White Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes

After my birthday party I found myself with a couple of left-over ingredients from the Chocolate Raspberry Cake and really wanted to use them. I concentrated on the fresh raspberries and the raspberry frosting and remembered a recipe by Ainsley Harriot. This particular recipe was about a muffin with white chocolate and raspberries, but as I am incapable of producing a normal muffin, I decided to adjust this idea into a cupcake.

And I have to say that I'm quite pleased with the end result. Big chunks of white chocolate and the juiciness of the raspberries make this a great cupcake, but the adding of the raspberry frosting elevates this into a great cupcake. Even my husband, who usually doesn't really like sweet and sugary cupcakes, loved this one!

Needless to say the cupcakes were gone all too soon....

Recipe

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
125 gram (1 stick and 1 tablespoon) butter, room temperature
125 gram (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
125 gram (1 cup and 2 tablespoons) self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla-extract
2 tablespoons milk
125 gram (about 4 oz.) fresh raspberries
100 gram (3.5 oz.) chopped white chocolate, not too finely chopped

Raspberry frosting (this renders a lot of frosting, for a huge cake, so adjust to how much you need):
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
21 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup strained raspberry purée
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F).

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla.

Add one egg at a time, followed by a tablespoon of flour, beating until the egg is completely incorporated before adding the next.

Stir in the rest of the flour.

When everything is mixed well, you can add the milk, as much as you think you need, I usually add 2 tablespoons, but you can use more or less.

Add the chocolate and the raspberries and very gently fold them into the batter.

Fill your muffin tray or just paper liners about 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting with the raspberry frosting.

Raspberry frosting:
Combine the sugar and egg whites in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.

Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches about 70°C (160°F) and the sugar has dissolved.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes (the bowl should be cool to the touch).

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated and just keep going.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (or longer).

Blend in the raspberry puree and vanilla until smooth and completely incorporated.