Blueberry cheesecake crumble cupcakes

Lately, I’ve been very enthusiastic about hybrid desserts, not only because I’m terribly indecisive and greedy, but also because blending classics is such a creative way of developing new recipes.

Today’s dessert is a hybrid between a blueberry cheesecake, a fruit cobbler (or crumble for my British readers) and a classic cupcake. The airy light sponge is threaded with blueberries, then crowned with a vanilla cream cheese frosting that surrounds a pool of jammy blueberry compote. On top sits an entirely optional, though really rather essential, pecan crumble. Imagine a a cheesecake crust crossed with a pecan cobbler topping - sweet and salty gorgeousness.

Although this combination of elements may sound rather fiddly, au contraire, this is actually a deeply pleasurable recipe to make and not at all daunting. There is something rather lovely about building it layer by layer, from the jammy compote to the vanilla frosting, finishing with the final flourish of sweet and salty crumble.

The cupcakes keep wonderfully in the refrigerator overnight and therefore make a splendid choice for birthday parties, summer barbecues or any occasion where you want an impressive dessert ready and waiting.

Side note: the trays/baking tins you see pictured are super useful and incredibly durable. You can find them here. My plates and knifes are all antique/vintage/thrifted.

The sponge: This recipe uses the reverse-creaming method, where the butter is rubbed into the dry ingredients before the liquids are added. It produces an exceptionally soft, tender, almost velvety crumb that stays moist for days.

The blueberries: Tossing the berries in flour helps prevent them from sinking, though a few inevitably will. I rather like this, as it creates little pockets of jammy fruit throughout the sponge.

The compote: For those who prefer a shortcut, a high-quality store-bought jam works perfectly well.