Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

The soft and moist chocolate raspberry cupcakes are packed with a fresh raspberry filling and topped with raspberry buttercream. Plus they can easily be made gluten-free or dairy-free.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Low Lactose, Vegetarian

Prep Time 50

Bake 25

Total Time 1 15

Servings cupcakes

Calories 364

Author Gabby Kislanko

Equipment

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
½ cup water, hot
½ cup sunflower or canola oil (or other neutral oil)
¼ cup milk (regular or dairy free)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Raspberry Filling

2¼ cup fresh raspberries, washed and fully dried (or frozen - do not thaw first)
4½ Tablespoons granulated sugar
¾ teaspoons lemon juice
1½ Tablespoons cornstarch
1½ Tablespoons water

Raspberry Frosting

¾ cup butter, softened (regular or dairy free)
1½ cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
¾ cup freeze dried raspberries, ground up into a powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit and line a cupcake tin with 12 liners.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda together.
Add in the egg, vanilla extract, oil, milk, and hot water, then mix until the cupcake batter is smooth.
Pour the cupcake batter into the liners, filling up to 2/3 full and bake for 11-15 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.
Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool on a wire cooling rack while you make the filling and the buttercream.

Raspberry Filling

If using fresh raspberries, wash and pat dry to remove any extra moisture or water. If using frozen raspberries, do not thaw - use directly from frozen.
Add raspberries, cornstarch, water, lemon juice, and sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture while mashing the raspberries. Stir until combined.
Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring every so often. Let it boil for 4-5 minutes, or until it thickens. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Raspberry Buttercream

Add the freeze dried raspberries to a small blender and grind them up into a fine powder.
Add butter, powdered sugar, and the ground up freeze dried raspberries to a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. If it's too thick, add a couple teaspoons of your milk of choice until your desired consistency is reached.

Assembling the Cupcakes

Once the cupcakes have cooled completed, use a cupcake corer or a small pairing knife to core the middle of the cupcakes (around ¾"), being careful not to cut down to the bottom of the cupcake so the filling doesn't come out of the bottom! See photos in the post above for reference.
Fill each cupcake almost to the top with raspberry filling, then cover with the top piece of the cored cupcake to seal.
Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the cupcakes and enjoy!

Notes

Note: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. Metric measurements are found above under the "Metric" tab.

Cocoa Powder: I recommend using dutch processed cocoa powder, but you can use natural if that's what you have.

Measuring Flour and Cocoa Powder: Either measure your flour using a kitchen scale or use the proper scoop and level method: fluff the flour in the bag/container with a fork then use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup, then run the back of a knife along the top of the cup to even it out. Do the same for the cocoa powder.

Storage and Freezing: Once the cupcakes are frosted, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can place any leftover buttercream in the fridge or freezer.

Freezing: Let cool completely, then wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and place in a large freezer bag or container. Store in the freezer in a spot where they won't get squished. Use within 2-3 months. Let thaw at room temperature completely before frosting.

Nutrition