Description
Treat yourself to tender chocolate cupcakes with a warm raspberry core and a bright raspberry buttercream. Same great idea, all-new wording.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or swap a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (use pure cocoa, not hot cocoa)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (kosher salt gives a cleaner flavor)
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened (use plant-based spread for dairy-free)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (or a preferred sweetener)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (flax “eggs” work for vegan)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1 tsp lemon juice as a substitute)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tablespoon raspberry jam or preserves (for the molten center)
- Fresh raspberries, about 1/2 cup, for decorating
Raspberry Buttercream
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened (or non-dairy alternative)
- 2 cups powdered (confectioners’) sugar, sifted
- 1/3 cup raspberry purée (blend fresh or thawed frozen raspberries)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in a bowl so the dry ingredients are evenly combined.
- In a larger bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
- Add the dry mix and the buttermilk to the butter mixture in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour in the boiling water slowly and stir until the batter is smooth — it will be somewhat thin, which is expected.
- Spoon batter into the prepared liners until each is about halfway full. Drop roughly 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam into the center of each cup, then cover the jam with a little more batter so each liner is about three-quarters filled.
- Bake 18–22 minutes, testing doneness by inserting a toothpick into the edge of a cupcake; it should come out clean or with only moist crumbs (avoid poking the exact center so the molten pocket stays intact). Remove the pan and cool cupcakes on a rack.
- Meanwhile, make the buttercream: beat the softened butter until creamy, then add powdered sugar a cup at a time. Blend in the raspberry purée, vanilla and a pinch of salt until the frosting is smooth and pipeable. Adjust thickness with more sugar or a splash of milk if needed.
- Once the cupcakes have fully cooled, frost them with the raspberry buttercream and top each with a fresh raspberry (and optional chocolate shavings).
Notes
- Bring eggs and dairy to room temperature for a smoother, more even batter.
- Preserves make the best molten centers; fresh raspberries tend to become watery when baked.
- Avoid overmixing after adding flour to keep the crumb tender.
- Cool completely before piping buttercream to prevent it from sliding off.
- For a dairy-free version, use non-dairy butter and plant milk; for gluten-free, use a tested 1:1 flour blend.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1cupcake
- Calories: 250kcal
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 40mg