Description
These Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes are rich and moist with a deep chocolate flavor, topped with silky chocolate ganache and a tangy raspberry-cream cheese frosting. The natural pink hue and fresh berry garnish make them perfect for elegant celebrations or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup boiling water
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (for ganache)
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream (for ganache)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3½ to 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3–4 tablespoons raspberry puree (from ~½ cup raspberries)
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (for frosting)
- 15 fresh raspberries (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with 15 cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, combine butter, chopped chocolate, and cocoa powder. Pour boiling water over the mixture, cover, and let sit for 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
- Add buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ full and bake for 17–20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cupcakes in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat cream until just simmering and pour over chocolate. Cover and let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Let cool to room temp until slightly thickened but still pourable.
- Make frosting: Puree raspberries and strain to remove seeds. In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in vanilla and raspberry puree. Beat until fluffy. Adjust consistency as needed.
- Once cupcakes are cool, spoon 1–2 teaspoons of ganache onto each cupcake and spread evenly.
- Pipe raspberry frosting on top of the ganache using a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip.
- Optionally drizzle remaining ganache over frosting and top each cupcake with a fresh raspberry.
Notes
- Use thawed frozen raspberries if fresh are unavailable — strain excess liquid before pureeing.
- To make your own buttermilk, add ½ tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to ½ cup milk and let sit 5 minutes.
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 2 months; thaw before decorating.
- Skip ganache if pressed for time — cupcakes still taste great with just frosting.
- Frosting consistency depends on puree moisture — adjust powdered sugar or puree to get desired thickness.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
