Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
These Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes feature a sour cream chocolate cupcake base and a bright raspberry buttercream frosting.
Creating This Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake Recipe
I’ve got one last Valentine’s Day recipe to share with you. Can you believe Cupid’s day is in just a couple days?
The kids and I have had so much fun making new recipes to share with you for this fun holiday. I just love hearts and treats and special meals.
Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom of the post – I’ve got two sets of FREE Valentine printables for your downloading pleasure.
These Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream (that’s a mouthful, isn’t it?) is our new favorite cupcake recipe. We’ve made them twice in the past couple of weeks and just had to share them with you.
What’s in these Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
This recipe has two parts: the sour cream chocolate cupcakes and the homemade raspberry buttercream. To make the cupcakes, you’ll need:
Ingredients for Chocolate Cupcakes
- Semi-sweet chocolate
- All-purpose flour
- Cake flour
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Baking soda and baking powder
- Salt
- Eggs
- Granulated Sugar
- Butter
- Sour Cream
- Milk
- Vanilla Bean Paste
Ingredients in Raspberry Frosting
And to make the raspberry buttercream, you’ll need:
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh Raspberries
- Freeze Dried Raspberries
- Vanilla Bean Paste
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
This recipe comes together like your typical cupcake recipe. Here’s an overview of the process:
Make the Chocolate Cupcakes
- For the sour cream chocolate cupcakes: Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Set aside to cool down for a bit.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes, until it is pale and thick.
- To the egg mixture, add the butter followed by the melted chocolate.
- Now, add in the sour cream and vanilla. Beat until well incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture and milk in alternating increments and beat until smooth.
- Divide batter between lined cupcake tins. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Make the Raspberry Frosting for the Cupcakes
- For the raspberry buttercream: Cream butter and cream cheese in electric mixer until fluffy.
- Slowly add 1 cup sugar and beat until smooth.
- Add half of the raspberries and mix until combined.
- Add remaining powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and beat until well incorporated.
- Add vanilla seeds and the remaining half of the raspberries and mix at medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before frosting cupcakes if you’d like it to hold it’s shape.
Read more: Kitchen Tip: Cupcake Piping Tricks
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
- The sour cream chocolate cupcake recipe makes about 30 cupcakes. If you don’t want that many, use this handy tip for how to measure partial eggs to make less, or make the whole batch and freeze some for later.
- If you don’t keep cake flour on hand, you can easily make your own in about 5 minutes.
- The raspberry buttercream frosting would also pair nicely with my favorite vanilla cupcakes.
How to Store Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
Once frosted, the cupcake should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll last up to 3 days.
Can the Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes Be Frozen?
Yes, they can be frozen with or without the frosting. If freezing just the cupcake bases, seal them in a freezer bag up to 3 months.
Check out my How to Freeze Muffins tutorial because you can use similar methods and some of the tips apply as well!
If storing after being frosted, seal them inside an airtight, freezer-safe container (make sure the lid doesn’t smash down the frosting!).
Try these Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
Next time you’re looking for an recipe for fluffy chocolate cupcakes, give this Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes recipe a try!
Did you love the combination of chocolate and raspberry in this cupcake recipe? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of delicious recipe.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see a photo of your cupcakes!
What Readers Are Saying
“LOVE THE FROSTING!!! It was so amazing!!! Tasted great, great texture, but you really do need to refrigerate it if you don’t want it to ‘melt’.” — Kayla
“Made these yesterday for our family cookout + they were a huge hit!” — Amy
“Made these today for my boyfriend and his family and they LOVED them! Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect and delicious! Thanks so much!” — Kristin
More Easy Cupcake Recipes:
Here a simple and moist chocolate cupcake recipe with a fail-proof cream cheese frosting colored pink for Valentine’s Day. These Valentine’s Cupcakes are a hit at parties!
Decadent Dark Chocolate Cupcakes are piped with a salted caramel buttercream and drizzled in homemade bourbon caramel sauce for a delicious sweet and salty dessert.
Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes made with three flavors of cream cheese frosting! Don’t worry, it’s an easy recipe with just a few extra steps required!
Celebrate warm weather with these easy Lemon Cupcakes. They’re topped with a fluffy blackberry frosting that’s tough to beat!
In this recipe, Lime Cupcakes are topped with a delicious strawberry lime buttercream. Great for birthdays, July 4th, and more!
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Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
These Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes are topped with a bright and delicious Raspberry Cheesecake Buttercream.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 (180 grams) cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 cup (125 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup full fat sour cream
- 1 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Raspberry Cheesecake Buttercream
- 1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries
- 4 ounces fresh raspberries, divided
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar, according to preference
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Line muffin tins with cupcake cups or grease using nonstick cooking spray.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave, in 15 second intervals, making sure to stir in between.
- Set aside to cool down for a bit.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes, until it is pale and thick.
- Add in the butter. Mix until combined.
- Add in the melted chocolate. Now, add in the sour cream and vanilla, beating until well incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture and milk in alternating increments and beat until smooth.
- Divide batter into the cupcake tins. This batter made about 30 cupcakes for me.
- Bake for 18-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
For the Raspberry Cheesecake Buttercream:
- Crush or blend the freeze dried raspberries into a fine powder. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain out and discard the seeds. Set the raspberry powder aside.
- Puree 2 ounces of the fresh raspberries. Press the puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Discard the seeds. Set the puree aside.
- Cream butter and cream cheese in electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until fluffy, scraping the sides as needed so the butter and cream cheese are fully incorporated.
- Slowly add 1 cup sugar and beat until smooth, again scraping the sides as needed.
- Add the raspberry powder, raspberry puree, and vanilla bean past to the frosting mixture. Mix until combined. Scrape the sides down with a spatula.
- Add remaining powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and beat until well incorporated.
- Then, scrape the sides down one more time and mix at medium-high speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- If needed, add more sugar as necessary to achieve preferred consistency.
- Transfer the raspberry cream cheese frosting to a cupcake piping bag with your desired piping tip.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before frosting cupcakes so it will hold it's shape better.
Decorating the Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
- Pipe or spread the raspberry cream cheese frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.
- Use the remaining fresh raspberries to garnish the cupcakes.
Notes
adapted from Solar System Birthday Party Cupcakes
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 267Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 225mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 1gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g
Free Printable Valentines
I’ve got a couple fun, free printable Valentines that the kids can have fun with. Print these out on white card-stock to use as classroom Valentine gifts for parties.
There are two sets: a card and a bookmark.
- Click on each to open the high-res set.
- Right Click > Save As to save to your computer and then print.
Valentine’s Day Card
Valentine’s Day Bookmark
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
Gorgeous cupcakes, so beautifully decorated! I love those black and white cupcake liners too, very chic.
Lauren at KeepItSweet says
What do you mean by seeds only of the vanilla bean? All of the past you scrape from the inside? These look fantastic, by the way.
bigFATcook says
Wow! These cupcakes look absolutely delicious!!
Jenn@eatcakefordinner says
Your cupcakes look so cute. I love the black and white cupcake papers with the pink frosting.
Sandy says
Hi! I just luvvvvvvv the way these cupcake look; and with the liners and everything!! Where could i get those beautiful liners?
Katie says
I picked them up at the grocery store. They had a couple of liners with designs on them.
Debbie says
These look absolutely amazing. I don’t have vanilla beans, so what could I replace the seeds with?
Debbie says
Sorry, I just re-read the posts above and it says what to do. Thanx for posting.
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
These are so pretty. And I can only imagine what they taste like – the frosting sounds divine!
Rosa says
Those are so pretty and delicious looking! A perfect Valentine’s Day treat.
Cheers,
Rosa
Joanne says
That raspberry cream cheese buttercream elevates these chocolate cupcakes to a whole new level of decadence!
Sharlene says
Oh so beautiful! I want these on my table right now.
Lisa (Dishes of Mrs. Fish) says
Beautiful pictures! I love the idea of raspberry buttercream. At Whole Foods last night, they had chocolate cake with a raspberry glaze. It delish, but no recipe card. Totally okay though, because I have this now! 🙂
Kristen says
These look so good!
Julie says
What form of semi-sweet chocolate are you using ? I know I could use any semi-sweet, but am wondering how many “squares” ………or if I can use chocolate chips !
Also, do you have an amount for substituting vanilla for the vanilla bean seeds ?
These cupcakes are beautiful and look delicious ! Thanks!
Katie says
I used Scharffen Berger chocolate squares (baking chocolate). I haven’t tried chocolate chips. For 1 vanilla bean use 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
Debbie says
katie, would you use 4 squares of the baking chocolate to equal the 4 oz?
Katie says
It depends on the chocolate. I am all out of my usual Scharffen Berger, but I am pretty sure that Baker’s brand is one ounce per square. Do you have a kitchen scale?
Debbie says
I do, thanks for the reply.
brandi@BranAppetit says
That raspberry buttercream is beautiful! I love the color on the chocolate cupcakes.
Courtney says
That buttercream is calling my name! Can’t wait to try making it 🙂
Shaina says
These look gorgeous, and I’m sure they taste delightfully sinful.