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chocolate raspberry cupcakes on a wood platter with raspberries and chocolate around

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

These are the best chocolate raspberry cupcakes! They are moist dark chocolate cupcakes filled with raspberry chocolate ganache and topped with raspberry frosting.
5 from 37 votes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Decorating Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
 

For the Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (25 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional
  • ¼ cup (56 g) softened, unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup (61 g) sour cream, at room temperature

For the Raspberry Chocolate Ganache

  • 4 oz (113 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (90 ml) heavy cream
  • ¼ cup (85 g) raspberry preserves

For the Raspberry Buttercream

  • ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • pinch salt
  • 1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar
  • ½ cup (16 g) freeze dried raspberries, measured then ground
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ cup (85 g) raspberry preserves

Instructions
 

For the Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners and set aside.
  • In a small bowl sift together all purpose flour, Dutch process cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder. Set aside.
    1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (25 g) Dutch process cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 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.)
    ¼ cup (56 g) softened, unsalted butter, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
  • Then add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
    1 egg, at room temperature, 1 egg yolk, at room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Next mix in the milk and sour cream on low speed.
    ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature, ¼ cup (61 g) sour cream, at room temperature
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine on low speed. 
  • Fill each cupcake liner ¾ 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.
  • Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

For the Raspberry Chocolate Ganache

  • Heat the heavy cream over medium heat, just until steaming and about to boil.
    ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (90 ml) heavy cream
  • Add the chopped semi-sweet chocolate to a medium sized bowl.
    4 oz (113 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes to melt the chocolate. Stir to combine.
  • Add in the raspberry preserves and combine.
    ¼ cup (85 g) raspberry preserves
  • Let the ganache cool for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a piping bag.

For the Raspberry Buttercream

  • 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.
    ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, pinch salt
  • Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
    1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar
  • Add the freeze dried raspberries to a baggie and roll them with a rolling pin until they are crushed into a fine powder.
    ½ cup (16 g) freeze dried raspberries, measured then ground
  • 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.
    ¼ cup (85 g) raspberry preserves, 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Add the frosting to a piping bag fit with a decorative tip. (My favorite to use is my Wilton 1M tip.)

Assembling the Cupcakes

  • 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.
  • 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

Measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. (Trust me, I've learned the hard way that I need to measure properly!) Instead sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour. 1 cup of flour equals 120-125 grams.
 
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. 
Keyword chocolate, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate raspberry cupcakes, raspberry, raspberry cupcakes, Valentine's Day
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