Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes with Jam Buttercream
Decadent chocolate cupcakes topped with raspberry jam buttercream and fresh raspberry truffles filled with chocolate ganache. The combination of rich cocoa cake, tangy-sweet frosting, and luxurious truffle garnish creates an impressive dessert perfect for special occasions, birthdays, or romantic dinners. What sets this recipe apart is the homemade raspberry truffles - fresh berries filled with chocolate-raspberry ganache that crown each cupcake. The Dutch-processed cocoa ensures deep chocolate flavor while the warm water creates an incredibly moist crumb. Mini cupcake format makes them ideal for parties or elegant presentation.
Ingredients
- 2 pints fresh raspberries, cleaned and dried
- 5 ounce semisweet chocolate
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup seedless raspberry jam
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flouralmond flour3/4:1gluten-freegluten-free
denser texture, nuttier flavor
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 11 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ⅝ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 ⅓ cups warm water
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
Instructions
- 1
Place chocolate and raspberry jam in heat proof bowl
- 2
Bring cream to a boil
- 3
Pour cream over chocolate and jam and let sit for 3 minutes
- 4
Whisk together chocolate mixture until smooth, microwaving briefly if lumpy
- 5
Put ganache into piping bag or plastic bag with small hole cut out
- 6
Pipe chocolate ganache into fresh raspberries
- 7
Refrigerate for 15 minutes until ready to use
- 8
Preheat oven to 325F
- 9
Grease and flour mini cupcake pans
- 10
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl
- 11
Mix to incorporate dry ingredients
- 12
Beat butter at medium speed until creamy
- 13
Gradually add sugar and beat on high speed for 3 minutes
- 14
Add cocoa powder and beat for 1 minute
- 15
Scrape down sides with spatula
- 16
Beat in eggs one at a time
- 17
Beat in vanilla
- 18
Add flour mixture in three additions alternating with warm water in two additions on low speed
- 19
Scrape down sides and mix at low speed for 30 seconds
- 20
Pour batter into prepared pans
- 21
Bake for 13-15 minutes
- 22
Cool for 5 minutes in pan then remove
- 23
Cool completely on wire rack
- 24
Place butter and jam in mixing bowl with paddle attachment
- 25
Cream butter and jam until well incorporated for 2 minutes
- 26
Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until desired consistency
- 27
Frost cooled cupcakes and top with raspberry truffle
Tips
Ensure raspberries are completely dry before filling to prevent ganache from becoming watery
Test cupcake doneness with toothpick - it should come out with just a few moist crumbs
Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent buttercream from melting
Good to Know
Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days
Cupcakes can be baked 1 day ahead and frosted day of serving. Truffles can be made 2 days ahead
Serve at room temperature for best flavor and texture
Common Mistakes
Don't overmix batter to avoid tough cupcakes
Don't frost warm cupcakes or buttercream will melt
Don't skip chilling truffles or they'll be too soft to handle
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Gluten-Free Swaps
FAQ
Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch-processed?
Yes, but reduce baking soda to 1/2 teaspoon as regular cocoa is more acidic and will react differently with the leavening agents.
What if I don't have mini cupcake pans?
Use regular cupcake pans and bake for 18-22 minutes. You'll get fewer cupcakes but they'll be standard size.
How long will the raspberry truffles keep?
Store filled raspberries in refrigerator for up to 2 days. The berries will start to soften after that.