Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream
Fluffy, rich chocolate cupcakes topped with real raspberry buttercream. The perfect way to celebrate the end of the northern winter!
Lots and lots of photos and step-by-step pictures on my blog, Cloudberry Dreams.
Otherwise, the recipe alone is
CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM
250g butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
3 eggs, whole
2 egg yolks
180g dark chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 tablespoon water
1 cup buttermilk (I used one cup of semi-skimmed milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice added to it)
Firstly, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit or Gas Mark 4). Line cupcake/muffin trays with 24 cupcake papers and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl (I used my stand mixer’s bowl, but any large mixing bowl will do if you’re using hand held beaters), beat the butter and brown sugar on high speed for 3 - 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and the egg yolks one at a time, beating for two minutes after each addition.
Beat in the vanilla extract and the melted chocolate until the mixture becomes glossy.
In a separate cup or bowl, combine the coffee with the water and pour into the cake batter, beating on high for 20 - 30 seconds to combine.
Set the mixer to the lowest speed and add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Make sure that the flour is the first and last thing you add!
Spoon the mixture into your prepared cupcake papers and bake for 18 - 20 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool on racks for 30 minutes before decorating.
RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM
200g salted butter, softened
8 cups icing sugar, sifted (plus extra)
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup fresh raspberries (plus extra, for decorating)
In a large bowl, beat the butter on high speed for 5 minutes until light, creamy and fluffy.
Add the milk, vanilla extract and half of the sifted icing sugar to the butter and cover your mixer with a tea towel before switching on low speed. Slowly increase the speed as the icing sugar is incorporated until the mixer is running on high. After a minute or so, it’s safe to remove the tea towel! Just leave the mixer running until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the remaining icing sugar and repeat the tea towel process.
You might notice that the icing seems a little on the thick side at this point - don’t worry, though! You’ll probably need to add more icing sugar once the raspberries have gone in. You’ll see!
Pour the raspberries into the buttercream mixture and beat on high for two minutes, until the raspberries are well distributed.
Once the raspberries are fully incorporated, you’ll need to add the extra icing sugar to thicken it again. I added an extra 1 1/3 cups - add as much as you like to get it to a spreadable consistency that you’re happy with.
Frost the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream. I used a large, open star tip, then drizzled with melted chocolate and topped with the extra raspberries.
ENJOY! xx
x-posted to cooking & bakebakebake
Lots and lots of photos and step-by-step pictures on my blog, Cloudberry Dreams.
Otherwise, the recipe alone is
CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM
250g butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
3 eggs, whole
2 egg yolks
180g dark chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 tablespoon water
1 cup buttermilk (I used one cup of semi-skimmed milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice added to it)
Firstly, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit or Gas Mark 4). Line cupcake/muffin trays with 24 cupcake papers and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl (I used my stand mixer’s bowl, but any large mixing bowl will do if you’re using hand held beaters), beat the butter and brown sugar on high speed for 3 - 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and the egg yolks one at a time, beating for two minutes after each addition.
Beat in the vanilla extract and the melted chocolate until the mixture becomes glossy.
In a separate cup or bowl, combine the coffee with the water and pour into the cake batter, beating on high for 20 - 30 seconds to combine.
Set the mixer to the lowest speed and add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Make sure that the flour is the first and last thing you add!
Spoon the mixture into your prepared cupcake papers and bake for 18 - 20 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool on racks for 30 minutes before decorating.
RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM
200g salted butter, softened
8 cups icing sugar, sifted (plus extra)
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup fresh raspberries (plus extra, for decorating)
In a large bowl, beat the butter on high speed for 5 minutes until light, creamy and fluffy.
Add the milk, vanilla extract and half of the sifted icing sugar to the butter and cover your mixer with a tea towel before switching on low speed. Slowly increase the speed as the icing sugar is incorporated until the mixer is running on high. After a minute or so, it’s safe to remove the tea towel! Just leave the mixer running until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the remaining icing sugar and repeat the tea towel process.
You might notice that the icing seems a little on the thick side at this point - don’t worry, though! You’ll probably need to add more icing sugar once the raspberries have gone in. You’ll see!
Pour the raspberries into the buttercream mixture and beat on high for two minutes, until the raspberries are well distributed.
Once the raspberries are fully incorporated, you’ll need to add the extra icing sugar to thicken it again. I added an extra 1 1/3 cups - add as much as you like to get it to a spreadable consistency that you’re happy with.
Frost the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream. I used a large, open star tip, then drizzled with melted chocolate and topped with the extra raspberries.
ENJOY! xx
x-posted to cooking & bakebakebake