Blackberry Bourbon Cupcakes

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Combine dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder and salt. Sift well and set aside.
3. Place butter and sugar in mixer. Mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until combined and smooth, fluffy.
4. Mix egg whites and milk in a bowl. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
5. Slowly mixing butter/sugar combination in mixer, add 1/3 dry ingredients that were sifted together.
6. Slowly add milk/egg mixture in 2-3 batches. Ensure mixed well before adding more.
7. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Scrape bowl sides and mix for a few more seconds.
8. Fold in part of the blackberry glaze (below). I prefer to not mix this very well, leaving patches of puree in mix.
9. Fill cupcake liner with mixture halfway, bake for 15-20 mins. Remove and let cool completely.
10. Blackberry glaze: Mix blackberries, sugar and lemon juice and zest in small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until berries start to burst. Remove from heat and cool.
11. Push mixture through strainer/sieve with spatula to remove seeds.
12. Vanilla bean frosting: Combine flour and milk in saucepan over medium heat.
13. Stir constantly until reduced and thick. Look for a paste-like consistency. Stop when you can see the bottom of the pan remain when stirring through mixture.
14. Remove and cool (okay to refrigerate and stir to speed up)
15. Cream butter and vanilla sugar 2-3 mins until creamed and fluffy.
16. Add flour mixture and mix at medium/medium high speed until mixed thoroughly.
17. Mix in vanilla extract and bourbon/whiskey.
18. Pipe frosting on cupcakes, decorate with additional blackberry glaze and whole blackberry.