Raspberry Vanilla Cupcakes

These cupcakes are filled with three flavours that can't be resisted. And together, they create a flavour bomb for your palette and soul. Covered with a velvety chocolate mascarpone frosting, these cupcakes will become your favourite guilty pleasure with just one bite. If you're looking for a cupcake recipe, this is the one for you.

Serves: 12

Ingredients

Cupcakes

2 cups Flour

1 cup Granulated sugar

2 tsp Baking powder

150g unsalted Butter*

3 eggs

1 cup Full Fat Milk

2 tsp Vanilla extract

¼ cup Raspberry puree

Pinch of Salt

Raspberry Filling

½ cup Raspberry puree

¼ cup Granulated sugar

2 tsp Lemon juice

1 tbsp Cornflour

3 tbsp Water

Frosting

250g Mascarpone

1 cup Heavy cream

⅓ cup Cocoa powder

⅔ cup Powder sugar

Method

Step 1 - Cupcakes

Add butter with a hand blender in a bowl, and cream your butter on low for 2-3 minutes. Then add granulated sugar and beat till pale and double in size.

Step 2

Then add one egg at a time and beat until thoroughly combined. Followed by vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl from time to time.

Step 3

In another bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk combined. Then add ⅓ of your dry ingredients with your wet ingredients. Mix well.

Step 4

Then add ⅓ of your milk. Alternate between the two till thoroughly combined. Scrape the bowl down from time to time.

Step 5

Blend 250g of raspberries till smooth; add water if needed. Then strain the puree and keep it aside—Preheat the oven to 160°c. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.

Step 6

Fill the liners with 2 tbsp batter, then add 1 tsp of the raspberry puree. Then add the remaining 2 tbsp of batter, and repeat till all the liners are filled.

Step 7

Tap the tray a couple of times on the counter and place the tray in the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes or till the edges are slightly golden. Or if a toothpick insert in the centre comes out clean.

Step 8

Take the cupcakes out of the oven, let them rest in the tray for 15 minutes, then place them on a cooling rack and cool down to room temperature.

Step 9 - Raspberry Filling

Add the leftover raspberry puree, granulated sugar, and lemon juice to a pan and place on medium-low heat. In a bowl, add cornflour and water, and mix well.

Step 10

Then add the slurry to the raspberry mixture, stirring constantly. Let the mixture stay on heat till it thickens. Then take off the heat to cool down to room temperature.

Step 11

Once the cupcakes and raspberry filling cool down to room temperature. With a piping tip, dig holes on top of the cupcakes. Add ½-1 tsp of raspberry filling.

Step 12 - Frosting

In a bowl, sift Cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Then add mascarpone, and with a hand blender, beat until combined. Then add heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks.

Step 13

Add your frosting to a piping bag and pipe it on top of the cupcakes. Place some fresh raspberries and serve.

Tips

1. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, ensuring a moist texture.

2. Add cornflour slurry instead of just cornflour powder to prevent lumps.

3. To know if your puree is done, coat a back of a spoon, and it should stick to the spoon.

4. Use cool mascarpone instead of room temperature as it tends to curdle.

5. Don't overbeat this frosting. It will curdle. Keep a close eye.