Learn how to make fluffy raspberry cupcakes at home with a vanilla cupcake base and fresh raspberry pieces, topped with a light raspberry frosting and an intense raspberry center. These homemade treats are sure to please your taste buds!
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This is my signature raspberry cupcake recipe, a delicious homemade treat featuring my best vanilla bean cupcake base infused with fresh raspberry pieces.
They're topped with a light raspberry whipped cream frosting made from my best recipe for mascarpone frosting flavored with a homemade raspberry coulis and have an intense raspberry compote heart, creating a delightful burst of flavor in every bite.
These fresh raspberry cupcakes, bursting with the vibrant essence of raspberry flavor, are the perfect recipe for any occasion, whether it's a birthday, a wedding, or simply savoring the raspberry season.
Why you'll love this recipe
Craving for more raspberry recipes? Give these a try, raspberry macarons, Chocolate raspberry ganache cake, chocolate raspberry ganache cupcakes, raspberry ganache, Vanilla raspberry cake.
Ingredients Notes
You need these ingredients to make these raspberry vanilla cupcakes:
Raspberry vanilla cupcakes :
- Butter: unsalted butter which should be softened or melted butter but cooled. (for a oil base cupcakes follow this recipe for vanilla cupcake with oil)
- Sugar: White granulated sugar.
- Eggs: Large and at room temperature.
- Flour: Use white wheat flour such as cake flour, or all-purpose flour.
- Milk: Use buttermilk, you can replace it with full-fat sour cream or plain yogurt.
- Yeast: Only baking powder or baking soda.
- Vanilla and salt: Pure vanilla extract and table salt.
- Raspberries: Just fresh raspberries if possible, but frozen raspberries work too.
Raspberry filling: Raspberry compote, raspberry jam or raspberry curd.
Raspberry frosting: Made from mascarpone cheese, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, raspberry puree, and vanilla extract.
How to Make Raspberry Cupcakes Recipe
Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!
Step 1 Make the raspberry vanilla cupcakes:
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, place the softened butter with the sugar and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until creamy.
- Add the room-temperature eggs and vanilla extract and beat again for 3 minutes until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients, cake flour, baking powder and salt, then set aside.
- Add the flour mixture and buttermilk in the cake batter alternately, in batches, and mix with a rubber spatula until smooth, then add the raspberries and mix just until incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Pour the raspberry cupcake batter into the prepared pans, filling the cupcake cakes up to ¾ full and bake for approx. 15-17 minutes, until golden on top.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool before removing them from the muffin pans and leaving them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 2 Make the raspberry puree:
- Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan, including fresh or frozen raspberries, sugar and lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Cook over medium heat until boiling, then reduce heat to low and continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes, until you have a thick purée-like preparation.
- Allow the raspberry compote to cool completely, then place it in a covered jar in the fridge.
- Fill the center of the cooled cupcakes with the pureed raspberries, previously scooped out with a cupcake corer.
Step 3 Make the raspberry frosting:
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl: cold mascarpone, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and raspberry puree.
- Mix with an electric mixer at medium-low speed for about 2-3 minutes until thick, smooth, and firm.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a star icing tip (in this case 1B) with the raspberry whipped cream and decorate the tops of the raspberry cupcakes with a swirl.
- Add fresh raspberries for decoration and place the frosted cupcakes in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Tips for this recipe
Storage instructions
In the fridge: This raspberry cupcake recipe can only be stored in the fridge for around 3-4 days, in an airtight container or under plastic wrap.
Freezer: Only unfrosted cupcakes can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them defrost gently overnight in the fridge.
Variations & Substitutions
Recipe Questions
Can I replace raspberry puree with freeze-dried raspberries?
Yes, you can make whipped cream or buttercream frosting simply flavored by using freeze-dried raspberry powder.
Can I make these raspberry-filled vanilla cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake the vanilla and raspberry cupcakes a day ahead and store them without the filling and frosting. Assemble them with the raspberry filling and mascarpone topping on the day you plan to serve them.
Can I use frozen raspberries for the filling?
Yes, you can use frozen raspberries for the filling - it will just take a little longer to cook, as frozen fruit is generally more waterlogged then fresh berries.
Is the raspberry mascarpone frosting difficult to make?
Not at all! The frosting is straightforward and requires just a few ingredients. It's about blending mascarpone cheese with raspberry puree for a creamy, flavorful topping.
Are these raspberry-filled cupcakes suitable for all occasions?
Absolutely! Whether it's a birthday, a holiday, or just a casual gathering, these raspberry-stuffed cupcakes are a delightful treat that's sure to impress.
Can I adjust the sweetness of the filling or frosting?
Yes, you can easily adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding more or less sugar to the raspberry filling or the mascarpone frosting.
Can I use raspberry Jam to fill raspberry cupcakes?
Yes, it's possible to make a simple raspberry jam cupcakes using just raspberry jam to fill each center of a raspberry cupcake.
More Cupcake recipes
I hope you love these raspberry-filling cupcakes. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!
Print
Vanilla Raspberry Cupcakes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
Description
Recipe for raspberry cupcakes with a soft vanilla cupcake base, raspberry compote filling and raspberry frosting (for 12 cupcakes).
Ingredients
Cupcake batter
- 100 g (½ cup) Butter - unsalted and softened
- 150 g (¾ cup) Sugar - granulated white sugar
- 2 Eggs - room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
- 135 ml (½ cup) Buttermilk - or plain yogurt
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) Cake Flour
- 1 ½ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 80 g (½ cup) Raspberries - fresh or frozen
Raspberry filling
Make my homemade raspberry compote
Raspberry whipped cream frostin
Instructions
Cupcake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and prepare a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, mix and sift together all the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder and salt.
- In another large mixing bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, place the softened butter with the sugar and beat at medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until creamy and smooth.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again for about 3 minutes at high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add the buttermilk and dry ingredients alternately and in batches, mixing with a spatula until smooth and homogeneous.
- Add the raspberries, whole or in pieces, and mix again just enough to incorporate them into the batter.
- Pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners until they're ¾ full.
- Bake in the oven for about 15-17 minutes, without opening the oven door, until lightly browned on top (check for even baking by dipping a toothpick into the center of a cupcake; it should come out clean and crumb-free).
- Remove the baked cupcakes from the oven and leave to cool slightly before unmolding and cooling completely on a wire rack.
Raspberry compote
Follow my recipe for raspberry compote, use half to fill the inside of the cupcakes and the other half to make raspberry puree for the frosting by blending the compote in a food processor, then straining the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.
Raspberry whipped cream frosting
Follow my recipe for raspberry whipped cream frosting (respecting the quantities that will be sufficient to decorate 12 cupcakes)
Assembly
- Remove the center of the cupcakes using a cupcake corer.
- Fill inside with raspberry compote.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip (in this case, tip 1B) with all the raspberry frosting and decorate the tops of the cupcakes, forming swirls.
- Decorate with fresh raspberries and place in the fridge for around 20-30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Storage: Up to 3-4 days in the fridge under a plastic wrap or in an airtight container (only cupcakes without frosting can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months).
Homemade buttermilk: Take the same quantity of semi-skimmed dairy milk and add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Leave to stand for a while, the mixture will curdle and you can use it to replace the buttermilk.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 179
- Sugar: 13.5 g
- Sodium: 75.1 mg
- Fat: 8.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.3 g
- Protein: 2.6 g
- Cholesterol: 50.2 mg
Yum, they're amazing. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Hello, I'm going to try this recipe but I don't have buttermilk. What can I use as a substitute, and is the mascarpone cream firm enough, or should I opt for a buttercream instead since they'll be sitting out at room temperature for a while? Thanks for your recipes!