Easy Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Last Valentine's Day Liam asked if we could make "fancy cupcakes like the ones in the bakery window." You know, the $6 each ones that look too pretty to eat. I figured why not try making them at home for cheaper. Turns out these chocolate raspberry cupcakes are way easier than I thought and taste better than the bakery ones. The chocolate is rich but not too sweet, the raspberry keeps it from being heavy, and they look like I know what I'm doing. First batch disappeared in two days. Second batch I had to hide from my husband or nothing would've made it to Liam's class party.

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Why You'll Love These Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

I used to buy Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes from the bakery down the street whenever we needed dessert. Eight bucks for four cupcakes. They were fine but nothing special. These homemade ones cost maybe $12 to make two dozen and they're way better. The chocolate tastes richer, the raspberry tastes like actual fruit instead of that fake stuff, and you get to decide how sweet they are.

Liam's teacher pulled me aside after the Valentine's party and asked where I bought them. When I said I made them her eyes got huge. "These taste like they came from a real bakery." That's when I knew they were good. They stay soft for days. The Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes filling in the middle surprises you when you bite in. Most Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes are just frosting on boring cake but these actually taste good all the way through.Make them the night before and they're even better the next day. Everything tastes better after sitting overnight. I baked these on a Thursday for Saturday and they were perfect. No rushing around while people are already at your door.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
• Ingredients For Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
• How To Make Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
• Substitutions
• Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes Variations
• Equipment For Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
• Storage Tips For Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
• Top Tip
• What to Serve With Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
• FAQ
• Time to Bake Some Bakery-Style Cupcakes!
• Related
• Pairing
• Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Ingredients For Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot coffee

For the Raspberry Filling:

• 1½ cups fresh raspberries
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

For the Chocolate Raspberry Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup raspberry puree
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

For Topping:

• Fresh raspberries
• Chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips

How To Make Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Make the Raspberry Filling First

• Combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in small saucepan over medium heat, stir gently
• Cook 5-7 minutes until berries break down and mixture bubbles, mash berries with fork while cooking
• Stir cornstarch mixture into raspberries and cook 1-2 more minutes until thick like jam
• Remove from heat, let cool completely while you make cupcakes, reserve ¼ cup for frosting

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Mix the Chocolate Cupcake Batter

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners
• Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl for 30 seconds
• In separate bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla until smooth and combined
• Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir with wooden spoon just until mixed with some streaks

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Add Coffee and Bake

• Pour hot coffee into batter and stir gently, batter will be really thin like chocolate milk
• Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full using ice cream scoop or large spoon for even sizes
• Bake 18-22 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out with few moist crumbs
• Cool in pans 5 minutes, then move to wire rack and cool completely before filling

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Fill the Cupcakes

• Use apple corer or small knife to cut cone-shaped hole in center of each cooled cupcake
• Cut off pointy bottom of cone piece and save the top round part as a little lid
• Spoon about 1 teaspoon raspberry filling into each hole, don't overfill or it leaks everywhere
• Place the round lid back on top of filling to seal it in

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Make Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes Buttercream

• Beat softened butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy looking
• Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder gradually, beating on low so it doesn't poof everywhere
• Mix in reserved ¼ cup raspberry puree, vanilla, and salt until combined and smooth
• Add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until frosting is spreadable but holds its shape

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Frost and Decorate

• Pipe or spread frosting generously on top of each filled cupcake using offset spatula or piping bag
• Top each cupcake with one fresh raspberry pressed gently into frosting
• Sprinkle chocolate shavings or mini chips around raspberry for fancy bakery look
• Refrigerate 15-20 minutes to set frosting before serving or storing

Substitutions

Buttermilk Swaps:

• Buttermilk → Regular milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar (let sit 5 minutes)
• Buttermilk → Regular milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Dairy buttermilk → Almond milk + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar for dairy-free

Coffee Alternatives:

• Hot coffee → Hot water (less chocolate depth but still works)
• Coffee → Hot water + 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder dissolved in it
• Regular coffee → Decaf coffee (same chocolate boost without caffeine)

Raspberry Options:

• Fresh raspberries → Frozen raspberries thawed and juice drained off
• Raspberries → Strawberry jam thinned with lemon juice (sweeter, less tart)
• Fresh berries → Raspberry preserves from jar (skip making filling, just use straight from jar)

Cocoa Powder Choices:

• Regular cocoa → Dutch-process cocoa (darker color, richer taste)
• Unsweetened cocoa → Mix of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate (more intense)
• Cocoa powder → Hot chocolate mix (sweeter, reduce sugar to 1 cup in recipe)

Frosting Variations:

• Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes → Cream cheese frosting with raspberry puree folded in
• Buttercream → Chocolate ganache (1 cup chocolate chips melted with ½ cup cream)
• Raspberry chocolate → Plain chocolate buttercream without raspberry for pure chocolate lovers

Oil Substitutes:

• Vegetable oil → Canola oil (same neutral flavor and moisture)
• Oil → Melted butter (richer flavor but cupcakes won't stay moist as long)
• Regular oil → Melted coconut oil (slight coconut taste, some people like it)

Sugar Adjustments:

• 1½ cups sugar in cake → 1¼ cups for less sweet (cake won't be as moist though)
• White sugar → Half white, half brown sugar (deeper molasses flavor)
• Granulated → Coconut sugar (makes cupcakes darker and changes flavor slightly)

Gluten-Free Version:

• All-purpose flour → Cup4Cup gluten-free flour blend 1:1 swap
• Regular flour → Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour (my neighbor with celiac uses this)
• Wheat flour → Almond flour blend (need to add xanthan gum, texture will be different)

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes Variations

Double Chocolate Raspberry Overload:

• Add 1 cup mini chocolate chips folded into batter before baking for extra chocolate hits
• Creates pockets of melted chocolate throughout cupcake that stay gooey
• Results in richer, more indulgent cupcake that serious chocolate lovers go crazy for
• Liam calls these "the ones with chocolate surprises inside" and requests them constantly

White Chocolate Raspberry Elegant:

• Replace cocoa powder with ½ cup melted white chocolate and increase flour to 2 cups
• Creates lighter colored cupcake that lets pink raspberry filling show through better
• Results in sweeter, more delicate flavor that looks prettier at fancy parties
• My mom makes this version for bridal showers because it photographs better

Cream Cheese Frosting Tangy Twist:

• Use 8 oz cream cheese and ½ cup butter instead of all butter in frosting
• Creates tangier, less sweet frosting that balances chocolate and raspberry perfectly
• Results in frosting that tastes more like cheesecake on top of chocolate cupcake
• This is my go-to when people say regular buttercream is too sweet

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Intense:

• Use all Dutch-process cocoa and add ¼ cup melted dark chocolate to batter
• Creates almost black cupcake with deep, bitter chocolate flavor for adults
• Results in less sweet overall with more sophisticated taste profile
• Perfect for Valentine's Day dinner parties when you want grown-up dessert

Raspberry Swirl Marbled Beauty:

• Don't fill cupcakes, instead swirl 1 teaspoon raspberry filling into top of batter before baking
• Creates pretty pink swirl pattern on top that looks bakery-level fancy
• Results in raspberry flavor throughout instead of surprise center filling
• Way easier than filling cupcakes if you're short on time

Mixed Berry Chocolate Explosion:

• Use half raspberries, half blackberries or blueberries for more complex berry flavor
• Creates darker, deeper berry taste with less tartness than all raspberry
• Results in unique flavor nobody else makes at their parties
• I do this when raspberries are crazy expensive at the store

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Fancy:

• Skip frosting and dip tops of filled cupcakes in chocolate ganache instead
• Creates glossy, elegant finish that looks more sophisticated than buttercream
• Results in less sweet dessert with intense chocolate flavor coating
• This is what bakeries charge $7 per cupcake for

Peanut Butter Raspberry Surprise:

• Add ½ cup peanut butter to frosting and reduce butter to ½ cup
• Creates peanut butter cup meets raspberry jam flavor combo
• Results in salty-sweet-tart flavor that's totally different and addictive
• My husband's favorite because he puts peanut butter on everything

Equipment For Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

• Two 12-cup muffin tins
• Cupcake liners
• Large mixing bowls
• Whisk and wooden spoon
• Small saucepan
• Ice cream scoop

Storage Tips For Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Best Fresh

Serve within 3-4 days of baking for best taste and texture. The raspberry filling stays fresh and the frosting doesn't get crusty. Day two is actually better than day one because flavors blend overnight.

Short-Term Storage

• Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days if your kitchen isn't too hot
• Refrigerate in covered container up to 5 days, buttercream stays firm and cupcakes stay moist
• Let cold cupcakes sit out 30 minutes before eating so frosting softens and tastes better

Make-Ahead Strategy

• Bake unfrosted cupcakes 2 days ahead, wrap tight in plastic wrap and keep at room temp
• Make raspberry filling up to 1 week ahead and store in jar in fridge, bring to room temp before using
• Fill cupcakes day before serving and refrigerate, frost morning of party for freshest look
• Make frosting 3 days ahead and refrigerate, re-whip before using to fluff it back up

Freezer Storage

• Freeze unfrosted cupcakes wrapped individually in plastic then foil up to 3 months
• Thaw frozen cupcakes on counter 2-3 hours still wrapped so they don't dry out
• Don't freeze frosted cupcakes-buttercream gets weird and watery when thawed
• Fill and frost after thawing for best results that taste like fresh baked

Leftover Tips

• Keep any extras in single layer in container so frosting doesn't smush into other cupcakes
• If frosting gets hard in fridge, let cupcakes warm up before eating or microwave 5 seconds
• Raspberry filling can leak if cupcakes sit too long, eat within 4-5 days for cleanest look
• Frosting separates if it gets too warm, stick back in fridge 10 minutes to firm up

What to Serve With Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

These Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes are sweet and rich so you need something to balance them out. Cold milk is the obvious move. Liam won't eat chocolate cupcakes without milk. The cold cuts through all that Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes and makes it easier to finish without feeling gross. For grown-ups, coffee is the way to go. My friends always grab coffee when I bring these to book club. Bitter coffee against sweet cupcake just works. Hot, iced, decaf, whatever. Makes the chocolate taste even better.

Fresh berries on the side help a lot. I throw out a bowl of strawberries or extra raspberries when I serve these. People like having something tart next to all that frosting. Plus it makes everything look fancier when really you just washed some berries. If you want to go crazy, warm a Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes for 10 seconds and put vanilla ice cream on top. Cold ice cream melts into warm cake and my husband says it's way better than just eating a plain cupcake.

FAQ

Time to Bake Some Bakery-Style Cupcakes!

You've got everything you need to make these chocolate raspberry cupcakes that taste better than the $6 ones from the bakery down the street. This Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes recipe proves homemade doesn't have to be complicated or take all day. The chocolate, raspberry filling, and frosting taste like you bought them somewhere fancy, not like you made them in your kitchen wearing pajamas.

Want more desserts that look hard but aren't? Try our The Best Forgotten Cookies Recipe that are basically crunchy sugar clouds you can't quit eating. Our Easy Strawberry Shortcake Sushi Roll Recipe looks like Instagram food but actually tastes good and makes people think you know what you're doing. Or make our Easy Pecan Pie Cupcakes that skip the annoying pie crust but keep all that gooey pecan stuff. Each one makes people ask "where'd you get these?" when you just made them at home.

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