Red, White and Blueberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• 1 box red velvet cake mix (I used Duncan Hines today)
• 4 eggs
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 packet instant pudding (red velvet or chocolate)
• 1 cup buttermilk (4 tablespoons buttermilk powder in 1 cup water)
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• Blueberry Cream Cheese Filling
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons blueberry preserve
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• .5 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• fresh blueberries to garnish

Instructions

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rinse the blueberries.
3. Grab 3 mixing bowls.
4. Mixing bowl #1: Prepare your cake batter. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to blend 1 box red velvet cake mix, 4 eggs, 5 tablespoons butter, 1 packet instant pudding), 1 cup buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon white vinegar. The batter will be somewhat thick.
5. Mixing bowl #2: Prepare the blueberry cream cheese filling. Use your hand mixer to blend the 8 ounces cream cheese, 3 tablespoons blueberry preserve and 3 tablespoons sugar until creamy.
6. Prepare your muffin trays with cupcake liners. I used white and a red and white polka dot pattern. Pick something festive or simple.
7. Fill each cupcake liner half way with red velvet batter.
8. Use a spoon to put a dab of cream cheese filling on top and centered.
9. Bake 17-19 minutes.
10. Place on baking rack to cool. ( you may also place in fridge if you want the cream cheese layer set up)
11. Mixing bowl #3: Prepare the cream cheese frosting. Use the hand mixer to blend 8 ounces of cream cheese and .5 cup butter until creamy. Add vanilla extract and 1 cup at a time of confectioners sugar. Blend and add the confectioners sugar slowly until at a nice, creamy, thick consistency.
12. Frost each cupcake.
13. Garnish with fresh blueberries.
14. Serve.