Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

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Moist chocolate cupcakes are filled with a tart raspberry filling and topped with sweet raspberry buttercream in these Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes. They’re topped off with a drizzle of chocolate ganache and a raspberry for a decadent and beautiful treat!

I’m totally loving these lovely little cupcakes. So pretty! So tasty! How can you go wrong? And since my Raspberry Chocolate Cake is a popular cake that’s well-loved, I figured it was time to have a cupcake version. It’s a little different than the cake, but uses the same filling and another delicious chocolate cupcake recipe. These cupcakes also feature a raspberry frosting, instead of chocolate, and I just love the pop of pink color it adds.

Why You’ll Love These Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

• Sweet & tart flavor. These raspberry chocolate cupcakes are AMAZING! The flavor is perfect. The raspberry filling has just enough tartness to compliment the sweet chocolate cupcakes and buttercream.
• Super moist. The cupcakes are crazy moist and so easy to put together. They are actually modified from my zucchini chocolate cake, which I fell in love with. Such an awesome chocolate cake recipe and these cupcakes are just as good.
• The frosting! Each of these chocolate raspberry cupcakes is finished with a generous amount of raspberry buttercream frosting. The raspberry filling is also used to flavor the buttercream, so the flavors are perfect together and there are no extra steps to create flavoring for the buttercream. It’s so good!
• Pretty and festive. The chocolate drizzle and raspberry on top finishes these cupcakes perfectly. They are so lovely and the pink color would make them perfect for Valentine’s Day or any occasion with pink.

Ingredient Notes

Each part of this raspberry chocolate cupcake recipe is made with just a few ingredients and several things are repeated. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.

• Cornstarch – This thickens the raspberry filling. While you don’t need to boil the filling, keep in mind that if it does boil, you won’t want to boil it for more than a minute or the cornstarch can break down and won’t thicken the filling properly.
• Raspberries – I used fresh raspberries, but frozen would also work. Just thaw them and remove the excess water.
• All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure the flour correctly to avoid overly dense or dry cupcakes. I always recommend a food scale to be precise and get the best results.
• Cocoa powder – I used natural unsweetened cocoa powder. You could use dark or Dutch-process cocoa powder, but the cupcakes don’t rise quite as much, so you’d need to fill them a bit more and you’d get 1 or 2 fewer cupcakes.
• Unsalted butter and Vegetable oil – The combination gives you the best combination of flavor, moisture and texture.
• Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
• Milk – I use 2% but whole milk works too.
• Hot water – This helps to “bloom” the cocoa powder, so you get the full chocolate flavor. You can also use hot coffee. It won’t add a coffee taste to the cupcakes but rather enhances the chocolate flavor.
• Powdered sugar – While it certainly sweetens the buttercream, it also adds volume and stability. You could use less, but keep in mind you’ll get less buttercream and it won’t hold shape quite as well.
• Chocolate ganache – An optional topping but it makes for a pretty presentation and more chocolate is always good. You only need half of my chocolate ganache recipe for this.

How To Make Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

Don’t be intimidated by the length of the instructions. Each part is very straightforward to make. Just leave time for the cupcakes to cool before decorating. You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.

Make the Raspberry Filling

• Make the sugar mixture. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and water over medium high. Cook until the mixture is wet and the sugar begins to melt.
• Cook the raspberries. Add the raspberries. Cook until they soften and begin to let out juices. Mash the raspberries and continue cooking until it has thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
• Cool. Remove from the heat. Strain to remove the seeds (if desired, optional). Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate to cool.

Make the Cupcakes

• Prep. Line the cupcake pan with liners. Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Make the batter. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla until combined. Add the egg, mixing to combine, followed by the milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in the hot water.

• Bake. Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, filling each a bit more than halfway. Bake for 14-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make the Buttercream

• Beat the butter and sugar. Beat the butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add about half of the powdered sugar, beating until well combined and smooth.
• Add the raspberry filling. Add the raspberry filling and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth then add the remaining powdered sugar. Add more raspberry filling as needed to get the right flavor and consistency.

Finish Off Cupcakes

• Fill the cupcakes. Use a cupcake corer to remove the centers from the cooled cupcakes. Fill each one with a tablespoon of filling.
• Decorate. Pipe the buttercream on top of the cupcakes. (I used Ateco tip 847.) Drizzle the ganache over the buttercream if using and finish with a raspberry on top.

Pro Tips for the Best Cupcakes

• Avoid overcooking the raspberry filling. The raspberry filling comes together easily. Just be sure to cook it until it starts to thicken, but keep in mind you don’t need to boil it. If it does boil, don’t boil for longer than 1 minute or the cornstarch can begin to break down, rather than thicken the mixture.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until everything is well incorporated. There’s no need to keep mixing and mixing!
• Use HOT water. Adding hot water really does make a difference. It helps the cocoa powder “bloom” which results in a deeper, richer chocolate flavor. Using hot coffee instead of water intensifies the flavor even more.
• Don’t overfill the liners. Fill each cupcake liner just over halfway. This ensures that the cupcakes bake above the liner but don’t completely overflow onto each other.
• Don’t overbake. The key to moist cupcakes is to bake them just long enough. 14-17 minutes is just perfect for these. I recommend checking them with a toothpick inserted in the center at 14 minutes. If it comes out without wet crumbs, you’re good to go!
• Let the cupcakes cool completely. I often make the cupcakes a day ahead of when I plan to decorate them or bake them in the morning to decorate at night. They need to cool completely before removing the center and adding the frosting.

Proper Storage

• Fridge. These chocolate raspberry cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. However, they are best when served at room temperature since the buttercream will get quite firm when cold. I like to pull them from the fridge about an hour before enjoying them. They are best if eaten within 4-5 days.
• Freezer. These cupcakes can also be frozen, frosted or unfrosted. Allow them to cool completely then freeze in an airtight container. You can also flash-freeze them on a baking sheet and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap once they’re solid. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before enjoying.

More Cupcakes Recipes To Try

• Chocolate Cupcakes
• Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
• Strawberry Sundae Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Nutella Cupcakes

Watch How To Make Them

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