strainer with a spatula until all that’s in the strainer is seeds. Discard the seeds.
In a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer), mix the butter and the sugar on low speed until combined, scraping as necessary. Once they’re combined, increase speed to medium for 2-3 minutes.
Add the cream cheese a piece at a time and mix until combined and fluffy.
Add the blackberry puree and mix until well-incorporated.
Refrigerate frosting for 10 minutes before icing your cupcakes.
