Remember last fall, when I posted about the best Oreo cupcakes ever?

Well, the famous cupcakes are back and better than ever! This time, with a seasonal twist.

Introducing the new, delicious and irresistible summertime favourite…

Chocolate & Berry Buttercream Cupcakes.

Perfection.

Just a reminder, but the cake recipe is dairy and egg-free (which means vegan, I think).

Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes
Adapted from Canadian Living

3 all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 cups water
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp cider vinegar

No mixer required! In a big bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk in water, oil, vanilla and vinegar. Spoon into paper-lined or greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick comes out clean – about 24 minutes.

Berry Buttercream Icing
Adapted from Canadian Living

3/4 cup butter
3 cups icing sugar
1/8 cup whipping cream (or milk)
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup blackberry jam (or use 1/8 cup seedless raspberry jam and 1/8 blackberry jam, like I did)

Beat butter until smooth and then gradually add icing sugar and then cream. Beat in vanilla. Gently stir in blackberry jam.

This recipe can easily be used with other types of jam – but beware of seeds! They’re not nice in icing. These were a big hit at our most recent book club meeting – they were all gone! The only problem is the icing can get running when warm… so keep these babies in the fridge as long as you can!