blueberry lime cakes

Ah, its almost summer. Sliced watermelon is going to be a staple in my house as well as summer berries. Blueberries are a favorite. These tart and sweet morsels have a life span of about one day in my house. We usually gobble them up like kids with candy. It's kind of ridiculous. But lovely and a cute tidbit about my family as well. So how did end up snatching up these blueberries to be in my mini cakes before they got chomped? Well... they're not exactly fresh.

They were frozen.
Now, now. Don't get fussy. I know people have a thing about using fresh fruit in their desserts. Trust me, I was one of those people too. "But- but- fresh fruits taste better." Yeah, well, fresh fruit taste better when they're tossed up in the air and caught with your mouth. Not encased in some lovely, fluffy, soft cake. The cake overpowers the sweet, pure taste of the fruit. When someone finds me a baked dessert featuring a fresh fruit, please enlighten me. In their prime season, I think that fresh fruit should go from the farm, the market, your cart, your car, under the faucet, a paper towel, and in your mouth. Sounds like a dumb theory but I'm sticking to it! Seriously. I swear! Frozen fruit is okay because... well, it's not fresh. Okay, I sound like a weirdo now so I'll stop.

I kid, I have no real problem with fresh fruit used in baked desserts. Just as long as the fruit isn't suffocating and has room was air out its juices and flavor. Like these cakes. These cakes were everything I would want in a spring-summer transition dessert. Light and fluffy yet moist. I used limes because I used up all the lemons. Bonus: its showcases the blueberries.

Blueberry Lime Mini Cakes**
Adapted from smittenkitchen
Makes 12 extra large cupcakes, or 15 medium cupcakes (a pain, I know)

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (if you’re skipping the fruit, you can also skip the last tablespoon of flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lime zest (approximately 5 limes)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and rinsed (miniature wild blueberries are great for this, and pose the least risk of sinking)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the cupcake tin.

Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lime zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the cupcake tin. Bakee for about 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lime juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cupcakes are done, allow it to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cupcakes are still warm, use a pastry brush or a tablespoon to pour the lime and sugar mixture over the cakes. Poke teeny holes, as smittenkitchen suggests.

**I called them mini cakes because they're a mix between a muffin and cupcake. These were originally a loaf cake so I just call them little loaf cakes or mini cakes.

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