Raspberry Ganache Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting

Epic. Cupcake. Baking. 

I think the picture says it all - but just in case it doesn't, here're some ramblings about this beautiful concoction. So this is going to be cupcake #2 for Sam's Wedding Cupcake Tower. Remember the Dulce de Leche Cupcakes? Those are the other ones. We wanted a cupcake that was going to contrast nicely with the lovely beige dulce frosting and yet keep with the wedding theme of "red". Also - since the dulce cupcakes were vanilla based, obviously we needed something choooocollatteeee. 

These cupcakes had to be special, and boy were they ever. The cake itself is moist, rich, dark, and even with a hint of coffee. Then we filled them with high quality bittersweet chocolate made into a rich, ooey gooey raspberry infused ganache.

Then we frosted them with frosting that had raspberries just tossed in whole and dissolved by the power of the hand whisk. amazing. absolutely amazing.

These guys were a compilation of two different recipes. The woman that kindly wrote the batter recipe said that they were for "18 cupcakes with a little batter leftover". We didn't know how much she meant by "little" since we easily made four dozen cupcakes. That's right, about 48 so please keep that in mind as you read the recipe below. We had sugar all over the kitchen, cupcakes cupcakes everywhere!  Not that it's a bad thing, but it was a bit unexpected...but now the wedding cupcakes are done!

Raspberry Ganache Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting

Cake adapted from: thecurvycarrot

Frosting adapted from: goodlifeeats

For the cupcakes: 

original recipe makes 48, NOT the 18 advertised - due to egg and baking powder...but if you feel comfortable with 3/8 portions and 1/2 eggs - go for it! totally do-able, feel free to message for tips!

Yield: 48 cupcakes

3 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup hot brewed coffee (mm...mmm..good)

3  cups sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2  cups cocoa powder

2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3 eggs

3/4 cups vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350F. Pour your hot brewed coffee over your semisweet chips and set aside. 

In the mean time, mix together your sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix together your eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla. 

Slowly add in your coffee, which should be slightly cooled by now, and chocolate mixture into your egg mixture (slowly! make sure you don't scramble the eggs by going to fast). Beat until incorporated. 

Fill your cupcake liners. We found that a 1/4 cup of batter worked out absolutely perfectly. Bake 12-14 minutes until the tops give just enough spring and take these guys out. They will be perfectly moist and delicious! Let them cool and begin to prepare the ganache. 

For the chocolate-raspberry ganache

18 ounces good bittersweet chocolate

2 1/4 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam

Heat your whipping cream on medium-high heat until just at boiling. Remove from heat and pour the whipping cream over your high quality bittersweet chocolate and mix until incorporated. Finally, add in your raspberry jam and let set in refrigerator until ready to use. 

To assemble: Core out a little bit of your cupcakes with a spoon or a proper cupcake corer. Scoop in the ganache as shown in the picture above. Don't worry about it being perfect, the frosting will cover all of that. Our taste testers said to err on the side of less ganache:cake ratio as to not overwhelm the cupcake with delicious chocolate filling.

For the Frosting: for 48 cupcakes

3 sticks of butter at room temperature

8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature

10 cups of powdered sugar

8 ounces of frozen and thawed (or fresh) raspberries

2 teaspoons of vanilla

Using a hand mixer, cream together your cream cheese and butter. Slowly add in half your raspberries and one cup of powdered sugar at a time. Finally, add in your vanilla and the rest of the raspberries along the way. It doesn't really matter when you add in the vanilla and the rest of the raspberries, just whenever you feel like you have control over the vat of frosting. You can let the frosting set up in the fridge for 30 minutes before piping or add in more sugar if you feel like it's too runny. We found that this ratio worked best! 

Pipe onto your cupcakes and whew! you're done! Delicious cupcakes complete! Enjoy!!

                                                                                                      

Sam & Elyse