Sweet & Tangy Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes Recipe – Irresistible Treat

Rich chocolate raspberry cupcakes blend decadent flavors that dance across your palate with irresistible complexity.

Sweet-tart berries mingle seamlessly with deep cocoa notes, creating a sophisticated dessert experience.

Soft, moist cake layers promise an elegant texture that melts effortlessly on your tongue.

Intense chocolate undertones complement the bright, vibrant raspberry essence in each carefully crafted bite.

These cupcakes represent more than just a simple treat—they embody culinary artistry and passionate baking.

Delicate ingredients convert into a harmonious symphony of taste that beckons dessert lovers.

Indulgent and refined, this recipe will elevate your baking skills and impress even the most discerning palates.

Why Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes Hit the Sweet Spot

• Decadent Flavor Fusion: Chocolate and raspberry create a luxurious taste sensation that dances between rich cocoa depth and bright fruity tartness, making each bite a delightful flavor adventure.
• Textural Symphony: Soft chocolate cupcake meets silky ganache and fluffy buttercream, delivering multiple layers of contrasting textures that keep your palate intrigued and excited with every mouthful.
• Gourmet Yet Approachable: The recipe combines professional-level techniques like ganache and buttercream with straightforward steps, allowing home bakers to craft bakery-quality cupcakes without intimidating complexity.
• Elegant Dessert Experience: Perfect for special occasions like Valentine's Day, bridal showers, or intimate gatherings where you want to impress guests with a stunning and delicious homemade treat that looks professionally crafted.

What Goes into Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

• All-Purpose Flour: A key base for the cupcake structure, providing essential texture and stability.
• Cocoa Powder: Rich, deep chocolate flavor that gives the cupcakes their intense chocolate taste.
• Baking Powder, Baking Soda: Essential leavening agents that help the cupcakes rise and become light.
• Espresso Powder: Enhances the chocolate flavor with subtle coffee undertones.
• Salt: Balances and intensifies other flavors in the cupcake.

• Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create a tender crumb.
• Butter: Adds richness and creates a smooth, creamy texture.
• Eggs, Egg Yolk: Provide structure, moisture, and help bind the ingredients.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, classic flavor to complement the chocolate.
• Milk, Sour Cream: Contribute moisture and create a tender, soft cupcake texture.

• Heavy Cream: Creates a smooth, rich base for the chocolate ganache.
• Chocolate (Chopped): Provides the rich, intense chocolate flavor for the ganache.
• Raspberry Preserves: Adds tangy, fruity flavor to both ganache and buttercream.
• Powdered Sugar: Creates a smooth, sweet buttercream frosting.
• Freeze-Dried Raspberries: Adds intense raspberry flavor and natural color to the buttercream.
• Fresh Raspberry: Serves as a beautiful, fresh garnish for the finished cupcake.

Making Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes from Scratch

Step 1: Prepare Oven and Cupcake Pan

Warm up the oven to 350°F. Arrange 12 cupcake liners in the pan.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Cocoa powder
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Espresso powder

Sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

Step 3: Create Butter Mixture

Blend granulated sugar and softened butter until creamy. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Gently fold in milk and sour cream. Slowly incorporate dry ingredient mixture until just combined.

Step 5: Bake Cupcake Base

Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for 17-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 6: Cool Cupcake Base

Let cupcakes rest in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack until completely cool.

Step 7: Craft Chocolate Raspberry Ganache

• Heavy cream
• Chopped chocolate
• Raspberry preserves

Heat cream until steaming. Pour over chocolate, wait 2 minutes. Stir smoothly. Mix in raspberry preserves. Let cool 15 minutes.

Step 8: Whip Raspberry Buttercream

• Butter
• Salt
• Powdered sugar
• Ground freeze-dried raspberries
• Raspberry preserves
• Vanilla extract

Beat butter and salt until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar. Blend in raspberries, preserves, and vanilla.

Step 9: Assemble Cupcakes

Core center of each cupcake. Fill with chocolate ganache. Pipe raspberry buttercream on top. Garnish with fresh raspberry.

Pro Baking Tips for Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

• Sift Dry Ingredients Thoroughly: Prevent lumps by carefully sifting cocoa powder and flour, ensuring a smooth, even cake texture that melts in your mouth.
• Cream Butter and Sugar Perfectly: Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, creating a soft, tender crumb that guarantees a moist cupcake every time.
• Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow eggs, butter, and milk to reach room temperature for better incorporation and a more consistent baking result.
• Measure Freeze-Dried Raspberries Carefully: Grind raspberries to a fine powder for an intense, natural flavor that distributes evenly throughout the buttercream.
• Chill Ganache Before Filling: Let the chocolate raspberry ganache cool and slightly thicken for easier piping and a more stable filling inside the cupcakes.

Storing and Reheating Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes the Right Way

• Refrigerate cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cover buttercream and ganache surfaces with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Store in the coldest part of the refrigerator away from strong-smelling foods. When ready to enjoy, remove cupcakes 30 minutes before serving to reach room temperature. Avoid microwaving, as this can make the cake dense and dry. For best texture, consume within 2 days of baking.

Tasty Matches for Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

• Pair with Dessert Wine: Sip a sweet ruby port or moscato d'asti to complement the rich chocolate and tangy raspberry flavors, enhancing the cupcake's decadent profile.
• Match with Fruity Coffee: Brew a light roast coffee with berry notes or a raspberry-infused espresso to echo the cupcake's fruity undertones and chocolate depth.
• Serve with Creamy Counterpoint: Enjoy a cold glass of milk or a vanilla bean milkshake to balance the intense chocolate and provide a smooth, refreshing contrast.
• Accompany with Nutty Crunch: Add a side of toasted almond biscotti or hazelnut shortbread to introduce a complementary texture and nutty background that supports the cupcake's complexity.

Fun Twists on Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

• Berry Bliss Cupcakes: Replace raspberry preserves with mixed berry compote for a vibrant, fruity flavor profile that adds depth to the chocolate base.
• Nutty Chocolate Sensation: Incorporate ground almonds into the cupcake batter and top with chocolate-dipped toasted almond slivers for added crunch and richness.
• Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Dream: Swap butter with coconut oil, use flax eggs, and replace dairy milk with almond milk to create a plant-based version that maintains the original's decadent taste.
• Liqueur-Infused Indulgence: Add a splash of raspberry liqueur to the ganache and buttercream for an adult-friendly version that elevates the dessert's sophistication.

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes Recipe

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4.8 from 29 reviews

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Rich chocolate cupcakes adorned with fresh raspberries offer a delightful Mediterranean-inspired dessert experience. Sweet raspberry frosting and dark chocolate ganache create an irresistible flavor combination you won’t be able to resist.

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Ingredients

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Chocolate Cupcakes:

Main Ingredients:

• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (25g) Dutch process cocoa powder
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated white sugar
• ½ cup (120ml) whole milk

Leavening Agents:

• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)

Additional Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (61g) sour cream

Raspberry Chocolate Ganache:

Main Ingredients:

• 4 ounces (113g) semi-sweet chocolate
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (90ml) heavy cream
• ¼ cup (85g) raspberry preserves

Raspberry Buttercream:

Main Ingredients:

• ¾ cup (168g) unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups (195g) powdered sugar
• ½ cup (16g) ground freeze-dried raspberries

Additional Ingredients:

• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (85g) raspberry preserves

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Instructions

1. Prepare the oven by warming it to 350°F (175°C) and arrange 12 cupcake liners in a standard muffin tin.
2. Meticulously sift the dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder – into a separate mixing bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the granulated sugar and unsalted butter until the mixture becomes pale and airy.
4. Introduce the whole egg, additional egg yolk, and pure vanilla extract to the butter mixture, blending thoroughly until fully incorporated.
5. Gently fold in the whole milk and sour cream at low speed, then gradually integrate the prepared dry ingredient mixture until a smooth batter forms.
6. Carefully distribute the chocolate batter, filling each cupcake liner approximately three-quarters full.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
8. Allow cupcakes to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to reach room temperature.
9. For the ganache, heat heavy cream (240 milliliters) until it reaches a steaming point, then pour over finely chopped chocolate.
10. Let the chocolate and cream mixture sit undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir until a glossy consistency develops.
11. Incorporate raspberry preserves into the ganache, allowing it to cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a piping bag.
12. Prepare the buttercream by whipping unsalted butter and a pinch of salt until smooth and voluminous.
13. Gradually add powdered sugar, ground freeze-dried raspberries, additional raspberry preserves, and vanilla extract.
14. Beat the buttercream until it becomes light, fluffy, and holds its shape.
15. Using a cupcake corer or sharp knife, create a small cavity in each cooled cupcake.
16. Fill the cores with the prepared raspberry chocolate ganache.
17. Pipe the raspberry buttercream generously on top of each cupcake using a decorative pastry tip.
18. Garnish each cupcake with a fresh, ripe raspberry as the final elegant touch.

Notes

• Precise Baking Temperatures Matter: Maintain exact 350°F to ensure perfect cupcake texture and even baking.
• Espresso Powder Enhances Chocolate: A secret ingredient that deepens the rich chocolate flavor without adding coffee taste.
• Room Temperature Ingredients Are Critical: Soft butter, eggs, and milk blend smoother, creating a more consistent cupcake batter.
• Coring Technique Adds Delicious Surprise: Creating a center pocket allows maximum ganache filling for unexpected chocolate-raspberry burst.
• Freeze-Dried Raspberries Provide Intense Flavor: Grinding these adds concentrated fruit essence to buttercream without extra moisture.
• Cooling Process Impacts Final Texture: Allowing cupcakes to cool gradually prevents dense, heavy results and maintains delicate crumb structure.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 320 kcal
• Sugar: 28 g
• Sodium: 110 mg
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
• Trans Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 32 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 75 mg