Olive Oil Cupcakes With Black Currant (Printable)

Light, moist cupcakes made with olive oil and topped with tangy black currant cream cheese frosting.

# What You 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

# Steps:

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. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Gradually whisk extra virgin olive oil into the egg mixture until smooth and fully combined.
05 - Stir in milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest if using until well blended.
06 - Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
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 into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.
10 - Add powdered sugar gradually to the butter mixture, beating until light and fluffy.
11 - Mix in black currant jam, lemon juice, and salt, beating until fully incorporated and frosting reaches a light, spreadable consistency.
12 - Once cupcakes have cooled completely, 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 tasting heavy or greasy.
  • Black currant frosting tastes fancy enough for a dinner party but comes together in minutes with cream cheese.
  • They're sophisticated enough to serve at afternoon tea yet approachable enough for weeknight baking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step—frosting warm cupcakes will melt it into an oily mess, so patience here actually tastes better.
  • Black currant jam has seeds and texture that make the frosting more interesting, but if you want silky smoothness, strain it through a fine mesh sieve before folding it in.
03 -
  • Use a spring-loaded ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly—it ensures every cupcake bakes at the same rate and looks identical on the plate.
  • If your frosting seems too soft, refrigerate it for ten minutes before frosting; if it's too stiff, let it sit at room temperature and it will soften naturally without breaking.
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