Decadent Raspberry White Chocolate Delights

Indulge in the delightful blend of sweet and tart with these Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes. Featuring a light and fluffy vanilla cake base, a vibrant, slightly tangy raspberry filling, and crowned with a luscious raspberry white chocolate frosting, these cupcakes are a treat for all senses. They are guaranteed to be extra moist, thanks to the delightful fruit filling that keeps the cake tender, perfectly complementing the smooth, creamy white chocolate icing. Elevate their beauty and flavor with a sprinkle of fresh raspberries and delicate white chocolate shavings, bringing all the harmonious elements together. Whether it’s a special occasion like Valentine’s Day or simply a craving for an exquisite dessert, these cupcakes are an irresistible choice for any white chocolate and berry aficionado.

The culinary world often celebrates classic flavor pairings, and few are as cherished as raspberry and white chocolate. The rich, buttery sweetness of white chocolate finds its perfect counterpart in the bright, slightly tart notes of fresh raspberries. This divine combination creates a dessert that is not only incredibly flavorful but also visually stunning, making it an excellent choice for a variety of celebrations. From festive birthdays and romantic Valentine’s Day dinners to joyful holiday gatherings, these cupcakes promise to impress and delight every guest.

If you find yourself enchanted by the magic of white chocolate and raspberry, you’re in for a treat. Explore other exquisite recipes that highlight this fantastic duo, such as our White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars, a decadent and easy-to-make dessert; the elegant Raspberry White Chocolate Bundt Cake, perfect for sharing; or the rich Chocolate Raspberry Truffles with Raspberry Filling, a delightful bite-sized indulgence.

For those who gravitate towards the timeless elegance of dark or milk chocolate paired with raspberries, we offer equally tempting alternatives. Discover the sophisticated layers of a Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake, the delicate crunch of a Chocolate Raspberry Tart, or the nostalgic charm of a Raspberry & Vanilla Swiss Roll with Chocolate Ganache!

Alternatively, if you’re seeking a dessert that offers a luxurious blend of chocolate, consider a classic tuxedo cake interpretation with this opulent triple chocolate mousse cake, a true masterpiece for any chocolate lover.

Why These Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes Will Become Your New Favorite

These Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes aren’t just another dessert; they are a celebration of flavor and texture, meticulously crafted to bring joy with every bite. Here’s why you’ll absolutely adore this recipe:

• Unbelievably Soft and Moist Cupcakes: The base of these cupcakes is a triumph of texture. We achieve an incredibly soft, tender crumb that practically melts in your mouth by carefully balancing a combination of rich butter, neutral oil, and tangy buttermilk. Butter provides unmatched flavor, while oil ensures lasting moisture, and buttermilk contributes to both tenderness and a subtle tang that enhances the overall profile. The result is a vanilla cupcake that’s never dry, always delightful.

• Bursting with Fresh Fruit Flavor: At the heart of each cupcake lies a vibrant, homemade raspberry filling. We take fresh, plump raspberries and gently cook them down with a touch of sugar, mashing them into a sweet and slightly tart jam. This quick and easy fruit sauce is then thickened to the perfect consistency, ready to be piped into the core of each cooled cupcake. This ensures a delightful burst of real fruit flavor and adds an extra layer of moisture that keeps the cupcakes fresh longer.

• A Classic, Irresistible Flavor Combination: The pairing of white chocolate and raspberry is a match made in culinary heaven. The creamy, mellow sweetness of the white chocolate frosting perfectly balances the bright, zesty acidity of the raspberry filling. The white chocolate offers a comforting, sweet background note, allowing the fresh, vivid raspberry flavor to truly shine and cut through the richness. This creates a beautifully balanced taste experience that is both sophisticated and deeply satisfying.

• Visually Stunning and Perfect for Any Occasion: Beyond their incredible taste, these cupcakes are a feast for the eyes. Their elegant appearance, especially when garnished with fresh raspberries and delicate white chocolate curls, makes them ideal for any event. From romantic gestures on Valentine’s Day to festive holiday tables or simply a charming weekend treat, these cupcakes are sure to be the star of the dessert spread.

• Easy to Follow for Home Bakers: Despite their gourmet appeal, this recipe is designed to be straightforward and accessible for bakers of all skill levels. With clear, step-by-step instructions for each component – the raspberry filling, vanilla cupcakes, and white chocolate frosting – you’ll be able to create bakery-quality treats right in your own kitchen.

Essential Ingredients for Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes

Creating these exquisite Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes requires a thoughtful selection of ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving the perfect flavor and texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why:

• Fats: Butter, Oil, and Buttermilk. This winning trio is the secret to our cupcakes’ incredibly moist, soft, and flavorful crumb. Unsalted butter provides classic rich flavor, while a neutral oil (like canola or vegetable oil) ensures long-lasting moisture and a delicate texture. Buttermilk, with its acidic properties, tenderizes the cake, activates the baking powder, and adds a subtle tangy depth. Using all room temperature ingredients for these components is crucial for a smooth, emulsified batter and even baking.
• Sugars: Granulated and Powdered. Granulated sugar is essential for sweetening the cupcake base and contributing to its delicate structure. For the frosting, powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) is used to create a smooth, light, and pipeable consistency without any grittiness.
• Baking Powder. This is our sole leavening agent, responsible for the beautiful rise and airy, light texture of the cupcakes. Ensure your baking powder is fresh for optimal results.
• Cornstarch. A small amount of cornstarch, mixed with water to form a slurry, is added to the raspberry sauce. This clever trick helps thicken the filling to a perfect jam-like consistency, ensuring it stays beautifully contained within the cupcake and adds body without altering the flavor.
• White Chocolate. The quality of your white chocolate truly matters for the frosting. Opt for a premium white chocolate bar or high-quality baking chips (like Ghirardelli or Baker’s brands). These contain sufficient cocoa butter to melt smoothly and deliver a rich, authentic white chocolate flavor, which is key for a luxurious frosting. Avoid “white confectionery coating,” which often lacks real cocoa butter and can be difficult to melt and incorporate.
• Heavy Whipping Cream. Just a couple of tablespoons of cold heavy cream are incorporated into the white chocolate frosting. This addition helps to loosen the frosting to a wonderfully soft, silky, and pipeable consistency, making it easy to create beautiful swirls on your cupcakes.
• Raspberries. For the vibrant filling, you have the flexibility to use either fresh or frozen raspberries. Fresh raspberries will yield the brightest flavor, but frozen raspberries (used directly from frozen, no need to thaw) work equally well and are a convenient option, especially when fresh berries are out of season or expensive.
• All-Purpose Flour. The foundation of our cupcake structure. Proper measurement is crucial; spoon and level your flour to avoid a dense cake.
• Kosher Salt. Used in both the cupcakes and frosting to enhance all the sweet flavors and provide balance. Remember, Diamond Crystal kosher salt is recommended; if using Morton’s, reduce the amount by half.
• Large Eggs. Provide structure, richness, and moisture to the cupcakes. Like butter and buttermilk, using room temperature eggs helps them incorporate more evenly into the batter.
• Vanilla Extract. A staple in any good vanilla cupcake, it deepens the flavor profile and complements both the raspberries and white chocolate beautifully. Use a good quality pure vanilla extract for the best taste.

For precise measurements and quantities, please refer to the complete recipe card below.

Crafting Your Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating these heavenly raspberry white chocolate cupcakes involves three main components, each contributing to the final masterpiece: a luscious raspberry filling, tender vanilla cupcakes, and a rich white chocolate frosting. We’ll break down each process into easy-to-follow steps.

How to Make Homemade Raspberry Filling for Cupcakes

This quick and easy raspberry sauce brings a burst of fresh, tangy flavor to the center of your cupcakes. It’s much simpler than making traditional jam and perfectly complements the sweet cake and frosting.

Step One: Cook and Mash the Raspberries. Combine fresh or frozen raspberries with a bit of granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. As the berries warm, they will release their juices. Use a spatula or a potato masher to gently mash them down until they are completely broken apart and form a chunky puree. Continue to cook until the mixture starts to bubble gently, ensuring the sugar has fully dissolved and the flavors have melded.

Step Two: Thicken and Strain. In a separate small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with cold water to create a smooth slurry. Pour this slurry into the simmering raspberry sauce, stirring constantly and vigorously. The sauce will visibly thicken almost immediately. Allow it to bubble gently for about 30 seconds to cook out any starchy taste. For a perfectly smooth filling, pass the warm raspberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, using your spatula to press down and extract all the delicious fruit pulp, leaving the seeds behind. This step is optional but highly recommended for a refined texture. Let the filling cool completely to room temperature before using it in the cupcakes. This cooling process is essential as hot filling can melt the frosting or make the cupcakes soggy.

Baking Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes

The foundation of our dessert is a tender, flavorful vanilla cupcake. Precision and room temperature ingredients are key for the best results.

Step Three: Cream Fats and Sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), combine the softened unsalted butter, neutral oil, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for a full five minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This creaming process incorporates air, which is crucial for a light cupcake texture. Halfway through, be sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is evenly combined.

Step Four: Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla. Add the large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition on medium-low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each egg to ensure no unincorporated ingredients remain. Finally, stir in the vanilla extract, mixing until just combined. For separate dry ingredients, whisk together flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a separate bowl. This ensures leaveners are evenly distributed.

Step Five: Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients. With the mixer on its lowest speed, add approximately half of the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined (do not overmix!). Then, add half of the room temperature buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Repeat this process with the remaining flour and buttermilk, mixing just until the last streaks of flour disappear. Overmixing at this stage can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tough cupcakes. Finish by hand with a spatula to ensure no dry pockets remain.

Step Six: Bake to Perfection. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a standard muffin tin with paper cupcake liners. Evenly scoop the cupcake batter into the prepared liners, filling each approximately ¾ full. This ensures beautifully domed tops without overflowing. Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, but no wet batter. Immediately transfer the baked cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling is paramount before filling and frosting to prevent melting.

Making Velvety White Chocolate Frosting

This frosting is silky smooth, rich, and perfectly sweet, providing the ideal counterpoint to the tart raspberry filling.

Step Seven: Melt and Cool the White Chocolate. Begin by finely chopping your high-quality white chocolate. Place it in a microwave-safe bowl and melt it in 30-second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each interval, until completely smooth and no lumps remain. Alternatively, you can melt it over a double boiler. Once melted, set it aside to cool to room temperature, ensuring it’s still liquid but not warm. Adding hot white chocolate to the butter will melt your frosting, so patience here is key!

Step Eight: Cream Butter and Sugar. In the bowl of your stand mixer (or with a handheld mixer), fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened unsalted butter with half of the powdered sugar and the kosher salt on medium-low speed for one minute. Ensure everything is well combined and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. This initial creaming prevents a cloud of powdered sugar from escaping when you add the rest.

Step Nine: Add Remaining Sugar and White Chocolate. Turn off the mixer and add the remaining powdered sugar. Start mixing on low speed until the sugar is mostly incorporated, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for three minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure even mixing. With the mixer running on medium-low speed, slowly drizzle in the cooled, melted white chocolate until fully combined. It’s crucial for the white chocolate to be liquid but not warm, to avoid deflating the butter and creating a soupy frosting.

Step Ten: Achieve Perfect Consistency and Optional Tint. With the mixer still running on medium-low, add heavy whipping cream one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a light, fluffy, and smooth consistency that is easily pipeable. The amount needed can vary based on butter temperature and humidity, so add gradually. If desired, incorporate 1-2 tablespoons of the cooled raspberry sauce into the frosting to give it a beautiful, delicate pink tint and an extra layer of raspberry flavor. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing and losing air. This step is entirely optional but adds a charming visual touch.

Assembling Your Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes

Now for the fun part – bringing all the components together to create your show-stopping cupcakes!

Step Eleven: Create a Core. Ensure your baked vanilla cupcakes are completely cool before proceeding. Using a cupcake corer, the wide end of a piping tip, or even the rounded handle of a wooden spoon, gently create a hole in the center of each cupcake. Aim to go about two-thirds of the way down, leaving a solid base at the bottom. Carefully remove the core; you can snack on these bits or save them for another use.

Step Twelve: Fill with Raspberry Goodness. Transfer the completely cooled raspberry jam into a piping bag (or a sturdy zip-top bag with a corner snipped off). Carefully pipe the raspberry filling into each cored cupcake, filling it just to the top edge. Be mindful not to overfill, as this can cause the filling to seep out or make frosting difficult. A spoon can also be used if you don’t have a piping bag.

The Golden Rule: When to Frost Your Cupcakes

One of the most crucial steps in successful cupcake decorating is patience. It is absolutely essential that your cupcakes are completely cooled before you even think about applying frosting. If the cupcakes are even slightly warm, the heat will quickly melt your beautifully prepared white chocolate frosting, turning your carefully crafted swirls into a sticky, unappetizing mess. To be absolutely safe and ensure your frosting holds its shape perfectly, it’s best to wait at least two hours after baking for the cupcakes to cool thoroughly on a wire rack. In warmer climates or seasons, you might even consider chilling the cooled cupcakes in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes before frosting.

Once your cupcakes are perfectly cool, you have a few delightful options for frosting them:

• Classic Swirl: For a simple yet elegant look, use a large cookie scoop to place a generous mound of frosting onto the center of each cupcake. Then, using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, gently spread and swirl the frosting outwards, creating a beautiful, rustic swoop.
• Professional Piping: For a more refined, bakery-style finish, transfer the white chocolate frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip (a star tip or round tip works wonderfully). Pipe elegant swirls or rosettes onto the cupcakes, starting from the outside edge and working your way inwards and upwards.

To add the final touch of artistry and an extra layer of flavor, garnish your frosted cupcakes with fresh, bright raspberries and delicate white chocolate shavings. To create these beautiful white chocolate curls, take a high-quality white chocolate bar that is at a comfortable room temperature (not too cold, as it will break; not too warm, as it will melt). Gently scrape a vegetable peeler along the side of the bar, allowing thin, elegant curls to form. Place these curls artfully on top of your frosting alongside the fresh berries, bringing both visual appeal and a harmonious flavor profile to your delectable creations.

Recipe Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Proper Storage for Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes

Ensuring your delicious cupcakes stay fresh and flavorful requires proper storage. Here’s how to best store your raspberry white chocolate treats:

Unfrosted Cupcakes: If you’re baking ahead, unfrosted vanilla cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. This allows them to stay wonderfully fresh and moist until you’re ready to fill and frost them.

Frosted Cupcakes (with Raspberry Filling): Due to the fresh fruit filling and dairy in the frosting, these cupcakes are best enjoyed at room temperature on the day they are frosted. For longer storage, transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Remember to let them come to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before serving to ensure the frosting is soft and the cake is tender.

Freezing Frosted Cupcakes: To enjoy these cupcakes even longer, they freeze beautifully! Place the frosted cupcakes in an airtight, freezer-safe container. To prevent the frosting from getting squashed, flash-freeze them uncovered for about 30-60 minutes until the frosting is firm, then cover securely. Freeze for 1-2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, uncover the cupcakes and let them thaw at room temperature for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator before indulging.

Can you put cupcakes in the fridge?

Yes, absolutely! Depending on the ingredients used, particularly if they contain dairy (like butter in the frosting and buttermilk in the cake, especially when frosted), storing cupcakes in the fridge is often necessary for food safety and to extend their freshness. However, refrigeration can sometimes alter the texture of the cake, making it slightly firmer. Always store them in an airtight container to prevent them from absorbing odors and drying out. Refrigerated cupcakes will typically last up to one week. For the best taste and texture, allow them to come to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before enjoying.

More Delightful Cupcake Recipes for Every Occasion

Looking for more inspiration to sweeten your celebrations or satisfy your cravings? Explore these other fantastic cupcake recipes, perfect for Valentine’s Day and beyond:

Important Notes When Baking with The Cozy Plum

To ensure your baking experience is always successful and enjoyable, please keep these essential tips in mind, as they apply to all recipes from The Cozy Plum:

• Salt Matters: All our recipes are developed using Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is known for its mild flavor and coarse texture. If you are using Morton’s kosher salt or sea salt, you will need to reduce the amount by half, as these varieties are approximately twice as salty. Please avoid using table salt, as its fine grain and strong flavor can drastically alter the intended taste profile of the recipe.
• Precision with Measurements: While our recipes typically provide measurements in both US Customary and Metric units, we highly recommend baking by weight using a digital scale. This method consistently yields the most accurate and reliable results, ensuring your baked goods turn out perfectly every time. You can easily switch between Cups and Metric using the toggle button on the recipe card below.
• Scaling Recipes: To adjust the yield of a recipe, use the convenient ‘1X’, ‘2X’, ‘3X’ buttons provided on the recipe card. Please note that while these buttons will automatically adjust ingredient quantities, they do not automatically modify baking times. You will need to make appropriate adjustments to the baking duration based on the scaled recipe size.
• Pan Size Conversions: If you wish to bake a recipe in a different size pan than specified, utilize a reliable pan size converter. This tool will help you calculate the necessary adjustments to ingredient quantities and baking times to fit your chosen bakeware.

Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes

Callan Wenner

Raspberry Sauce

• 12 oz raspberries fresh or frozen
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water

Cupcakes

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ¼ cup neutral oil
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk or greek yogurt room temperature

White Chocolate Frosting

• 3 oz white chocolate melted and cooled (but still liquid)
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Raspberry Sauce

1. Add the raspberries and sugar to a saucepan and cook over medium low heat, mashing the raspberries down during the cooking process, until the juices release and they begin to bubble.
   12 oz raspberries,
   ¼ cup granulated sugar
2. Mix together the cornstarch and water, then pour into the raspberry sauce and mix immediately. Allow the sauce to bubble for about 30 seconds while stirring.
   1 tablespoon cornstarch,
   2 tablespoons water
3. If desired, pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove all seeds. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the sieve to get all the sauce! Cool completely.

Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
   1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour,
   1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder,
   ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium high speed for five minutes. Scrape down the sides at halfway.
   ¼ cup unsalted butter,
   ¼ cup neutral oil,
   ¾ cup granulated sugar
4. Add the eggs one at a time (medium low speed), scraping down the sides after each addition. Then, add the vanilla.
   2 large eggs,
   2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5. With the mixer on low, add half of the flour mixture, half of the buttermilk. Scrape down the sides. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk.
   ½ cup buttermilk or greek yogurt
6. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins (no more than ¾ full).
7. Bake for 20-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling completely.

White Chocolate Frosting

1. Chop the chocolate and add it to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between each, until melted. Set aside.
   3 oz white chocolate
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and half of the powdered sugar, and salt and beat together on medium low speed for one minute.
   ½ cup unsalted butter,
   1 ½ cups powdered sugar,
   ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3. Turn off the mixer and add the remaining powdered sugar. Resume on low speed until combined, then increase to medium high speed and beat the mixture for three minutes. Scrape down the sides.
4. With the mixer running on medium low, drizzle in the melted white chocolate. Then add one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until light and fluffy, but still has enough structure to pipe onto the cupcakes.
   1-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
5. If desired, add 1-2 tablespoons of the cooled raspberry sauce to tint the frosting light pink.

Assembly

1. Use a cupcake corer, base of a piping tip, or end of a skinny round wooden spoon to make a core in the center of each cupcake. Only go down ⅔ of the way.
2. Fill each cupcake with the raspberry sauce via a spoon or piping bag, not letting it overflow from the top.
3. Transfer the white chocolate frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip, or use a large cookie scoop to add mounds of frosting.
4. Pipe a swirl of frosting on top, or use a spatula to flatten slightly and add a swirl in the center. Garnish with fresh raspberries and white chocolate curls (use a vegetable peeler along the side of a bar of white chocolate).

The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

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