Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes With Raspberry Ganache Filling and Buttercream

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

If you want a cupcake that tastes like a chocolate truffle with a bright raspberry kick, this is the one to bake this weekend.

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These chocolate raspberry cupcakes are built from scratch in three parts: a dark chocolate cupcake, a raspberry chocolate ganache filling, and a sweet and tart raspberry buttercream.

That chocolate and raspberry pairing is the reason the recipe works so well, and it makes these cupcakes a lovely treat for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion.

The recipe yields 12 cupcakes. Prep takes about 45 minutes, the cupcakes bake for 18 minutes, and decorating adds roughly 20 minutes. I have kept the ingredients, amounts, and method true to the original recipe from In Bloom Bakery, so your batch comes out super moist and fluffy.

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Three things make these cupcakes stand out, and they are the reasons I recommend this recipe to anyone who loves fruit and chocolate together.

• They are super moist and fluffy. The chocolate cupcake base stays tender thanks to sour cream, whole milk, and a combination of baking soda and baking powder.
• They are filled. Each cooled cupcake gets its center cored out and filled with a raspberry chocolate ganache, so there is a surprise in every bite.
• They are topped with raspberry buttercream. The frosting is sweet and tart at the same time, made with freeze dried raspberries and raspberry preserves.

If you enjoy this flavor pairing in cake form, my raspberry chocolate ganache cake uses the same combination.

Ingredients for Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

You need three short lists for this recipe, one for the cupcakes, one for the ganache, and one for the buttercream, plus fresh raspberries for the tops.

For the chocolate cupcakes

• 1 cup all purpose flour, spooned and leveled (125 g)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder (25 g)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder, optional
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (56 g)
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar (150 g)
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature (120 ml)
• 1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature (61 g)

For the raspberry chocolate ganache

• 4 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped (113 g)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream (90 ml)
• 1/4 cup raspberry preserves (85 g)

For the raspberry buttercream

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (168 g)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (195 g)
• 1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries, measured then ground (16 g)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup raspberry preserves (85 g)

Plus a handful of fresh raspberries for decorating.

A few notes on why these ingredients matter. All purpose flour gives the best crumb. Sour cream keeps the cupcakes extra moist, and whole milk is what I recommend for the best texture.

Dutch process cocoa powder gives a deep chocolate flavor, and espresso powder helps bring that chocolate forward, though it is optional. Unsalted butter must be softened so it creams properly with the granulated sugar, and the powdered sugar goes into the frosting, not the batter.

Room temperature eggs, milk, and sour cream blend more evenly into the batter. Baking soda, baking powder, and salt do their usual jobs: lift, lift, and bring out all the flavors. Raspberry preserves appear twice, once in the ganache and once in the buttercream.

A semi sweet chocolate bar is what the ganache is built on, heavy cream makes it super smooth and creamy, and the freeze dried raspberries are measured first and then ground into a powder, which is what gives the buttercream its raspberry color and tartness without adding extra liquid.

Step by Step Instructions

You will make the cupcakes first, then the ganache and the buttercream while the cupcakes cool. That order keeps you from standing around waiting. See the recipe card for measurements and baking time.

Make the chocolate cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners and set it aside.
2. In a small bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, Dutch process cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. Set the dry ingredients aside.
3. Add the granulated sugar and softened butter to a large bowl. Cream them together with an electric mixer on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
4. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Mix in the milk and sour cream on low speed.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine on low speed, just until the batter comes together.
7. Fill each cupcake liner three quarters of the way full with batter. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean from the centers.
8. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the raspberry chocolate ganache

1. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, just until it is steaming and about to boil.
2. Add the chopped semi sweet chocolate to a medium sized bowl.
3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes to melt the chocolate. Stir until everything is melted together and smooth.
4. Add the raspberry preserves and stir to combine.
5. Let the ganache cool for 15 minutes until it thickens, then transfer it to a piping bag.

Make the raspberry buttercream

1. Add the softened butter and salt to a large bowl. Beat the butter on high speed with an electric mixer until it is smooth, pale in color, and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
3. Add the freeze dried raspberries to a baggie and roll them with a rolling pin until they are crushed into a fine powder.
4. Add the crushed freeze dried raspberries, raspberry preserves, and vanilla to the frosting. Mix on low speed to combine, then on medium high speed until light and fluffy.
5. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.

Assemble the cupcakes

1. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, remove a bit of the center of each one with a cupcake corer. Fill each cupcake with the raspberry chocolate ganache.
2. Pipe a generous amount of raspberry buttercream on top of each cupcake. Add a fresh raspberry on top of each one for decoration, then serve.

A quick note on the ganache: if it firms up while you are piping, give it a short stir and it will loosen again. Make sure the cupcakes are fully cool before you core them, otherwise the centers can tear.

Pro Tips

These four tips are the ones that make the biggest difference with this recipe.

My number one baking tip for this recipe: get your butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream to room temperature before you start. It is the easiest way to keep the cupcakes light and fluffy.

• Measure the flour properly. Never scoop a measuring cup into the flour bag, because that packs in too much flour and gives you dry cupcakes. Instead, sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into the measuring cup and swipe the excess off with the back of a knife. You can also weigh it, since 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.
• Bring the wet ingredients to room temperature. Make sure the butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream are not cold. Cold wet ingredients can make the cupcakes gummy or keep them from rising as well as they should.
• Use a cookie scoop for the batter. Scooping the batter into the liners is easier and less messy than using a spoon, and it keeps the cups evenly filled.
• Whip the butter well for the buttercream. When you make the raspberry buttercream, beat the butter until it is pale in color and fluffy before you add anything else. That step is what gives you the best, fluffiest frosting.

Here is a quick look at the timing so you can plan your bake:

If you love filled cupcakes, my raspberry cupcakes with raspberry filling are a great next bake.

If you make these chocolate raspberry cupcakes, I would love to hear how they turned out. Leave a comment and a star review, and tell me whether you went with the espresso powder or left it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

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• Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x

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Description

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes If you want a cupcake that tastes like a chocolate truffle with a bright raspberry kick, this is the one to bake this weekend. These chocolate raspberry cupcakes are built from scratch in three parts: a dark chocolate cupcake, a raspberry chocolate ganache filling, and a sweet and tart raspberry buttercream.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Chocolate Cupcakes
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp espresso powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature

For the Raspberry Chocolate Ganache
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream
1/4 cup raspberry preserves

For the Raspberry Buttercream
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries, measured then ground
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup raspberry preserves

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Instructions

For the Chocolate Cupcakes
1-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners and set aside.
2-In a small bowl sift together all: In a small bowl sift together all purpose flour, Dutch process cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder. Set aside.
3-Add granulated sugar and softened butter to: Add granulated sugar and softened butter to a large bowl. Cream together with an electric mixer on high speed for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. (You can also use a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.)
4-Then add in the egg, egg yolk: Then add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
5-Next mix in the milk and sour: Next mix in the milk and sour cream on low speed.
6-Add the dry ingredients to the wet: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine on low speed.
7-Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 of the: Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 of the way full with batter. Bake the cupcakes for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick/cake tester comes out clean from the centers.
8-Let the cupcakes cool in the pan: Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Raspberry Chocolate Ganache
9-Heat the heavy cream over medium heat,: Heat the heavy cream over medium heat, just until steaming and about to boil.
10-Add the chopped semi-sweet chocolate to a: Add the chopped semi-sweet chocolate to a medium sized bowl.
11-Pour the hot cream over the chocolate: Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes to melt the chocolate. Stir to combine.
12-Add in the raspberry preserves and combine: Add in the raspberry preserves and combine.
13-Let the ganache cool for 15 minutes,: Let the ganache cool for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a piping bag.

For the Raspberry Buttercream
14-Add the softened butter and salt to: Add the softened butter and salt to a large bowl. Beat the butter on high speed with an electric mixer until it is smooth, pale in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
15-Add in the powdered sugar and mix: Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
16-Add the freeze dried raspberries to a: Add the freeze dried raspberries to a baggie and roll them with a rolling pin until they are crushed into a fine powder.
17-Add the crushed freeze dried raspberries, raspberry: Add the crushed freeze dried raspberries, raspberry preserves and vanilla to the frosting. Mix on low speed to combine, then medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
18-Add the frosting to a piping bag: Add the frosting to a piping bag fit with a decorative tip. (My favorite to use is my Wilton 1M tip.)

Assembling the Cupcakes
19-Once the cupcakes are completely cooled remove: Once the cupcakes are completely cooled remove a bit of the centers of each using a cupcake corer. Fill each with the raspberry chocolate ganache.
20-Pipe a generous amount of raspberry buttercream: Pipe a generous amount of raspberry buttercream on top of each cupcake. Add a fresh raspberry on top of each cupcake for decoration, then serve!

Notes

Preparation: 45 min. Cooking: 18 min. Allow time for every resting, cooling and chilling step in the instructions. Additional time: follow the resting and cooling steps (20 min).

• Method: bake

Keywords: Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes, chocolate-raspberry-cupcakes