Easy Labor Day Vanilla Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Happy Monday Ya'll!!  I can't believe we will be in September the end of this week.  Summer went by way too fast, as always!  I wanted to share a recipe that I make that you can easily do yourself and bring to whatever Labor Day celebrations you may partake in.  People will think you slaved over this recipe, it is that good! (If I do say so myself).  Don't worry, the pumpkin recipes are just around the corner!

I love to make sweets and such from scratch,  there is always something therapeutic to me rolling out the dough and crimping pie crusts.  But sometimes, there isn't time.  Today is one of those times.  

Here is what you will need for this recipe.

One box of vanilla cake/cupcake mix (you'll need eggs, vegetable oil & water)

Fresh blueberries

1 cup of butter (room temp)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Zest of one lemon

2 teaspoons vanilla

3-4 cups of powdered sugar

Heavy cream (1-2 tablespoons, if needed)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

First, let's make the cupcakes based on the directions on the box, easy peasy!!  

 

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full.  

Take the blueberries and mix them in a bowl with 1-2 teaspoons of flour.  You want them to be lightly coated, this will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes so you get one in each glorious bite. Plus, you won't even know the flour is in there.

Take about 5-6 berries and push into each cupcake.  I didn't push mine in as far as I should have just to show you that they won't sink. I made a few plain ones for my hubby as he is not a fan of fruit in cake, crazy, I know.

Put them in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 325 degrees and cook for 15-17 minutes until golden brown and fluffy.  I always check at 15 with a toothpick in the center.  If it comes out clean, they are done and don't need the extra 2 minutes.

While they are cooling, let's get the frosting started.

In a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and cream the butter for 5 minutes on medium.  Add in the vanilla, lemon juice and zest and mix for about another minute on medium.  Take the powdered sugar and add into the frosting slowly, one cup at a time until desired consistency is reached.  You may not need it all and if it does get too thick, then add in the heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time.  Go ahead, taste it, it's soooooo good!!

Now layer it on the cupcakes and Voila!!

The blueberries and the lemons and vanilla all compliment each other so well.  This is a hit!

What is your favorite kind of cupcake?

Let me know if you end up making these and how they turned out!

Have a great day!!

Top Beauty Myths Quashed!

Happy Monday Ya'll!!

Do you have at home remedies and passed down secrets from your mama and grandma?  Or maybe things your friends swear by? Most of us do. We also were told things as children that might not have been 100% true, too.  Like, "Your face will freeze like that" :) Today I thought I would shed some light on some old wives tales, momisms and beauty myths!

1. Chocolate causes pimples
Not washing your face, getting your period and other stressing factors will cause breakouts but there is no scientific evidence to support that eating a Hershey bar will give you a mountain on your face!  In fact, dark chocolate is actually full of anti oxidants which are good for you!  So go ahead and eat the candy bar :)

2. Brushing your hair 100 times before bed will make it grow (i.e. Marsha Brady)
I actually remember my Nany and I talking about this one night.  Back in the day it was thought that by brushing your hair and pulling the oils down from your scalp to the ends it would help it to grow.  Nowadays, if you have oily hair it is best not to brush it that often because of breakage and all that bad stuff.  Genetics and extensions are the only things guaranteed to make your hair longer :)

3. Sliced cool cucumbers treat puffy eyes
This glorious little gem of a secret is 100% true!  You can also use tea bags (cooled down, of course) to reduce puffiness.  It may not work after watching The Notebook though :)

4. Toothpaste gets rid of zits
I don't know why we as young girls were ever told about this.  Sure, most toothpaste has menthol in it which is a drying agent and can help dry out zits in a pinch.  But toothpaste is for teeth and not for skin so you can end up irritating your skin and causing the zit to stay around much longer than leaving it alone or using tea tree oil (see below).

5. Tea tree oil gets rid of zits
Okay, this is more of a modern idea than an old wives tale but this method of clearing zits is actually true, just make sure your product contains at least 10% of tea tree oil to actually be effective or use tea tree oil itself but diluted with either aloe vera gel or water.  It is potent stuff!

6. Vaseline makes your eyelashes grow
Hmmmmm, vaseline makes your eyelashes grow.  Doesn't that just sound weird to you? The moisturizer may help dry, brittle lashes get stronger but there is no proof that this is actually a true method of making them grow longer.  This can however give you whiteheads on your eyelids from blockage and cause puffiness of the eyes, so use at your own risk.

7. Hot water opens pores and cold water closes them
This one hurt for me to realize was a myth.  I liked the idea of thinking I was steaming my pores open, cleaning them out and then slamming them shut with a cold splash to the face.  But pores are not muscles that can open and close.  Steaming them can help loosen the gunk in them (now you know what sebum is) and cold water can help tighten your face but that's about it.  So no, ice cubes don't shrink your pores either :( It is an overall good idea to wash your face with lukewarm water.

8. You can use baby powder as dry shampoo
This is true! It absorbs the oil on your scalp which is essentially what dry shampoo is doing but I recommend cornstarch instead.  It can be messy though and I suggest adding a touch of cocoa powder if you have dark hair.  Make sure to brush out thoroughly.

9. Mayo makes your hair shinier
This is true.  I actually used to do this one all the time.  And I don't even eat mayo, bleck....I would glob it all on my hair and wrap it in saran and put a towel over my head.  But nowadays there are so many products out there that will help you achieve shine much easier :)

10. Pump your mascara to get all the product out
No, no, no.  This gets air in the tube and can breed bacteria.  Gently twist and pull the wand out. You can use some saline solution or aloe added to the wand to get down to the last drop :)
 
11. Using the same shampoo all the time is less effective on your hair
Negativo (I think that's a word).  It will always have the same effect, all the time.  Don't let the hair care industry get in your head :) If your shampoo seems less effective, it could be that product overload or buildup on your hair is to blame.

12. Spray perfume in the hair and then walk into it
This one is great.  I mean, maybe we did this because we thought it would not be as strong? Well, if you are using expensive perfume, this is a big no no.  If it is only landing on your clothes, then it is evaporating before that guy you have a crush on can even smell it.  Perfume should always be applied on your pulse points to last the longest :)

I hope these were helpful to you :)

What are your favorite beauty myths?

Let me know in the comments below!!

Have a great day!