White Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling Cupcakes

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 5 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped 11/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising),
• preferably unbleached
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 2/3 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup raspberry jam
• White chocolate cream cheese icing

Preparation

Step 1

1. Put white chocolate in heatproof bowl. Bring skillet of water to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, place bowl in hot water, and let stand, stirring occasionally, until white chocolate is melted; be sure not to get any water in bowl. Remove bowl from water and let cool until tepid.

2. Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°. Line twelve 3x1/2-inch muffin cups with paper liners.

3. In small bowl, whisk together flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In glass measuring cup, stir together the milk and vanilla. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter with electric mixer set on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. One at a time, beat in eggs, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in tepid white chocolate. With mixer on low speed, in thirds beat in flour mixture, alternating with milk mixture in 2 equal additions, and beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Using 1/3-cup food portion scoop or spoon, transfer batter into the prepared cups; they will be full.

4. Bake until wooden toothpick inserted center of cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. These will not rise or turn golden brown like other cakes; do not overbake. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on wire cooling rack.

5. Put jam in pastry bag fitted with plain tip about 1/2 inch wide. Insert tip about 1/2 inch deep into cupcake and squeeze to pipe about tablespoon jam into it. Repeat with remaining cupcakes and jam. Frost tops of cupcakes with icing. (For especially professional look, use ice-cream scoop to top each cupcake with icing, then use small icing spatula to smooth each portion of icing into dome.)

6. Refrigerate until serving. Remove from refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.

*+White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing:+*

1 pound cream cheese
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped at room temperature

1. Put chopped white chocolate in heatproof bowl. Place in skillet of barely simmering water and let stand, stirring often, until melted and smooth; be sure not to get any water in bowl. Remove from water and let chocolate cool until tepid but still fluid. Beat in white chocolate after confectioner’s sugar.

2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer set on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. If you prefer thick and creamy texture, use immediately.

For lighter, fluffier icing, beat for 1 to 2 minutes longer. If icing seems too thin, refrigerate to chill slightly before using. White chocolate adds vanilla flavor to the icing.