This cupcake recipe is about to blow your mind! It produces the fluffiest cupcakes with jam filling and tangy, pink raspberry buttercream. Moist, tart, and sweet - these Raspberry Cupcakes are my new favorite treat.
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These cupcakes are greater than the sum of thier parts. The vanilla cake is springy and super easy to make. The creamy raspberry buttercream is packed with raspberry flavor.
Combine the moist cupcakes together with jam and WOW! I eat a lot of cake/cupcakes, and these raspberry filled cupcakes exceeded my expectations.
I don't often ask bakers to purchase specialty ingredients, but the frosting gets its punch and color from freeze dried raspberries. Trust me - it's worth it for the mouth-puckering, real raspberry flavor of the buttercream.
I was inspired by my one-bowl vanilla cake recipe in the hope that they would be equally fluffy and delicoius. It such an easy recipe that always produces a moist and springy cake, no matter its form. Baked as these raspberry cupcakes, the texture is just as tender and delicious. I added a small splash of almond extract, but pure vanilla would be equally tasty.
Ingredients to Make Moist Raspberry Cupcakes
Pantry
All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, granulated sugar, powdered icing sugar, pure vanilla extract, almond extract (optional)
Fridge and Dairy
Whole milk, unsalted butter, large eggs
Extras
Raspberry jam - pick your favorite! Pick any jam that you like since the flavor will come through.
Freeze-dried raspberries - I like to keep specialty items to a minimum, but the tart frosting pretty depends on the use of ground freeze-dried raspberries for a huge punch of flavor.
Heavy whipping cream - look for a cream with 32% to 36% milk fat that will help aerate and fluff up the buttercream.
Avocado oil - both butter and oil are responsible for the cupcakes' ultimate fluffy and moist texture. Avocado oil is the best but any neutral oil, like canola or vegetable, will do.
Fresh raspberries - for decorating
Tools and Equipment
These one-bowl cupcakes come together undeniably quick. You need an electric mixer for the frosting, but the cake batter stirs together by hand.
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Spring-loaded cookie scoop
- Muffin tin
- Cupcakes liners
- Electric mixer
- Small food processor or rolling pin
- Mesh sieve
- Piping bag and tips
Substitutions
This recipe uses mostly straightforward baking ingredients. Additionally, you may make it gluten-free with one-to-one gluten free flour. Try a non-dairy version using plant-based milk and butter.
- Freeze-dried Raspberries - If you can't source freeze dried raspberries, you can add a couple tablespoons of raspberry jam to the buttercream for a similar flavor. They will still be a tasty treat regardless.
Variations
These one-bowl vanilla cupcakes use a staple recipe that can be used for all different flavors of cupcakes. Try one of these!
- Strawberry Cupcakes - use strawberry jam and swap in freeze-dried strawberries for the raspberries.
- Cranberry Cupcakes - use the curd and frosting recipes from these Cranberry Cupcakes
- Chocolate Raspberry - swap the vanilla cake base for Chocolate Cupcakes.
- Raspberry Sheet Cake - bake the batter as a sheet cake and top with raspberry buttercream
Steps for Making Raspberry Filled Cupcakes
- First, stir together the batter - make the easy, one-bowl cake batter
- Bake the cupcakes - baking at a higher temp allows them to rise even higher
- Meanwhile, crush the raspberries - use a small food processor or rolling pin to crush the freeze-dried raspberries
- Make the buttercream frosting - whip it up with an electric mixer (hand or stand) and add the freeze dried raspberry powder
- Fill the cupcakes - use an apple corer, inverted piping tip, or small knife to remove the centers of the cupcakes then spoon in raspberry jam
- Finally, frost the cupcakes! - Swirl it up and top with fresh raspberries
Storage
Store the cupcakes at room temperature for up to 2 days. Cover in a cake box or in an air-tight container.
In order to extend their freshness, transfer leftovers in an air-tight container to the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Unfrosted cupcakes may be wrapped in bundles of 4 or 6 and stored in the freezer for up to one month.
Likewise, wrap leftover buttercream in plastic and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw and rewhip the frosting before using.
How to Pipe a Perfect Cupcake Swirl
These raspberry cupcakes are piped with a medium star 1M piping tip. This piping tip creates a perfect rosette.
To start, fit the piping tip into the end of a piping bag. Fill the piping bag only half full with buttercream.
Next, position the piping bag so that it is straight down over the top of the cupcakes. Apply even pressure to the piping bag and pipe a spiral - starting from the outside. Continue with a second loop around, this time coming towards the center.
Finally, release all pressure from the piping bag then lift the tip up and away from the cupcake.
Top Tip
Bake these raspberry filled cupcakes at 375°F for a little extra lift. A taller cupcake is ideal for filling with jam.
Raspberry Cupcakes FAQs
Yes! You can use the same recipe baked as three 6-inch cake layers or two 9-inch cake layers. Try the recipe as a sheet cake.
You don't absolutely hate to, but they are recommended for maximum raspberry flavor. Alternatively, you can stir a couple tablespoons of raspberry jam into the buttercream.
Cupcakes are best frozen without frosting. Wrap bundles of 4 to 6 cupcakes together in plastic wrap and freeze for 1 to 3 months. Additionally, placing them wrapped and then in a zip-top bag will prolong their freeze time.
Layer Cake 101
New to cake decorating? Start here:
How to Make Beautiful Layer Cakes
Buy my books! Layered and Icing on the Cake
More Cupcake Recipes to Try
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Recipe
Raspberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tea baking powder
- ½ tea kosher salt
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ tea vanilla extract
- ¼ tea almond extract (optional)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ¼ cup avocado or canola oil
For the Raspberry Buttercream
- ¾ cup freeze-dried raspberries
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ tea vanilla extract
- raspberry jam for filling
- fresh raspberries for topping
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond (if using) then whisk until combined.
- Add the melted butter and oil. Whisk the batter until the fats begin to emulsify into the batter, then switch to a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Continue to stir until smooth. It is okay if a few lumps remain.
- Using a spring-loaded cookie scoop (if possible), fill the cupcake liners about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack before frosting.
Make the Raspberry Buttercream
- Using a small food processor, grind the freeze-dried raspberries into a powder. Alternatively, crush them in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin until fine. Use a mesh sieve to sift out the seeds. It's okay if a few seeds remain. Set aside.
- Using a stand (or hand) mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute.
- Turn the mixer off and add the powdered sugar, raspberry powder, cream, and vanilla. Begin mixing on low speed until the ingredients come together - scraping the bowl occasionally.
- Turn up the speed and mix at medium-high speed for 3, until the buttercream is light and smooth. If needed, add additional cream until desired consistency is achieved. The buttercream should spread smoothly without tearing the crumb of the cake but thick enough that it holds shape when piped and spread between the layers.
To Assemble
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a paring knife, an inverted piping tip, or apple corer to cut out some of the centers of the cupakes.
- Fill the centers of each cupcake with a couple teaspoons of raspberry jam.
- Place the raspberry buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a 1M star tip. Pipe swirls of buttercream on top of the cakes. Add fresh raspberries, if desired.
Jasmin
Just a spectacular recipe. I baked it this morning and my kids loved them when they got home from school. The frosting is so good.
stylesweet
Hi! Thank you for the comment. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Dani
GREAT recipe! Made these for Easter and they were perfect.
stylesweet
Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Erin
I love the frosting. Will make again.
Karly
I made these over the weekend and everyone loved them! Will make again. thank you!
Rita
Delicious!!!
Bree
Fantastic frosting! My husband is an ABC hater and he absolutely loved it. The tartness of the raspberry tempers the sweetness of ABC very well. (Target sells freeze-dried raspberries for those looking to source them cheaper than Amazon.) I paired the frosting with your Devil's Food Cupcake recipe on the site and made mini-cupcakes (omitting the jam filling). Did a double swirl of frosting using a 2D piping tip and we felt the chocolate to raspberry ratio was perfect. Thank you for the great recipes!
stylesweet
What a lovely review. Thank you for taking the time to let us know you enjoyed the cupcakes! Happy Baking!