I'm in love... with these Chocolate & Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes! They are the perfect decadent treat for you and your loved one on Valentine's Day. They're made up of a chocolate sponge filled with rich chocolate ganache, then topped with raspberry buttercream and fresh raspberries. The gorgeous pink buttercream is all natural too as the colour comes entirely from the freeze dried raspberry powder which also provides a punchy raspberry flavour. Dark chocolate and raspberries go so well together, and the rich ganache compliments the fruity buttercream to tingle all your tastebuds in the right way!
How to make Chocolate & Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes
Make the ganache first as it takes time to set in the fridge. Heat up the cream then add the chocolate and butter until it all melts together. Then pour it into a bowl and put it in the fridge to set. To make the cupcakes, mix the butter and sugar together, then whisk in the eggs and milk.
Next add the self raising flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases and bake them for 20 minutes.
Once the cupcakes were cool, use a cupcake corer to make holes in each one, then fill them with the ganache. To make the buttercream, mix together the butter, icing sugar, freeze dried raspberry powder and milk. Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes and then add fresh raspberries on top.
How long do the cupcakes last for and can they be frozen?
The cupcakes will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. Keep an eye on the fresh raspberries though and move the cupcakes to the fridge if required. You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cupcakes well in cling film or put them in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze them decorated, freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid (without the fresh raspberries), then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost, as if they defrost with it still on it could damage the buttercream.
How far in advance can you make the ganache?
Ganache can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, you can also freeze it. Once the ganache is fully cool, cover the bowl it's in with cling film or a reuseable silicone bowl cover, or transfer it to an airtight container for longer storage.
Is there an alternative to the freeze dried raspberries in the buttercream?
Freeze dried raspberries are much easier to get hold of nowadays. Sainsburys and Waitrose both sell them, or you can buy them in larger packs online (which I find to be more cost effective). Most of the packs you buy them in are resealable, so you can keep using them for future baking, or enjoy them sprinkled on cereal, yoghurt or in a smoothie.
If you're not able to get hold of them, you could make or buy a raspberry coulis to mix into the buttercream. Or add a little vanilla extract and some pink food colouring for a vanilla buttercream
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
- Cupcake tin
- Mixing bowls
- Cooling rack
- Kitchen scales
- Electric hand mixer
- Piping bags
- Cupcake corer
- Brown cupcake cases
- Freeze dried raspberries
- Wilton 1M Piping nozzle
- Wilton 2D Piping nozzle
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What an indulgent treat the Chocolate & Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes were! They were a hit all round and gathered many admirers!
More Chocolate recipes...
Chocolate & Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the ganache
- 100 ml Double cream
- 100 g Dark chocolate broken into squares
- 10 g Butter
For the sponge
- 175 g Butter or baking spread
- 175 g Caster sugar
- 3 Eggs large
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 150 g Self raising flour
- 25 g Cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp Baking powder
For the buttercream
- 200 g Butter or baking spread
- 400 g Icing sugar
- 15 g Freeze dried raspberry powder
- 1 ½ tbsp Milk
For decoration
- 36 Fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Make the ganache first as it needs time to cool. Heat the double cream and butter in a pan on a low heat, you want to to be warm but not so hot you couldn't hold your finger in it
- Take it off the heat and add the dark chocolate and butter. Leave for a few minutes, then stir and the chocolate should have melted, if not, pop it back on a low heat until fully melted together. Then pour into a bowl and put in the fridge to set for 3 - 4 hours
- Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4 and line a cupcake tin with paper cases
- To make the cupcakes, mix together the butter and caster sugar until smooth and fluffy, ideally using an electric mixer
- Add the eggs and milk, and mix well until fully incorporated
- Add the self raising flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and gently whisk in
- Divide the mixture between the cupcakes cases, and bake them for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Put them on a cooling rack to cool completely
- Using a cupcake corer, or a knife, make a hole in the centre of the cupcakes. Fill with the ganache
- To make the buttercream, mix together the butter, icing sugar and freeze dried raspberry powder with a spoon or electric hand whisk, when it starts to come together, add the milk and mix until smooth. If the buttercream is too stiff, you can add more milk
- Pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake using a piping bag fitted with a nozzle. Or spread on with a spoon
- Top each cupcake with three of the fresh raspberries
- Store in an airtight container in a cool place, eat leftovers within 3 days
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this, check out more of my Cupcake recipes!
I'm linking this recipe up with Cook Blog Share hosted by Recipes Made Easy.
Rebecca Smith
I love the flavour combo of chocolate and raspberry, not being a HUGE chocoholic I need the tartness from a fruit to offset the sweetness...this sounds perfect.
thebakingexplorer
Yes I agree, they compliment each other so well!
Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook
Kat, these look so gorgeous!! I love the combo or raspberries and chocolate so I am sure I'd love these. Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!
thebakingexplorer
Thank you so much!
Jacqui Bellefontaine
Oh Wow what a great cup cake. Thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare
thebakingexplorer
Thanks Jacqui!
Midge @ Peachicks' Bakery
I do love a filled cupcake! And what better combination than chocolate & raspberries?! YUM! Love using freeze dried fruit too
thebakingexplorer
Thank you! Me too, freeze dried is so versatile!
Sarah | SQUATBOT
Look so good, the colour of the icing is a dream!
thebakingexplorer
Amazing that it's all natural colour too! 🙂
Rita
Kat - What a unique idea. Like the strawberry touch!
Happy Valentine's Day Kat ! Sharing and Pinning.
Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday.
thebakingexplorer
Thank you so much!
Lathiya
The cupcakes looks so gorgeous...with the chocolate surprise inside it's amazing
thebakingexplorer
Thank you!
Cat | Curly's Cooking
I love the idea of ganache in the middle of cupcakes! It sounds so delicious and the buttercream looks so tasty too.
thebakingexplorer
It's so decadent and goes so well with the fruity buttercream!
Corrina Confarreo
Oh wow these look and sound so heavenly! I love raspberry with chocolate. Will definitely be making these beauties! Xxx
thebakingexplorer
Fantastic! Please let me know how it goes!
jenny Paulin
Kat these cupcakes look so beautiful , the pink and the chocolate brown are so striking together. And that chocolate middle mmmmm! They are fabulous
ps. so sorry for the late commenting , I had a busy last week before 1/2 term and then was away for a long weekend. I hope you are enjoying mummy life xxx
thebakingexplorer
Thank you so much Jenny!
Ana
They look so pretty. I love everything about it, the combination of flavours, colours and the filling. Yumm...?
thebakingexplorer
Thank you so much Ana!
Kathleen Blackwood
Doesn't say anything in the instructions about where you put the ganache obviously before the buttercream icing but it doesn't say or if you have to cut out a bit and then fill with the ganache
thebakingexplorer
Hi Kathleen, my apologies I've added that in now, it was detailed above in the step by step photo section but I missed it below, I hope you enjoy the cupcakes!
Perrine
Hi Kat! I've been wanting to make these for a while, but I don't have / don't want to buy freeze dried raspberries. Have you made a raspberry buttercream using fresh raspberries (or a strawberry one?) somewhere else on your blog that I could use instead please? Thanks 🙂
thebakingexplorer
Hi Perrine, making buttercream with fresh fruit can be very hit and miss as it can make it go quite sloppy and the flavour isn't as intense. You could use a flavouring extract instead, or try mixing some raspberry jam into it. I hope that helps!
Rosie
I think this might be my favourite cupcake recipe. The combination is delicious and the raspberry powder in the buttercream is lush. The chocolate surprise in the middle is amazing too!
thebakingexplorer
Thanks so much Rosie!
Steph
Made these to take in to my work mates tomorrow, and they look incredible! I had a wee taste test of one of the cored bits with a bit of ganache and a bit of icing... SO good! First time making my one ganache too, so rich and delicious. I topped mine with a dark chocolate covered raspberry marshmallow, just for something a bit different!