Bursting with rich chocolate flavor, these Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes have a sweet jam filling and are topped with rich raspberry frosting. These are a go-to dessert when you want to impress.
A tender chocolate base, coupled with a sweet jam filling, makes these chocolate raspberry cupcakes the best dessert ever. Even better than my raspberry sorbet, these cupcakes are so indulgent that no one could ever guess they're vegan.
Using a simple cupcake base with a mild mocha flavor, the cupcakes are then topped with my favorite raspberry frosting that’s so good you’ll struggle not to lick it off the spoon. Just like my favorite vegan lemon cupcakes, these raspberry ones are on permanent rotation for any dessert table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor combo: Each chocolate raspberry cupcake pairs a rich, mocha chocolate with a sweet raspberry taste to make for the best balance of flavors.
- Texture: The base of the cupcakes is light and moist, perfect to sink your teeth into, and the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Stunning: These cupcakes always impress guests because the contrast of colors and presentation is classically stunning, no matter how you decorate them.
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Ingredients
- Sugar: Any sugar should work in the base of the cupcakes. I opted for plain white sugar as it blends the smoothest.
- Espresso powder: This gives the cupcakes a dark chocolate, almost mocha-like taste. Though you can omit it if you like, it really brings out the perfect balance.
- Oil: Any neutral oil will work for the recipe. I opted for canola oil to keep it simple.
- Freeze-dried raspberries: This is what gives the raspberry frosting its gorgeous, pink color and subtle berry flavor. Fresh raspberries can’t be used, as they’ll make the frosting too runny.
- Jam: Use any jam you love for the filling. I use raspberry chia jam more often than not.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Fruity: You can change the look and taste of these chocolate raspberry-filled cupcakes by varying the fruit used. Blueberry jam and freeze-dried blueberries are a fun switch-up.
- Frosting: If you don’t want a raspberry buttercream, the cupcakes are delicious with cream cheese frosting as well.
- Garnishes: Decorate your cupcakes with fresh raspberries, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, or glitter sprinkles for the occasion. I do this with my vegan vanilla cupcakes a lot as well.
How to Make Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes
Though there are a few moving parts to making the dark chocolate raspberry cupcakes, they actually come together in just 40 minutes of prep time.
Step 1: Prep the Base. Whisk together the dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar, and set it aside for a few minutes. In a large bowl, mix together the dry and wet ingredients until they’re combined.
Step 2: Baking. Pour the cupcake batter into a lined muffin tin and bake the cupcakes until cooked through.
Step 3: Whip the Frosting. Blend the freeze-dried raspberries into a fine powder. In a stand mixer, whip the vegan butter and slowly add the remaining frosting ingredients. Keep whipping until fluffy, then transfer it to a piping bag and chill.
Step 4: Prepare the Cupcake: Using a frosting tip, create a hole in the center of each cupcake.
Step 6: Fill the Cupcakes. Use a spoon to fill the cupcake with jam.
Step 7: Frost Them. Use the piping bag to frost the chocolate cupcakes and garnish them with shaved chocolate and fresh raspberries.
Expert Tips
- Muffin liners: Muffin liners work better than greasing the tin. You can use paper or silicone ones, but they make it easier to remove the cupcakes without tearing them.
- Blending the raspberries: After you process the freeze-dried raspberries, you need to sift the powder through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds, or your frosting will be gritty.
- Chill the frosting: You can’t frost the raspberry-filled chocolate cupcakes until they’re completely cool. In this time, let your frosting chill in the fridge so that it doesn’t become too runny.
- Storing: Store leftover cupcakes in a cupcake carrier in the fridge for up to 3 days. To serve them again, let them come to room temperature first.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these chocolate cupcakes with raspberry filling all on their own or with any of the following pairings:
- As part of a dessert table, along with blueberry oat crumble bars and vegan sweet potato brownies.
- At the end of a three-course meal of creamy green soup and vegan lasagna roll-ups.
Recipe Video
FAQs
Yes, you can freeze raspberry chocolate cupcakes if they’re unfrosted. Once cooled, store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you need them, let them come to room temperature before filling them with jam and whipping up the frosting and piping it on.
The best way to fill cupcakes with jam is to use a thicker frosting tip to remove a bit of the cupcake and create a hole. Then, using a spoon, add a dollop of jam in the center of the cupcake.
The chocolate raspberry cupcakes can be prepped up to 24 hours in advance, but not filled or frosted. Make the cupcake base and let them cool before storing them in an airtight container on the counter. Before serving, add the raspberry filling to the cupcakes and whip up the frosting to pipe over the top.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 210 g
- ¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder 68g
- 1 cup sugar 200 g
- 2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups dairy-free milk + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar vegan buttermilk
- ½ cup neutral oil I used canola oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Raspberry Frosting
- ¾ cup vegan butter room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar 227g
- ¾ cup freeze-dried raspberries 24g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
- raspberry jam
Instructions
- First, whisk together the dairy-free milk and ACV to create your vegan buttermilk. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix well. Make sure to sift the dry ingredients to take out any clumps.
- Add the cupcake batter to a lined muffin pan and bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes at 350°F/175°C. This recipe makes 15-17 cupcakes.
- Before making the frosting, measure out the freeze-dried raspberries. Then use a blender to blend them into a fine powder. Use a sieve to sift out all of the seeds, so you are only left with the raspberry powder.
- To make the frosting, use a stand mixer to whip the butter. Then slowly start adding in the powdered sugar, raspberry powder, vanilla, and salt. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and place it in the fridge before piping, as it can get melty at room temperature.
- Allow the cupcakes to fully cool, then use a thick frosting tip to dig out the center of each cupcake. Fill the hole with raspberry jam.
- Frost each cupcake with the raspberry frosting, then add fresh raspberries and shaved chocolate on top if you wish! Then dig in!
Notes
- Mixing the base: Before adding the wet ingredients to the dry ones, sift out any clumps in the flour so that everything blends smoothly.
- Filling the cupcakes: Choose a frosting tip that’s thick but not too thick to make a hole to pipe the jam. You don’t want the cupcake base to fall apart.
- Sifting: To maintain a smooth texture in the cupcake as well as the frosting, sift both the flours and the freeze-dried raspberry powder before mixing them so that no clumps remain.
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