Delicious raspberry cupcakes topped with a rich raspberry buttercream frosting. These soft-textured treats are perfect for anyone who loves fruity, flavorful desserts.
These raspberry cupcakes are a must-try. The combination of raspberries mixed with the soft cake texture and creamy buttercream frosting makes each bite a little piece of heaven. Plus, they’re really not difficult to make.
Hey there! Before you scroll, there’s lot’s of important stuff in the post!…including the FAQ section, which may answer any questions you might have about this recipe. Enjoy!
These raspberry cupcakes really are a must-try. The combination of raspberries and creamy buttercream frosting makes each bite a little piece of heaven. Plus, they’re not difficult to make. They do take a little bit of effort, but it’s completely worth it.
What’s special about these cupcakes?
- Soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture
- Rich raspberry buttercream frosting
- Bursting with fresh raspberry flavor
- Perfect balance of sweetness and tartness
- Eye-catching, vibrant color
How to make these cupcakes:
(The full printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Step 1:
First, make the cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two cupcake pans (24 cupcakes) with cupcake liners and set aside.
Step 2:
Chop the frozen raspberries, to measure 1 cup for the cake batter, and set aside.
Step 3:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk well, then set aside.
Step 4:
In another medium-sized bowl, add the sour cream, milk, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk well and set aside.
Step 5:
In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter and the sugar and mix on medium-high speed with an electric mixer for a couple minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 6:
Add the eggs, one at a time mixing for about 20 seconds after each egg.
Step 7:
Alternately add in the dry mixture and the liquid mixture to the butter/egg mixture, starting and ending with the dry mixture.
Step 8:
Before adding the raspberries to the batter, add about 1 heaping tablespoon of plain cupcake batter to each cupcake liner and spread around the bottom of the liner.
Step 9:
Add the chopped raspberries to the remaining batter in the mixing bowl and fold in with a large spoon or silicone spatula.
Step 10:
Add the rest of the batter to the cupcake liners. (Doing it this way will help keep the raspberries from sinking all the way to the bottom.)
Step 11:
Bake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes. Ovens vary.
Place the cupcake pans on cooling racks and let cool in the pans for about 7 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans and let them cool on the wire racks until completely cooled. The tops of the cupcakes may flatten out as they cool.
Step 12:
Mix the frosting according to the directions below and add the frosting to the cooled cupcakes.
Note About Recipe Measurements: I write recipes using volume (cups) measurements because here in the U.S., this is what people are more familiar with and I don’t want anyone to feel intimidated when baking. For metric/weight measurements, click the ‘metric’ button under the ingredients in the recipe card below. The weights are converted by a program, not me, and it’s just a best guess. I can’t guarantee that weighing the ingredients will produce the exact same results, since I test recipes using volume measurements.
Recipe
Raspberry Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (Measured correctly: Spooned into the measuring cup and leveled off – don't scoop and pack the flour into the cup, that will add too much flour.)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sour cream, near room temperature
- ¼ cup milk, near room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 cup frozen raspberries, chopped (You’ll need a large bag (or two small bags) of frozen raspberries, since you’ll need them for the frosting as well.)
For the frosting:
- 1 cup frozen raspberries, defrosted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 6 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans (24 cupcakes) with cupcake liners and set aside.
- Chop the frozen raspberries, enough to measure 1 cup for the cake batter, and set aside while you mix the cake batter.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk well, then set aside.
- In another medium-sized bowl, add the sour cream, milk, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk well and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the room-temperature butter and the sugar and mix on medium-high speed with an electric mixer for a couple minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time mixing for about 20 seconds after each egg.
- Alternately add in the dry mixture and the liquid mixture to the butter/egg mixture, starting and ending with the dry mixture.
- (Add in ⅓ of the dry mixture and mix on medium speed just until combined. Add in ½ the liquid mixture, mixing on medium speed only until combined. Add in another ⅓ of the dry mixture, mixing on medium speed only until combined. Add in the last of the liquid mixture, mixing on medium speed only until combined, then the last of the dry mixture and mix until combined.)
- Be very careful only to mix until well combined. Mixing too long and at too high of a speed can cause the cupcakes to come out dense and rubbery.
- The batter will be thick at this point.
- Before adding the raspberries, add about 1 heaping tablespoon of plain cupcake batter to each cupcake liner and spread around the bottom of the liner.
- Add the chopped raspberries to the remaining batter in the mixing bowl and fold in with a large spoon or silicone spatula.
- Add the rest of the batter to the cupcake liners. (Doing it this way will help keep the raspberries from sinking all the way to the bottom.) In my opinion, this works better than coating fruit with flour, but use the method you prefer.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes. Ovens vary, so watch the cupcakes closely starting at about 15 minutes. Cupcakes are done with they're puffed up slighty, lightly golden on the edges and a toothpick into one of the middle of a couple of cupcakes comes out with either a few moist crumbs on it or clean. Be very careful not to bake too long or the cupcakes could dry out.
- Place the cupcake pans on cooling racks and let cool in the pans for about 7 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans and let them cool on the wire racks until completely cooled. The tops of the cupcakes may flatten out as they cool. That’s normal for these cupcakes.
- Mix the frosting according to the directions below and add the frosting to the cooled cupcakes.
- See the notes section for best ways to store these cupcakes, how to serve them and for more questions.
For the frosting:
- Add the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Bring the mixture to a low boil and mash up the raspberries.
- Lower the heat a bit and continue to boil until it thickens, about 8-10 minutes or so. Make sure to stir frequently. You want to make sure that it really thickens or the frosting will end up too runny.
- Strain the raspberry sauce through a fine mesh strainer if you do not want any seeds in the frosting. You’ll need to mash the sauce in the strainer because it will be a thick.
- Throw out the seeds and cover the bowl of raspberry sauce, then chill in the fridge until cooled.
- Once cooled, finish making the frosting.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter and salt and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
- Add three cups of the confectioner’s sugar plus 2 tablespoons of milk and mix on low speed until incorporated, then on medium-high speed until well mixed.
- Add the raspberry sauce and the vanilla extract and mix well on medium-high speed until smooth.
- Add the last three cups of confectioner’s sugar and mix on low speed until combined, then on medium-high speed until well mixed.
- Check the consistency. If it’s too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. If it’s too thin, add another cup of confectioner’s sugar and mix well. If it’s very thin, you may not have reduced (cooked) the raspberry sauce long enough.
- Pipe or spoon the frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Share
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FAQs:
Unsalted is always best because you can estimate the proper amount of salt that will be added plus salted has a different water content than unsalted. However, if you’re unable to get unsalted butter, you can use salted in the cake and the buttercream, but omit the additional salt that each recipe calls for.
The butter needs to be at room-temperature so that it will emulsify (mix) better with the sugar. In my non-scientific explanation, basically all the molecules need to really get in there and intermingle.
The other ingredients are best used at the same temperature as adding cold milk and eggs to the warmer butter and sugar mixture, can sometimes make the butter cold again and cause it to clump up. It’s not the end of the world if this happens, but it’s better if you can prevent it.
Sour cream is best in this recipe as it helps make a very moist cake and gives a little flavor. If you don’t have access to it, you can use plain yogurt, but use the full-fat yogurt instead of the low fat or fat free type.
I have not tried this recipe with fresh raspberries. It may work just fine, but I cannot promise that.
Cupcakes are done with they’re puffed up slightly, lightly golden on the edges and a toothpick into one of the middle of a couple of cupcakes comes out with either a few moist crumbs on it or clean. Be very careful not to bake too long or the cupcakes could dry out.
These cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and can last up to 5 days.
These cupcakes are best served closer to room temperature, so that the texture is soft. If the cupcakes are cold, set it them out to come closer to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving.
I have not tried this recipe out as a layer cake. It may work, but I cannot promise it will. If you do try it, pour the batter into two, 8-inch round baking pans and bake at 325 degrees F and start checking at around 30 minutes or so, however it will probably take a bit longer to finish baking – more like 45 or so.
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Supplies used:
- Mixing bowls
- Cupcake pans
- Cupcake liners
- Metal sieve
- Silicone spatula
- Hand mixer or Stand mixer
- 1M piping tip or 2D piping tip (optional)
- Piping bags (optional)
Nancy Astle
In the instructions it says to beat eggs one at a time for 20mins am I right assuming that is incorrect
Kara
Hi Nancy, yes I had several people reach out to me to let me know it said ‘minutes’. I must have fallen asleep typing it out or something. 🤣 It should be 20 seconds. Thank you for noticing that!
Janet
Do you think frozen (cut up) peaches would work? If so, would I eliminate the lemon zest or keep it? By the way, I think #11 is redundant 🙂
Kara
Hi Janet, I’m not sure if the peaches would work, but I think they could. I’d probably still add a bit of lemon zest, but maybe not as much. It would be fine to skip it though.
So on #11, I do get what you mean and you can skip that step if you want. It does seem to help when I do it that way though. It keeps the pieces of fruit more in the middle and top of the cupcake. This may not be a huge issue with this recipe though since the batter is so thick, but I’ve just gotten used to using this method whenever I make cupcakes or muffins with fruit in it and it helps keep the fruit pieces from sinking all the way to the bottom. For some, this method helps and for others, it doesn’t really make a huge difference, so it’s definitely not mandatory. I just don’t like fruit at the very bottoms of my cupcakes and muffins. 😉 Hey if you try the cut up peaches, I’d really love to hear how it turns out!
Janet
Oh my goodness – my bad. I meant #11 in the frosting section 😀 I think it’s a duplicate? Okay thank you for the info – I will this recipe with cut up frozen peaches – will let you know for sure!!
Kara
Oh goodness, you’re totally right! I didn’t even think to check the frosting section. Goodness. Thank you so much! I’m going to go and fix that right now. 🙂 I hope the peach version turns out great!
Janet
So, I tried it. The texture of the cupcakes was fantastic – fluffy and moist – and your batter recipe is absolutely delicious. On the other hand, the peach taste just wasn’t strong enough to my liking. I also made the frosting with peaches so that helped a bit.. I’ll try raspberries next time 🙂
Kara
Oh dang, I had big hopes for the peach version. I wonder if peach jam or maybe cooking the peaches down a bit would bring out more flavor? I might have to experiment because I like the idea of peach cupcakes. Thanks for letting me know how the experiment went! I hope you love the raspberry version! 🙂
Janet Garfield
Oh that would be awesome. I will look forward to hopefully seeing a peach cupcake recipe! I agree about the peach jam and it did go through my mind as I was making them.. or maybe apricot!