Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes

Name: Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 175 g Butter or baking spread (softened, unsalted); 175 g Caster sugar; 3 Eggs (large); 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 175 g Self raising flour; 150 g Fresh raspberries; 50 g White chocolate chips; 200 g Butter (softened, unsalted); 400 g Icing sugar; 100 g White chocolate (melted); 2-3 tbsp Milk; 12 Fresh raspberries; 12 squares White chocolate (or white chocolate buttons); 8 g Freeze dried raspberries (optional)

05/07/2019 by thebakingexplorer 60 Comments

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Raspberry and white chocolate has got to be one of the most deliciously dreamy food combinations out there. My partner adores white chocolate, but I find it too sweet sometimes so adding raspberries gives it the right level of tartness to take the edge off. I've used fresh raspberries for this Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes recipe as I find frozen ones can be too wet and mushy, then they release extra liquid into the sponge that you really don't want. Fresh raspberries in these cupcakes worked perfectly and I'm such a big fan of this recipe! I've also mixed white chocolate into the buttercream so it's extra luxurious!

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
I used a baking spread for the cupcakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
You will need fresh raspberries for the cupcakes for the best results.
Freeze dried raspberries are really easy to get hold of online (sometimes they're called freeze dried raspberry crumble). I've also seen them in Sainsburys and Waitrose in the baking section.
My favourite white chocolate to use for the cupcakes and the buttercream is Callebaut, but any good quality white chocolate will work well. I would recommend avoiding cooking or baking chocolate.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes

To make the sponge, mix together the butter or baking spread and caster sugar. Then add eggs and vanilla extract and mix them in.

Next, mix in self raising flour. Toss the raspberries in a little flour to stop them from sinking, and fold them in along with the white chocolate chips.

Divide the cupcake batter into the cases, then bake them for 25 minutes or until a thin skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. To decorate, make a white chocolate buttercream by mixing softened butter and icing sugar together, then add melted white chocolate and mix until combined. Then add milk until you reach the desired consistency. Pipe or spread it onto the cupcakes, and add fresh raspberries, white chocolate chunks and freeze dried raspberries.

Can you use frozen raspberries in this recipe?

I don't recommend using frozen raspberries as they release a lot more liquid than fresh ones and can make the cupcakes mushy/soggy. If you can't get fresh raspberries, then you could mix some freeze dried raspberries into the batter.

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. Fresh rapsberries do need to be kept in the fridge, so if you want to store the cupcakes I would advise adding the fresh raspberries right before serving. 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 (I don't recommend freezing the fresh raspberry decoration so please remove this first), freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid, 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.

Can you make the cupcakes with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can the cupcakes be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread, dairy free milk and a dairy free white chocolate for the cupcakes and the buttercream. You will also need to decorate the cupcakes with dairy free white chocolate.

Can this recipe be made into a larger cake?

Yes! Check out my Raspberry & White Chocolate Cake recipe for details.

Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

While you can absolutely make this recipe with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease, I do recommend using an electric mixer for the best results. The cupcakes will be lighter and fluffier when made with an electric mixer. The buttercream will also be smoother. You don't have to use an expensive stand mixer either, you can get electric hand whisks for as little as £10!

More tips for making the Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes:

You could just make the sponge and drizzle the top with a little white chocolate and have them as muffins.
I used a Wilton 2D piping nozzle for these cupcakes.
You can spread the buttercream onto the cupcakes with a spoon if you don’t want to pipe it.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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