It’s a beautiful Canadian day! Last night I was attempting to compose this second part of my favourite-cakes-into-cupcakes post, and I was literally falling asleep sitting up, so I decided to close the laptop and go to sleep (it was still light out!). After eight wonderful, beautiful, and, most importantly, uninterrupted hours of rest, I woke up this morning at 5:30am–before the kids! I decided to make some strong French press coffee and write this post in bed with windows open, early-morning sun, and country breeze (very French indeed). There are, however, a pair of little wee feet pressed up against my leg as I write, but at least they’re sleeping feet. I am, undoubtedly, a morning person: a morning baker and a morning writer, so now that I’m rejuvenated, caffeinated, and motivated, let’s talk cupcakes! If you read Wednesday’s post, Campfire Delight Cupcakes, you’ll recall that I’ve been recently pondering what some of my favourite layer cakes would be like in cupcake form. This is mostly because we spend a lot of summer weekends away, and I find cupcakes are quick easy-to-grab treats for the gang & co. at the lake. The thing is, I still want to share some of my favourite cake flavours and combinations, as well as switch things up, so rather than pack up the towering cakes, I thought cupcakes would be a fun change (not to say I won’t be packing up some highly inappropriate and overly dramatic cakes to the cottage this summer). I also find that I’m often left with extra cake batter, fillings, and frostings when I make the layer cakes, so why not use up every bit and create some cupcakes as a fun and mini addition to serving the cake itself? That way, the cupcakes can either be served that same day alongside the cake, or, after freezing the separate cake components, I can pull the tupperware containers of frostings and cupcakes from the freezer and flavour/assemble for a really quick (and hopefully impressive) treat for another day. That being said, I’m sure I don’t have to sell you on all of the fabulous reasons to make cupcakes!
Here is the mama version of these particular cupcakes from my previous post Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Buttercream Cake with Ganache Drizzle, where I had fun creating this unusual rectangular dark chocolate layer cake covered and filled with Raspberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream and topped with Dark Chocolate Ganache. For the cupcake version, I used my Rich & Dark Chocolate Cake recipe and topped it with raspberry buttercream swirls, and then poured some dark chocolate glaze over top. I didn’t add sprinkles this time, but you definitely could! I can’t think of a single occasion that isn’t enhanced by a good handful of sprinkles.
When I look at this cake, I can’t help but have painful flashbacks from the week I made it–I was cutting out sugar, and I vowed (to myself) that I wouldn’t indulge. I actually managed to avoid it and, with much agony, gave it all away without so much as eating a piece. But…this week I made these and it was sweet justice. I love raspberry & chocolate combination, and the generous swirls of satiny buttercream and drizzles of dark chocolate glaze were the highlight. The deep chocolate cupcake portion didn’t hurt either!
These are really so simple to make, especially if you happen to have any extra cake batter from your chocolate cake batches, as you can just pour remaining batter into standard cupcake liners and bake after your cakes are baked. If you keep Swiss Meringue Buttercream in the freezer, you’re even further ahead of the game–you pop some fresh raspberries into your Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream and mix for a moment or so to incorporate and add a bit of pink colour for punch (I got a bit pink-happy with these and next time I would use less for a softer pink, as I did in the cake version, so the raspberry bits stand out). The dark chocolate glaze is very quick to whip up and adds a sort of ice-cream-sundae sort of feel and a nice hit of dark chocolate. The glaze is a quick process of melting the three ingredients (dark chocolate, butter, and corn syrup) over a pot of simmering water. It’s has such a great shine and deep chocolate flavour, but since it’s all about the chocolate in this type of recipe, I recommend you use a premium Belgian chocolate or similar. If you aren’t a fan of using corn syrup, you can definitely use ganache in place of the glaze; it creates an even more decadent treat with its heavy cream. These aren’t fussy, fancy, or difficult, but they pack some seriously decadent flavours and textures into such a little package. If you want to give these a try, here’s the recipe:
Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Buttercream Cupcakes with Chocolate Glaze {click here for printable recipe}
Yield: 18 standard cupcakes
Rich & Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder – Extra Dark
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup strong, hot black coffee
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil cupcake liners. In bowl of electric mixer, sift all dry ingredients. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl with the dry ingredients and with paddle attachment on mixer, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed (you may need the plastic splash-guard that comes with mixer) and pour into prepared cupcake pan until 2/3 full (or just less). Batter will be liquidy.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until toothpick or skewer comes out with a few crumbs. Try not to overbake. Cool on wire racks in pans for 5 minutes then gently turn cupcakes onto racks until completely cool.
Raspberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream
*Essentially, this is vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream with some clean, dry, fresh raspberries into it. It doesn’t require many raspberries to give it a nice flavour, but it’s personal preference. You can also use seedless raspberry-puree for a smooth finish. Add a drop of pink food colouring for a touch more pink.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Because it does take some time to make, I always make in batches of 3 (vanilla), because it freezes so well and saves time. A batch of 3 fits perfectly in a 5QT KitchenAid mixer bowl. You can then thaw, divide, add separate flavours, purees, etc. I have recently decreased the amount of butter I use in my buttercream, because I find it has a lighter, fluffier quality to it. I’ve adjusted the recipe accordingly, but you can add more butter if you prefer. I’ve also recently started heating the egg whites and sugar to 160° F, rather than 140° F, and I find the meringue comes together so quickly this way (just an observation, however 140° F has worked for me for years). Just a note!
Yield: 5 cups
Ingredients
5 large egg whites (30g each–total 150g)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
*1/2 pint fresh, rinsed & dried raspberries (optional)
Method
Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with paper towel and vinegar, to remove any trace of grease. Add egg whites and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly, until temperature reaches 160 degrees F, or if you don’t have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.
With whisk attachment of mixer, begin to whip until the mixture is thick, glossy, and cool. Switch over to paddle attachment and, while mixing on medium speed continously, add softened butter in chunks until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth). Add vanilla and salt, mix well. You can also add a wide variety of flavourings, extracts, and more.
Notes:
Add about a 1/2 pint of fresh washed & dried raspberries if you like the textured effect, or raspberry puree for a smooth finish.
You can also add a drop or 2 of pink gel colour to get a pinker look.
Keep in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week, leaving out at room temperature when needed, rewhipping in mixer for 5 minutes.
Can freeze for up to 6-8 weeks. To thaw, place on counter overnight, and rewhip for 5 minutes with paddle attachment in an electric mixer.
Makes approximately 5 cups of buttercream.
*Recipe for Swiss Meringue Buttercream adapted from Martha Stewart.
Dark Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
4 oz high quality bittersweet chocolate (I use Callebaut Chocolate – Pure – Bittersweet – 1 kg
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 1/2 teaspooons light corn syrup
Method
Place the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir the mixture using a rubber spatula until melted and smooth.
*Glaze recipe source: Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented
Cupcake Assembly
1. Fill a large pastry bag (18″) fitted with Ateco #887 (or the decorative tip of your choice) about 2/3 full and swirl the buttercream in a circular motion, beginning on the outside rim of the cupcake and moving inward. Gently release pressure when you reach the top of your swirl.
2. Drizzle the top of the cupcake with Dark Chocolate Glaze (~1 tablespoon each).
3. Top with a fresh raspberry and chocolate sprinkles (optional).
Cupcakes are best enjoyed the day they are made, but these keep particularly well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days (however, I’ve been known to eat them up to a week later, and they taste great!). If you do refrigerate, serve at room temperature–particularly Swiss Meringue Buttercream cupcakes, otherwise the buttercream is too hard and butter-like.
Good luck & enjoy! I’ll see you soon with my 50th blog post!
Love, Rosie xo
*Product notes: the Cacao Barry Extra Brute (my favourite) cocoa powder is what makes this chocolate cake recipe so incredible. You can purchase it here: Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder – Extra Dark
Your morning sounds absolutely perfect! I’m jealous as I sit here at work, drooling over your cupcakes. I think you might be my new favorite blog :) love all your creations!!
Gorgeous! I was blown over by the original, but now you have me leaning towards the cupcake. So pretty and yummy looking :) Keep ‘em coming!
How fabulous! Very original.. and can’t wait to try!
Five stars! I can’t stop looking at these cupcakes. Have a wonderful weekend, Rosie! xox
Thank you, Aimee! You too! xo
Wow, these look amazing! (New reader here!)
First, you cause all kinds of trouble with the cake, and now you have to go and make it portable as cupcakes! And beautiful cupcakes too!! Lovely job, they sound irresistible!
I’m SO glad you are transferring the cake recipes into cupcake form. Your cakes are so insanely gorgeous as all of us know but a bit intimidating for novices like me! :) I feel the cupcakes are something I can have a go at without feeling scared. So lovely! Can’t wait to try this out, the raspberry looks gorgeous.
Beautiful cupcakes!
Hi! I just love your recipes but sometimes I have a hard time following them because I’m swedish. We have the metric system. I’ve bought cup measurements so that’s fine but when you weigh stuff, could you perhaps add what it is in grams aswell? That wound save me so much time!
Thanks again for a lovely blog!
You are such an inspiration to all us bakers out here in the blogosphere (and I know I can speak for all of us!) Your cakes are stunning and your photography is beautiful! Raspberry and chocolate is a weakness of mine, so I have a feeling these will be made very soon :)
You continue to make the most beautiful cakes and cupcakes! Almost too pretty to eat…….. but not really:-)
Where do you buy your cocoa powder? I’d love to try that brand, but ouch, with shipping it’s pretty pricey to get online! Any suggestions?
Summer, I buy mine from http://www.goldaskitchen.com in Ontario. I’m not sure where you’re located, so I can’t really suggest a spot for you as far as retail locations, but the shipping from Golda’s is pretty reasonable. Good luck!
Ha. I was going to ask you the same question but I had a hunch that if I can’t find anything but Fry’s in my downtown Toronto neighbourhood, you probably can’t where you are and that you are buying it online.
If I want to make the cupcakes for tomorrow, I am probably going to have to go with Fry’s.
P.S. Just a tiny comment…I was putting together my shopping list and I noticed that the raspberries don’t show up on the ingredients. I can understand why, given the way your post is organized, but it might be helpful.
Dusty, Fry’s will work just fine and taste great. The finished cake just won’t be as dark in flavour or colour, but Fry’s is a great alternative and easy to find! Good luck!
Thanks, Rosie! I’m excited to try it!
Wow! That looks amazing, love the colours and the flavours. This is so so tempting!
OMG, these sweets look fantastic!
magnificent pics!
I love that you made that cake into a cupcake!!
Rosie…you’ve done it again! These look tooooo good! Oh, how the raspberry in the buttercream makes it look amazing.
That is one adorable, yet fashionably chic cupcake! I’m fairly new to your site but I’m drooling!
So Darling! Have a fabulous weekend love! And 3 cheers for eight hours of sleep!
AMAZING. I am LOVING this! Your cupcake posts are so wonderful- looking forward to more.
You’re such a great cook ! I’d be so glad if I could make one of your cake to my boyfriend, unfortunately my kitchen happens to be my living room which happens to be my bedroom.. (French vision of “appartements” is kind of fun.)
I’ll keep reading your wonderful blog !
Just so you know, you have a huge fan from France from now and on ;).
both the cake and the cupcakes look fabulous!
Gorgeous cupcakes!
I just found your blog and your cakes are so amazing! I’m getting really inspired to make a tall cake, which I’ve never tried before. Your photos makes everything look so delicious :) Hugs from Sweden!
Glad you had a good uninterrupted 8 hours of sleep, falling asleep at the laptop is a good indication that you really needed it LOL. What a lovely write-up to a beautiful cupcake. The only thing that gave me pause was when you stated *…and hopefully impressive treat for another day* Rosie, I truly cannot imagine anything coming out of your kitchen that wouldn’t be impressive.
You are a fabulous cake genie and a genius on top of that. You my dear, are surely on your way to becoming the next gal we all shall clamor to see and have sign our books. Do you think you could make some of the pages scratch and sniff like your campfire cake & so many others, if only for the nostalgia of our youth. I loved that as a little girl. Why not have a grown up version debuting in your future book. Your artistry makes my very happy. Also thanks for sharing about how you do restrain yourself with sugar. I couldn’t figure out how you stay so stunning with all these wonderful sugar obsessions.
Ok… The work you do with cakes brings such a big smile to my face. Incredible!
Beautiful cupcakes (and cakes)….I love your line when you talked about little feet pressed into you while you were working :) so sweet.
I just discovered your blog and I am completely blown away by your creations! I no longer desire to be Martha Stewart when I grow up–I want to be you. :)
Your cakes are amazing! I have a friend that loves red velvet cake and I can’t find a recipe that I like. Any ideas?
Rosie–
First of all, love Love LOVE your cakes and creations! My husband is forever asking me why I insist on having parties, and I am forever telling him that it is for the desserts — by which I mean the cake!
I do have a question, though. Maybe a challenge. Have you ever made, or tried making, a gluten-free cake? A lot of my friends’ kids have special foods needs and so many GF cake recipes are either impossible without a chemistry set, or just… boring and flavorless and dense. I’d like to be able to include the GF kids in the festivities without resorting to amaretti and meringue-shell chocolate pie every time!
Hope you can help me out! Cheers!
-S
Cake, cupcake, cupcake, cake – all of it looks beautiful and beyond delicious. Chocolate and raspberry are a match made in heaven & you make it even better! xo
Visiting your site is always so bittersweet. Sweet obviously because everything looks incredible–I mean downright, lip-smacking, I-wish-I-was-your-next-door-neighbor incredible. Bitter because I don’t ever get to try any of these delicious looking sweets.
I am in awe at how delicious this recipe looks. And great shots, as always.
I am here to tell you how incredibly heartless it is to have a blog with this many fantastic, amazing, beyond-words confections on it when someone is in the midst of a lifestyle change (diet)!!! haha Man, does *everything on your blog look like I could eat the *photo* and get a taste of all that delicious sweetness. Yum. I just found your blog, but I can see that it is going to be one of my new favorites!
Raspberry buttercream pretty much sounds like I could eat it by the spoonful…I mean it has fruit in it, so it’s sorta healthy, right?
your posts amaze me…your baking is truly sublime & oh so creative!
These look wonderful. I too love dark chocolate and raspberry, such a winning combination. I will be making these darlings some time this summer. Can’t wait!
Hello!
I REALLY want to make these cupcakes… but I am not a coffee person. What should I add instead?
love your blog & this cake it’s awsome!!! I’d like to get your buttons for facebook, flickr, etc. Where did you get them? Thanks!
So I made the cupcakes over the weekend, and they are every bit as good as they look. Of course, yours look better than mine, ha ha, but they were amazing.
this cake is so inspiring! Tthe rectangular cake looks like a piece of art work. What size pan should I use to make the rectangular cake? when I have a hard day at work, I go to your website to relax by looking at the beautiful desserts. I wish you had a bakery in austin, texas!
They look amazing!
I made this buttercream this weekend when I made a wedding cake and loved it!! I like that you add extra vanilla and less sugar than some buttercream recipes. I also made this chocolate cake recipe and filled it with a chocolate mousse, and toffee chips than topped it with this buttercream.Thanks for showing your tips, you helped my first decorated wedding cake to be a success!
hi
wondering if you have a way to decorate buttercream to a wood grain like finish for a kids pirate cake? I’m trying to avoid buying an airbrush and haven’t decorated like this with anything but fondant but I think kids will prefer butter cream. Thanks for any help
Hi, I just made your raspberry swiss meringue buttercream and it curdled but came back and was great then I added the raspberries and it would NOT come back for me no matter how I whipped and whipped. Any ideas on why?
Thanks
Sorry to hear that about the buttercream! The curdling in the buttercream process before the addition of raspberries is nothing to worry about, but when you say that when you added the raspberries it wouldn’t come back, what did it look like? When you add the raspberries, you want to make sure that they are clean and dry–too much moisture added to the buttercream is going to definitely throw it off. You also want to make sure you don’t overmix once you add them. Beating on low until just combined is your best bet. The key is ensuring they are dry before adding. I hope this helps!
Hi Rosie, Thanks so much for the response. I just posted it on my blog. I think my raspberries may have been a little to wet. I sat them on a paper towel to drain but I am also cursed but the buttercream gods so that could have been it too. http://ovenadventures.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-must-have-been-sugar-free-vegan-in.html
I just wanted to tell you how WONDERFUL all of your desserts look. I tried the Vanilla Buttermilk Cake and it was the best vanilla cake I’ve ever had. Thanks so much for sharing your recipes!
I finally tried this recipe on the weekend and all I can say is WOW! I now have a new go-to Chocolate cupcake recipe and I had also always been too scared to try the swiss meringue buttercream, but after my success am now a convert! I love you blog and your photography – keep whipping it up :)
Hi! I love this whole recipe but it is the chocolate glaze i keep reusing on my cupcakes! I was wondering though how I can store the lefotver glaze. Right now i have it in a piping bottle and have a bunch left and want to use it again in two weeks. Can i refrigerate it and then warm it in the microwave or hot water? Will it solidify completely? Thanks for any wisdom you can provide!!!
Hi Michelle! I often put the leftover glaze in the refrigerator and then just bring to room temp when I’m ready to use it again. I usually pop it into the microwave for a few seconds, then stir, to glaze again. I hope this helps!
I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a while & I’m going to make them this weekend! I was just wondering, is the buttercream recipe that you posted enough to frost JUST 18 cupcakes? Or did you triple it? I really don’t want to have any leftover butter cream! Thanks! :)
WOW! That’s all i can say! These cupcakes are perfect! Soft, moist, and very very chocolateeyyyyy!! I’m not really a fan of chocolate, but i couldn’t stop eating these when they first came out of the oven! Although i made pretty near to 25 cupcakes… (not complaining) Havn’t had a chance to try the frosting yet, but iwll definatly give it a shot! they taste FAB without! 5* and truely reccommended xxxx
although the batter did look a little runny, i jsut added more cocoa powder and flour :) (bout 1/4 cup)
Hi ! Love all your posts & photos . Dhanks for sharing recipes & tips too. Do you have any tip how this buttercream frosting hold its shape for a longer hour in a humid & warm place like outdoor party? thanks.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This just became the hit at a dinner party where I was responsible for dessert. I used raspberry puree instead of whole berries but found it wasn’t quite enough of a raspberry punch in the buttercream. I ended up adding whole berries to be mixed, too. I got the pinkness and a nice tart contrast to the cake with it. Definitely making these again.
I LOVE these, I have made 3 batches in the last 2 weeks! What size piping tip do you use to decorate them with?
Hi Ro! I used Ateco tip 887 for these (I’m 99% sure, sorry it’s been awhile!). I hope this helps!
Hi there. I LOVE your blog, but I have a question. I made the cupcakes and they turned out fine but the Swiss meringue buttercream is a little runny, even after so adde the raspberries any suggestions?
Well I figured out my problem and I just ended up remakig the whole batch and it turned out 100 times better! But I wanted to go for a second batch as I’m out of unsealed butter but J have plenty of salted, is it ok to use salted butter? How will it affect the SMB?
Sorry, autocorrect, that was suppose to be unsalted not unsealed.
I also had this problem! What did you do differently?
I actually went and bought the candy thermometer because the first time I was just guessing at the temperature off the Merigune and I think they were still raw, and on top of that it curdled when I added the butter because I didn’t whisk the Merigune long enough after to let it cool, and I have just a hand mixer that only seems to have one setting and that’s high, so when I mixed just the meringune before adding the butter it was foaming so I switched to hand mixing it until I added te butter. I also did a google search for how to make SMB and Rosie’s blog showed up with a link to a this website
on how to make SMB. I couldnt it when searching on this blog, but when I did that goggle search I just clicked on that link.
OMG!…I tried this recipe and i use it all the time!!!!…thank you for your wonderful gift of creativity….you are my SHERO!!!
Oooo my god….. This is happiness!!
And I love your photos!!!!!! What camera you have??
Ty
Xxx
i always wondered that myself but never asked! :0)….the pics are beautiful!
Just made these and they were a hit this is the best chocolate cupcake recipe ever!!!!!!!
I just love your website, it’s so inspering! And this cupcakes, they’re just amazing…thanks! I always put two or three little raspberries inside the cupcakes before baking them, and it fits perfect with the dark choccolate!
Have you ever condidered to publish a book with your receips and photos? I’d instantley buy it if there was any chance of getting it in Swizerland!
Thanks so much, Luana! I love the idea of putting the raspberries inside the cupcakes–fabulous! To answer your question about a book, it’s definitely a dream of mine! xo
Hey Rosie,
I saw some of your cakes pictures here:-
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.391800690841304.89605.391794827508557&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.392356540785719.89752.391794827508557&type=3
not sure if you are ok with it.
cheers
Hey !
Loved the taste of the recipe but hade major problems with them bubbling over the top or not rising?
I was making mini cupcakes and my oven does have a temperamental nature at times?
Can u help?