Blackberry Cupcakes

Here in the great Northwest, it's the tail end of blackberry season. Being a baker known for stockpiling goodies to use in her freezer, I have amassed quite a few gallon bags of blackberries in my freezer. The frozen ones from the store are okay, but really, they're SO much better when they're local and you freeze them yourself! No extra preservatives or treatments, and local always tastes better! I've learned recently how to use a boxed mix to make some awesome treats. Why not use blackberries to spice it up? Oh, and some citrus that you've got laying around? 

Ingredients:

CAKE:
1 box of Betty Crocker white cake mix
1 stick of butter, melted
3 eggs (whole eggs)
1 3/4 fresh or frozen blackberries
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

FROSTING:
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 1 orange (about 1/2 - 1tsp)
1-2 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
2-5 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º. 

Combine cake mix, butter and eggs. Microwave blackberries for 2 minutes, mash. Add milk to make 1 1/4 cups total blackberry milk mixture. Add to cake mix. Divide between muffin cups. This made 20 for me, though the box says that it should have made 24. Boxes lie. Never trust a box. Just saying. Anyways, bake for 18-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

While the cupcakes are cooling, whip together the butter, extracts and orange bits for the frosting. Add powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes once they've cooled. Then? DIG IN! 

I thought I'd try out a rose piping style tonight for these. It turned out pretty well, I'd say, and was a LOT easier than I thought it'd be. Just start from a dollop in the center and work your way out! 

And yes, I realize that the cupcakes look chocolate in these pictures, however, I assure you, they are a deep royal purple and the frosting is a gorgeous off-white on top. GORGEOUS!