Lemon Blackberry Mini Cakes

These lemon blackberry mini cakes start with soft lemon cupcakes that are trimmed and stacked into little layer cakes with blackberry buttercream and a dollop of lemon curd. They’re simple to make but feel extra special, perfect for spring and summer entertaining.

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I wanted something a little more fun than your typical cupcakes, but still just as easy to make. These aren’t fancy layer cakes by any means, just simple lemon cupcake layers with an easy little twist that makes them feel extra special. Stacking them with blackberry buttercream and a dollop of lemon curd gives that pretty, mini cake look without too much work. They’re perfect for a casual gathering when you want something sweet and a little unexpected!

Top Baking Tips for Lemon Blackberry Mini Cakes

• Don’t overfill the cupcakes
  Fill only about ½ to ⅔ full so they rise evenly and don’t spill over. This makes trimming and stacking much easier.
• Rub the lemon zest into the sugar
  This simple step brings out the natural oils in the zest and gives the cupcakes a brighter, more fresh lemon flavor.
• Chill before slicing
  Once cooled, pop the cupcakes in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes. This helps them firm up so you can slice clean, even layers. You can even freeze the layers at this point to assembly at a later date!
• Use a serrated knife
  Gently saw through the cupcakes rather than pressing down. You’ll get much neater layers.

Ingredient Notes & Easy Swaps

• No fresh blackberries?
  Use seedless blackberry jam or preserves for the buttercream. You can also warm jam (with seeds) and then press through sieve to remove seeds.
• No buttermilk?
  Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1¼ cups milk and let sit for a few minutes.
• Want stronger lemon flavor?
  Add a little extra zest rather than more juice to keep the texture the same. You can also add a teaspoon of pure lemon extract.
• Prefer another fruit?
  You can swap out the lemon for either orange or lime and the blackberries for blueberries, raspberries or stawberries! This would be delicious with lots of berries!
• Change the Shape!
  Don’t love the mini cakes? Make traditional cupcakes with these recipes or use a larger cake pan for a traditional cake. You could even use a mini bundt pan! Baking time will need adjusting if you change pan size, so just keep an eye on the cakes and test for doneness.

I hope you love these lemon blackberry mini cakes as much as I do. They’re one of those desserts that feels a little extra special without being complicated, which is always my favorite kind. Whether you’re making them for a small gathering or just because, they’re such a fun twist on classic cupcakes.

Lemon Blackberry Mini Cakes

Author: Courtney Whitmore

These lemon blackberry mini cakes are made from soft lemon cupcakes stacked with blackberry buttercream and a dollop of lemon curd. An easy, elegant dessert perfect for spring and summer entertaining!

SERVINGS 9 mini cakes

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Ingredients

  

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Lemon Cakes

• ▢ 2 ¾ cups cake flour - spooned & leveled
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest
• ▢ ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened - 1 ½ sticks
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups buttermilk - room temperature
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blackberry Buttercream

• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter - softened
• ▢ 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons blackberry puree - see notes
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
• ▢ 1 pinch salt

Garnish/Extras

• ▢ 1/3 cup lemon curd - store-bought or homemade
• ▢ fresh blackberries - optional

Instructions

 

Make the Lemon Cakes

• Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a regular-sized cupcake/muffin tin with baking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
• In a large bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until fragrant.
• Add the butter and beat until light and creamy, about 2–3 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Mix in lemon juice and vanilla extract.
• Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
• Fill each muffin tin opening about ½ to ⅔ full.
• Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the centers are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool completely, then refrigerate for 30–60 minutes before assembling.

Make the Blackberry Buttercream

• Beat butter until light and creamy (3-4 minutes)
• Add powdered sugar gradually and mix until combined.
• Add blackberry puree, lemon juice, and salt. Mix until smooth.
• Add heavy cream (or milk) or additional powdered sugar, as needed, until frosting holds medium to stiff peaks.

Assemble the Mini Cakes

• Trim off the domed tops to the cupcakes to make small mini cake layers. This is best done when the cakes are cold.
• Flip one layer upside down so you have a flat surface for stacking.
• Pipe or spread a thin layer of blackberry buttercream onto one layer, then top with the second layer to create a mini cake.
• Pipe a ring of small buttercream dollops around the top edge.
• Add a small dollop (about 1–2 teaspoons) of lemon curd in the center.
• Garnish with fresh blackberries if desired.

Notes

This recipe makes about 18-20 “cupcakes” and two are needed to make one mini-cake so the yield is about 9-102 mini cakes. 

Blackberry Puree:
In a small saucepan, cook ½–1 cup blackberries over medium heat until soft and juicy, about 5–7 minutes. Mash well, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Let cool completely before using. You want a thick puree, not watery.

Shortcut Option:
You can substitute seedless blackberry jam or preserves. If using, stir well to loosen and use about 2–3 tablespoons. This is a great quick option and works well for color and flavor, especially if you’re short on time.

Nutrition

Calories: 851kcalCarbohydrates: 117gProtein: 8gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 285mgPotassium: 218mgFiber: 1gSugar: 87gVitamin A: 1263IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 1mg

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