Beautifully elegant and utterly delicious chocolate raspberry cupcakes! Soft, light and airy cupcake base, flavoured with concentrated raspberry juice and a hidden raspberry jam centre, topped with swirls of luscious chocolate buttercream.
Easy and quick to make, these pretty cupcakes taste just as good as they look, if not better!
Whether you're looking for a little treat to spoil your loved one on Valentine's or an easy bake for an every day celebration, or any time of the year, these raspberry and chocolate cupcakes will be a great choice!
This cupcake recipe is similar to my Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes, but we are infusing the cake batter with raspberry reduction (concentrated raspberry juice). This turns the sponge not only into this beautiful, bright pink colour, but also gives the cupcakes incredible raspberry flavour.
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Ingredients
Let's look at the ingredients you will need to make these easy chocolate and raspberry cupcakes:
- Raspberries - Fresh or frozen raspberries are used to make raspberry reduction. Making the reduction will concentrate the raspberry flavour and will add that lovely pink colour to the cake batter.
- Sugar - I typically use white caster sugar, as it's really fine and easy to combine. Granulated sugar or golden caster sugar will also work well.
- Eggs - Use large eggs at room temperature.
- Butter - Unsalted butter at room temperature. You will need some for the cupcakes as well as for the buttercream. Salted butter is also fine to use, just don't add any extra salt to the cupcake butter.
- Vanilla - Vanilla extract to add more flavour.
- Self raising flour - This type of flour is ideal when baking cakes and sponges. It already has raising agents mixed in. You can use plain flour (all purpose flour) instead (see recipe card for details).
- Baking powder - To give cupcakes an extra lift.
- Raspberry jam - To fill the cupcakes with.
- Icing sugar (powdered sugar) - For the chocolate buttercream.
- Cocoa powder - Also for the buttercream. Use unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Dark chocolate - To make the buttercream extra chocolatey.
- Optional: Pink food colouring, Freeze dried raspberries, chocolate hearts.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add small amount of pink food colouring to the cake batter (about ½ teaspoon) to intensify the colour. Gel food colouring works best, as it is more concentrated, but you can also use red berry powder or beetroot powder instead of the food colouring.
- Swap self raising flour for plain, all purpose flour instead, but add extra baking powder to it. Check the recipe notes for details.
- If you don't have cocoa powder on hand, you can skip it from the buttercream ingredients. Melted chocolate alone with butter and icing sugar will do the work.
- Use your favourite sprinkles instead of freeze dried raspberries. You can also swap them for some cocoa nibs, or chocolate curls or shavings. The little chocolate hearts that I used are from Dr Oetker (they can be found in baking isle in most supermarkets). Or why not use fresh raspberries instead? Fresh raspberry on top of each cupcake will look just as beautiful and elegant!
- Swap the chocolate buttercream for raspberry frosting (mix the same amount of butter and icing/ powdered sugar, but add 1-2 tablespoon of raspberry reduction instead of cocoa and chocolate). Or try cream cheese frosting from my Chocolate Orange Cupcakes recipe instead.
- For a gluten-free version of similar raspberry cupcakes, check out these Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes.
Instructions
Step 1. Cream the room temperature butter and the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and raspberry reduction.
Step 2. Combine the mixture with the dry ingredients and fold until you have smooth, thick batter.
Step 3. Divide the batter between cupcake cases, filling each case no more than ⅔ full. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes.
Step 4. Cool the cupcakes for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 5. Make a hole in the middle of each cupcake and fill it with raspberry jam.
Step 6. Top each cupcake with chocolate buttercream and add any other decorations of your choice.
Storage
Store these chocolate raspberry cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Alternatively, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring the cupcakes to room temperature before serving.
Plain cupcakes (without the raspberry jam filling, or chocolate buttercream) can be frozen for up to 2 months. To freeze, wrap each cake individually in a double layer of clingfilm/ plastic wrap and freeze. Thaw overnight at room temperature.
Chocolate buttercream is also suitable for freezing for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temperature and re-whip using an electric mixer.
Top Tips
- Allow your raspberry cupcakes to cool completely, before adding the jam filling and the chocolate buttercream. If they're still warm, your buttercream will turn into a puddle of mess!
- If the cupcakes baked with domed tops, but you want them to be flat, use a small serrated knife, and cut a bit off creating a flatter surface.
- After beating your chocolate buttercream, mix it at the end with a spatula. This will help to get rid of air bubbles, and make it look beautifully smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
To achieve light and fluffy texture, ensure to cream the butter and sugar thoroughly. Beat it until the mixture turns much lighter in colour and increased in volume. Also, avoid over-mixing the cake batter. When combining wet and dry ingredients together, mix until JUST combined and no more streaks of flour remain.
To make these cupcakes vegan, swap butter for dairy-free alternative and use vegan egg replacer powder in place of eggs (they are widely available in most supermarkets or online). Make sure the chocolate is dairy free and the jam is free from gelling agents.
Absolutely! Grab a glass that fits snugly into your cupcake baking tin. Cut squares from the baking paper (roughly about 15cm big), then press the square of baking parchment around the bottom of the glass to shape it to a size that fits in the tin.
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and tag @anna_wierzbinska on Instagram!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-hole cupcake baking tin
- cupcake liners
- hand-held electric mixer or freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment
- Piping bag
- piping nozzle
Ingredients
For the raspberry cupcakes:
- 200 g raspberries fresh or frozen
- 180 g butter softened
- 180 g sugar caster or granulated
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon pink gel food colouring optional
- 180 g self-raising flour see notes for alternative
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon raspberry jam
For the chocolate buttercream:
- 150 g dark chocolate chopped
- 300 g butter softened
- 200 g icing sugar
- 50 g cocoa
For decoration (optional):
- 2 tablespoon freeze dried raspberries
- 12 small chocolate hearts
Instructions
To make raspberry cupcakes:
- Make the raspberry reduction. Place fresh or frozen raspberries in a small saucepan over a medium heat, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the raspberries have released their juices. Remove from the heat. Push the raspberries through the sieve, discarding the seeds and the skins. Return the raspberry juice into the saucepan and cook for further 5 minutes (it will thicken and reduce in volume). You should get about 4-5 tablespoon of raspberry reduction. Set aside to cool.200 g raspberries
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Line a 12-hole cupcake baking tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Using a handheld electric mixer, or a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar together, until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.180 g butter, 180 g sugar
- Combine all the wet ingredients. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and scraping the bottom and the sides of the bowl as and when needed. Add the vanilla and raspberry reduction, and mix to combine. If you want the colour of the cupcakes to be more intense, add a little food colouring to it.3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon pink gel food colouring
- Fold the dry ingredients. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, and mix again to combine, until you have smooth, thick batter. Divide the batter between cupcake cases, filling each no more than ⅔ full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely.180 g self-raising flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
To make chocolate buttercream:
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and melt (you can also use microwave). Make sure the bowl doesn't come to touch with the water, otherwise the chocolate may cease. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and set aside, allowing it to cool.150 g dark chocolate
- Using a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the icing sugar, in two additions, and mix on low speed, until combined. Add the cocoa powder and mix again on low speed.300 g butter, 200 g icing sugar, 50 g cocoa
- Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium, and pour in the cooled, melted chocolate. Beat for another minute or two, until you have smooth, fluffy and thick buttercream.
Assemble the cupcakes:
- When ready to assemble the cupcakes, scoop out a small hole in the middle of each cupcake, and fill with about ½ tablespoon of raspberry jam.6 tablespoon raspberry jam
- Pipe the chocolate buttercream in swirls into each cupcake. Sprinkle with freeze dried raspberries and decorate with chocolate hearts (optional). Enjoy!2 tablespoon freeze dried raspberries, 12 small chocolate hearts
Please note that all my recipes are developed and tested in metric grams. I recommend that you use digital scales for a more accurate results. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
Laura Arteaga says
I tried this recipe so I would be ready for Valentine's and wow! It was perfect. Easy to follow, and the taste was delicious.
Cathleen says
These cupcakes look fantastic! I am saving this recipe to make for Valentine's day, thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Amy Liu Dong says
This cupcake recipe is a keeper! The cupcakes are delicious and easy to make, and the raspberries add a burst of freshness. A perfect treat to make for any occasion.
DK Park says
This cupcake recipe is what i've been looking for, it is easy to follow. The combination of flavors are awesome and will definitely enjoy making and eating it!
Mikayla says
I made these for my grandma for her birthday and she LOVED them so much two of her favorites are chocolate and raspberry.