Chocolate raspberry cupcakes

By wrice

Ingredients

• For the filling:
• 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 (12 oz.) bag frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• For the frosting:
• 12 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp. corn syrup
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preparation

Step 1

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl; add the hot coffee and let stand a minute or two, then whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.


In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs on medium-high speed until slightly thickened and pale yellow. Slowly add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to the eggs, mixing until well blended. Add the dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated.


Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


To make the raspberry filling, puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan to remove the seeds. Whisk in the sugar and cornstarch, and heat, stirring frequently until the mixture boils. Once it has thickened, remove the pan from the heat. Chill before using.


Meanwhile, make the ganache. Add the chopped chocolate to a medium heatproof bowl. In a saucepan combine the cream, corn syrup and sugar. Heat until just boiling. Immediately pour the mixture over the chopped chocolate and let stand a few minutes to melt. Whisk in small circular motions until the mixture is smooth and blended, then whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated. Let the mixture stand at room temperature to thicken slightly, so it can be piped or spread.


To assemble the cupcakes, place the raspberry filling in a pastry bag. (I used a tip specifically for injecting fillings, but a plain tip is fine too. This cake is soft enough that you can just stick the tip into the top of the cupcake and pipe away.) Pipe a few teaspoons of filling into each cupcake. Spread the ganache over the tops of the cupcakes. If desired, pipe excess ganache inside fresh raspberries and place on top of the frosted cupcakes (be sure to do this before the frosting sets.) Allow to set completely before serving.