Fruity, sweet, slightly tart cupcakes that make you look oh-so-fancy with minimal effort. These are perfect for the fruity dessert lover and the chocolate lover alike. You can make just twelve for your SIP entourage or multiply the recipe as needed.

The story

This recipe is for the person who loves fruity desserts over chocolate. You may be thinking, “Who would want that? Chocolate is always the answer. Why are you even friends with these people???” And I get it. I used to be a chocolate-or-nothing kinda girl.

But adulthood, trying new things, and (weirdly) having a baby changed that. I couldn’t stand chocolate during my first trimester. I’ve mentioned before that I had vanilla froyo with fruit as my lunch about once a week for two months straight because lunch was when my “morning” sickness set in.

Plus, I’ve discovered that there are SO many delicious desserts out there. Just because something’s your favorite doesn’t mean it’s the only thing you eat.

I use this combination often. The flavor pairing is just so darn good and it’s always a hit. In particular, my vanilla cake with raspberry filling is one of my favorites. Tart and sweet and vanilla all in one bite.

I also love that the white chocolate brings a subtle richness that balances the sweet and tart of the cake and filling.

I also love that you can make a dozen of these or five dozen. Just multiply as needed!

Tips for this recipe

Frost any way you’d like!

The cupcakes in the photos here were made with leftover cake tasting cupcakes, so I thought I’d have some fun. I had exactly three cupcakes, so I just started trying something new with each one. At first I tried to cover the raspberry completely, but some got mixed into the frosting, making it slightly pink and textured from the seeds.

Then I tried dolloping frosting around the edges then smoothing it into a barrier for the jam, which created a Sprinkles-esque look with a pool of jam in the middle.

Finally, I embraced the swirl and added a few extra splatters of jam as I swirled the frosting around. If you try something fancy and it doesn’t pan out, this is your go-to backup. Just tell everyone you meant to do it that way.

Cupcake liners are recommended

Like I said, these were part of a dozen cupcakes I made for a wedding cake sample, and I wanted the demonstrate some naked edge options. Thus, I sprayed my cupcake pan with baking spray and skipped the liners. But this led to two problems. First, it felt wrong arranging them with my hands. I mean, I had just meticulously decorated tasting cupcakes while washing my hands repeatedly and holding my breath so as to avoid spreading germs. Now I’m supposed to touch an unlined cupcake?? Also, naked cakes and cupcakes (like this) dry out more quickly. I kept ours in a Pyrex with a locking lid, and even then I noticed they were getting dry by day 3. Lesson learned.

See my notes for each individual recipe for more details

Since all three elements of these are from previous recipes, I recommend looking at the tips on each one. At the very least, don’t try to cut corners or skip directions so as to get the best result.

Make up to 3 dozen at a time

You can make as many dozen as you’d like. But I’ve found that 3 dozen (or triple this recipe) is too much batter for a typical stand mixer (or even my larger one).

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White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

prep time: 40-50 min

cook time: 15-20

total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes (plus cooling time)

Servings: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes:

1 egg,room temperature

3 ounces plain, whole milk Greek yogurt, room temperature

½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk, room temperature

⅓ cup oil (avocado or grapeseed)

⅔ cup sugar (or ¾ cup for a sweeter cake)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, sifted

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon fine ground salt

Raspberry Jam Filling: note: you can sub store-bought jam/preserve

1 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen

juice and zest (optional) of 1 medium lemon

½ tablespoon cornstarch

½ tablespoon water (or lemon juice, for a tarter, more lemon-y taste)

Optional: 2-4 tablespoons sugar

White Chocolate Buttercream:

3 ounces white baking chocolate (not chocolate chips)

1 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (optional, adds smoothness)

½ cup (4 ounces, or 1 stick) butter, room temperature

½ to 1 cup powdered sugar (see note on original recipe)

couple pinches fine ground sea salt, optional

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Instructions:

Make the cupcakes:

Preheat your oven to 325. Line one regular cupcake pan with cupcake liners (or spray with baking spray or even grease with butter and lightly sprinkle with flour—use what you have!)

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (eggs, yogurt, vanilla, buttermilk, and oil) until well-blended and no chunks of yogurt remain and oil is emulsified (meaning no oil bubbles form when you stop whisking), about 1 minute. Add sugar and whisk for about 30 seconds to partially dissolve the sugar. Add dry ingredients to the wet, stirring gently with a spatula (or the whisk—cause dishes are annoying when you’re home all day) until just combined. It's okay to leave some small lumps.

Pour evenly into your cupcake liners, about ¾ full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Be careful to check frequently toward the end so as not to overbake. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Make the raspberry jam filling:

While the cupcakes bake (or ahead of time so it can chill), make the raspberry jam filling. Add raspberries, lemon juice, and sugar (if using) to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until berries have completely broken down, 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Optional: if you do not want the seeds, strain after berries have broken down by setting a large fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pushing the berries through with a rubber spatula, squeezing as much juice as you can.

Mix cornstarch and water or lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk or stir into berries until completely dissolved, ensuring there are no clumps.

Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens to your desired consistency, about 5-10 minutes. It will thicken very slightly as it cools.

Cool to room temperature or refrigerate if using later. To prevent a film from forming as it cools, stir occasionally or store in an airtight, locking container or sealed jar.

Make the White Chocolate Buttercream:

When cupcakes are nearly cooled, make the buttercream. Melt white chocolate and heavy cream (if using) in a small glass bowl set over a small saucepan with 1-2” water in it. Bring water to a boil then turn to low to simmer. Stir chocolate frequently with a rubber spatula until completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and set aside to cool. To prevent a skin from forming, stir every 5-10 minutes.

Once the white chocolate is cooled to room temperature, add butter to a medium mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat butter on medium-high until smooth and lightly fluffy, about 1 minute. Add half of the powdered sugar and beat on low until incorporated then increase speed to medium-high until smooth.

Add white chocolate and salt and beat until smooth. Taste, adding more powdered sugar to your desired sweetness (or structure—I wouldn’t go beyond 2 cups powdered sugar). Add vanilla, if using. Once you’re happy with the taste, beat on high speed 3-5 minutes to create a fluffier frosting, then stir by hand with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to release any large air bubbles.

Assemble cupcakes:

Using a cupcake corer, grapefruit spoon (or regular spoon or knife), cut out about ½ inch or so of the cupcake middle. Fill in with a spoonful of chilled jam. Using any of the above methods or a piping bag, frost with white chocolate buttercream.

Frosted cupcakes should be kept in an airtight container. It’s best to store them on the counter so they do not go stale. They will last 3-5 days. Enjoy!