Chocolate raspberry cupcakes with a raspberry filling and whipped chocolate ganache frosting.
Soft chocolate cupcakes filled with homemade raspberry compote, finished with a light chocolate ganache that’s easy to pipe and not overly sweet.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Moist chocolate cupcakes with a rich cocoa flavor
- Sweet-tart raspberry filling that pops in every bite
- Fluffy whipped chocolate ganache that pipes beautifully and sets cleanly in the fridge
Ingredients you need
- Cake flour or all-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
- Baking soda (or baking powder if needed)
- Granulated sugar
- Neutral oil (or unsalted butter)
- Eggs, room temperature
- Vanilla extract + fine salt
- Buttermilk (or milk + lemon / yogurt / sour cream)
- Raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- Lemon juice (for the filling)
- Semi-sweet chocolate (chips or baking chocolate)
- Heavy cream (30–35% fat)
Tips before you start
- Use room-temperature eggs and dairy for a smooth cupcake batter.
- Let the raspberry filling cool completely before filling the cupcakes.
- Fill cupcake liners only halfway to keep an even rise.
- Cool cupcakes fully before filling or frosting to prevent melting.
- Chill the ganache well before whipping for a light, stable texture.
How to make chocolate raspberry cupcakes
This recipe uses my classic chocolate cupcake base, which I rely on for most of my chocolate cupcake variations.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk in a large bowl until smooth and fully combined.
Add the dry ingredients in two to three additions, mixing gently just until the batter is smooth.
Fill the cupcake liners halfway using an ice cream scoop or spoon.
Bake in apreheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 14–15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool slightly in the pan, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
This filling is made using my homemade raspberry sauce, cooked down for a thicker, cupcake-friendly texture.
Cook raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until thick and jam-like.
Cool completely, then use to fill the center of the cupcakes before frosting.
This step uses my chocolate ganache frosting recipe, made to be smooth, stable, and easy to pipe.
Heat the heavy cream until just simmering, then pour it over the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth.
Chill the ganache 2–3 hours until cold, then whip until thick and pipe onto the cupcakes before decorating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these chocolate raspberry cupcakes slightly chilled or at cool room temperature to keep the whipped ganache stable and creamy.
Storage
- Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
- Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe Variations
- Different fruit filling: replace raspberry compote with strawberry or cherry compote.
- Simpler version: skip the filling and frost directly with whipped chocolate ganache.
- Mini cupcakes: use a mini cupcake pan and reduce baking time.
If you love this flavor combo, try the full-size version with this chocolate raspberry cake recipe.
Recipe Questions
Can I use raspberry jam instead of homemade filling?
Yes, thick raspberry jam works well if you’re short on time.
Do I need to refrigerate these cupcakes?
Yes, because of the whipped ganache, they should be stored in the fridge.
Can I make them ahead of time?
Yes, bake the cupcakes and prepare the filling up to 2 days ahead, then assemble before serving.
More Chocolate Cupcake Recipes
- Hi hat chocolate cupcakes
- Birthday chocolate cupcakes
- Nutella cupcakes
- Marble cupcakes
- White chocolate raspberry cupcakes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! If you try this recipe, feel free to leave a comment. It always helps. Happy baking!
Print
Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
Description
These chocolate raspberry cupcakes are extremely indulgent and very easy to make, with a super-soft chocolate cupcake base, a tangy raspberry filling, and a creamy whipped chocolate ganache frosting (for about 12 cupcakes).
Ingredients
Chocolate cupcakes
- 100 g (¾ cup) cake flour
- 40 g (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 85 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil
- 125 ml (½ cup) buttermilk
Raspberry filling & sauce
- 300 g (10.5 oz) raspberries – fresh or frozen
- 60 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Chocolate ganache frosting
- 300 g (10 oz) chocolate – 54–64% semi-sweet
- 360 g (1 ½ cups) heavy cream – full fat
Instructions
Chocolate cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a cupcake pan with paper cases.
- Mix and sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, beat the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla for about 3 minutes until smooth.
- Add the buttermilk, then the dry ingredients, and whisk gently until smooth and fluid.
- Fill the cupcake cases halfway with batter.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the centers are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely at room temperature.
Raspberry filling
- Cook raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice over medium heat until soft and jammy.
- Use part of the compote to fill the cupcakes, then blend and strain the remaining compote to make a smooth raspberry sauce.
Chocolate ganache frosting
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream until it just comes to a boil, then pour it over the chocolate.
- Rest 30 seconds, then stir until fully melted and smooth.
- Blend with an immersion blender until glossy.
- Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and chill 2–3 hours until cold but pliable (about 22–23°C).
- Whip on low speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and firm.
- Pipe large swirls on top of the cupcakes, scoop a small center, and add raspberry sauce.
- Decorate with a fresh raspberry.
Notes
Storage: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Bring to room temperature 15–20 minutes before serving.
Tips:
- Use room-temperature eggs for a smoother batter.
- Do not overfill the cupcake cases to avoid overflow.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before filling and frosting.
- Whip the ganache slowly to keep a smooth, stable texture.
- The raspberry filling must be fully cold before assembling.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 386
- Sugar: 28.3 g
- Sodium: 185.5 mg
- Fat: 26.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.8 g
- Protein: 5.2 g
- Cholesterol: 66.1 mg
Chachou
Absolutely delicious! The combination of chocolate and raspberries is truly a success. I'm not a fan of cupcakes that are often more about appearance than taste, but here, everything is carefully crafted: the cupcake batter, the raspberry filling, and the ganache. The recipe is easy and very well explained (as always). It's truly a perfect base, adaptable to various ideas (I'll try it with kiwis, which I think go really well with chocolate). Thank you for this fantastic recipe!
Fadela
Thank you so much Chachou for your feedback on this recipe ❤️ The chocolate kiwi combination must be wonderful, so don't hesitate to let me know when you've tested your recipe.
JoJo
I made this after watching the most recent episode of The Summer I Turned Pretty, after the viral chocolate cake moment from it, and am so glad that I did! I ended up making the cupcakes and raspberry filling the night before just to save time, and made the icing the day of. The flavors work so well together, and I can't wait to make them again. Personally, I think this is better than Jeremiah's requested two tier dark chocolate wedding cake with a mirror glaze and raspberry coulis filling 🙂