raspberry chocolate

yesterday i made the best cupcakes that i have ever made before. i needed to do something with the thousands of raspberries that we picked, so i looked for a recipe for raspberry chocolate cupcakes. i didn't follow the recipe exactly, and it was for the best. the raspberry buttercream frosting is tart and sweet and fluffy and perfect. i am posting the basis of the recipe below. if you try making them, don't be afraid to mess around with the measurements and just feel like doing whatever you want. i'm sure they will turn out fantastic!



Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes
~30 cupcakes

1 1/3 cups plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa powder
45g (or 1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
frozen raspberries

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 F). Line muffin tins with cases.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
4. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk and beat well.
5. Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full. Mash up some raspberries until they're soft, sort of like a puree consistency. In each individual cup, place some of the raspberry concoction into the tin and push down a little way into the batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool in tins for at least 10 minutes, then frost when completely cool.

Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
Use this recipe as a starter, and play around with the measurements until you get a flavor you're happy with.

150g (or 3/4 cups) butter, softened
2-3 cups icing sugar
handful of raspberries
1/3 cup milk

1. Cream the butter. Add the icing sugar and raspberries and beat well. If you find you need more liquid in the frosting, add milk gradually.
2. Frost away!