I'm taking a brief break from the yogurt for a day. At work they actually trusted me to be a buddy to one of the graduates and his first year is already up. He moves to another team for a year but he's still stuck with me as his buddy. I promised him a batch of cupcakes for his "leaving" cakes.

I decided to make a light vanilla cake filled with blueberry cheesecake filling topped with blueberry meringue buttercream. I love the way the frosting looks on these. Little pieces of fruit mixed in with the streaky purple from the blueberry juice.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups sifted self-rising flour

1 tbs baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs plus 1 egg white

1 cup milk

Blueberry Syrup

2 pints blueberries

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup juice (any kind)

Pudding

1 pack instant Jell-O pudding (I used cheesecake)

1/4  to 1/2 cup blueberry syrup

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Start the blueberry syrup by adding the blueberries, water, sugar and juice into a small saucepan and simmer on a medium low heat until the blueberries break down and syrup becomes thick. This can take up to 30 minutes. Set aside and let cool completely. 

2. Make the pudding according to the directions on the pack. Put in the fridge to set. After about 10 minutes stir about 1/2 a cup of the blueberry syrup into the pudding. 

3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. With an electric mixer on medium high speed, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Add whole eggs and the egg white, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk, beating until well combined. 

4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway though, until a cake tester comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  

5. Once cooled cut a small cone shaped hole in the middle of each cake and fill with 2 spoons of pudding and place the top back on to cover the pudding. 

Blueberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients

1 cup blueberry syrup

4 large egg whites

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1. In a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water whisk the egg whites and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved (it will feel smooth when rubbed between your fingers).

2. Take the bowl off the pan and using a electric mixer whisk on medium high speed until the mixture forms stiff white peaks. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy and completely cool. About 10 minutes. 

3. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, scrape the sides of bow. Continue beating for another 2 minutes until the air bubbles are gone. Add the blueberry syrup and fold in gently with a spatula.

4. Put buttercream in a pastry bag and pipe on each cake with a swirl.  Store in an airtight container. Any extra frosting can be kept in the refrigerator,