Olive Oil Cupcakes Black Currant (Printable View)

Light olive oil cupcakes with tangy black currant cream cheese frosting—an elegant European dessert

# What You'll Need:

→ Olive Oil Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 1 lemon, optional

→ Black Currant Frosting

11 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1/4 cup black currant jam or puree
15 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
16 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Gradually whisk olive oil into the egg mixture until smooth and fully combined.
05 - Stir in milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest if using.
06 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
07 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
08 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.
10 - Beat softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.
11 - Add powdered sugar gradually, beating until frosting becomes fluffy.
12 - Mix in black currant jam, lemon juice, and salt. Beat until fully incorporated and spreadable.
13 - Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost generously with black currant frosting. Garnish with additional black currants or lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The olive oil keeps these cupcakes impossibly moist for days without any heavy, dense crumb.
  • That black currant frosting tastes like something from a fancy bakery but comes together in under five minutes.
  • They're sophisticated enough for afternoon tea with your mother-in-law but casual enough for a weeknight craving.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional—they blend together smoothly, creating a unified batter instead of a separated, greasy mess.
  • The moment you fold in the dry ingredients, stop immediately even if it looks slightly rough; overmixing is the number one reason cupcakes become dense and tough instead of tender.
  • Black currant jam can be surprisingly sweet, so taste the frosting as you go and adjust with a touch more lemon juice if it feels cloying.
03 -
  • Invest in a quality extra virgin olive oil—it's the star of these cupcakes, and a thin, mediocre oil will make them taste flat.
  • If your frosting looks slightly grainy, it means your butter or cream cheese wasn't soft enough; gently warm the bowl over steam for a few seconds while beating, and it'll smooth right out.
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