This Hidden Raspberry Cupcake Recipe was first inspired by a recipe card my Mum picked up n Waitrose.
It was an interesting recipe and one I had to give a go, not because of the ingredients, but more because of the equipment needed.
I initially followed the ingredients to the letter, but have since modified them a little to get a nice light bake. As I'm an old fashioned kind of baker I rebelled when it came to the order of placing the ingredients into the food processor........yes you did read that right......food processor!!!! The recipe said put everything in at once. But the old fashioned side of me meant I did the butter and sugar first and added the egg and flour alternately, one egg and spoon of flour at a time.
The whole food processor thing confused me a bit. I mean, surely a food mixer should be used, but the method said 'blitz until smooth', so there was no mistake a 'processor' was what was needed. The batter came out quite creamy, like thick pouring cream and actually baked really nicely, as you can see from the photo above. The hidden raspberry is just a little surprise and you probably could put in a couple.
The method said bake at 220c, gas mark 6 for 20 minutes, but after only 5 minutes the tops were turning brown, so I'm afraid I rebelled again and turned the oven down a bit. I like to bake at 150c to get a flatter, more consistent bake. 220c is a bit high for me.
The buttercream is particularly yummy, and of course a raspberry on the top for a pretty finish. This Hidden Raspberry Cupcake recipe is really easy to make, and could easily be modified to include other fruits such as blackberries or blueberries.
Hidden Raspberry Cupcakes
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 200 gms Self-raising flour
- 200 gms Caster Sugar
- 200 gms Unsalted Butter
- 4 medium Eggs
- 3 tbspn Whole Milk
- 1 Zest of 1 Lemon
- 12 Raspberries
Frosting
- 125 gms Softened Butter
- 250 gms Icing Sugar
- 150 gms Seedless Raspberry Jam
- 12 Raspberries for decoration
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 170c, 150c fan, gas mark 3.
- Prepare a cupcake tray with 12 muffin cases
- But the butter and sugar in a food processor and whizz up till mixed and smooth
- Add the milk and lemon and zest and whizz again
- Add an egg and a quarter of the flour and blitz briefly, repeat until you have no eggs left.
- Fill the cupcake cases until ⅔ full
- Push a raspberry into the middle of each cupcake, making sure the top is covered so it doesn't burn when it bakes
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until light and fluffy and they spring back when touched
- Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins.
- While they're cooling, you can make the frosting.
Frosting
- Beat the butter in a mixer for a couple of minutes. Turn the mixer (not a processor) to its lowest setting and gradually add the icing sugar, and when it's fully incorporated turn you mixer to full speed and mix for at least 5 minutes.
- Then add the jam and mix for a further 2 minutes. It may depend on the brand of jam, but I found the quantity stated made the frosting quite runny, and I will, therefore have to eat my 15 cupcakes with a fork.
- Pipe your frosting over you cakes and decorate however you wish.
- Decorate with a raspberry on the top
For other cupcake recipes try:
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Mince Pie Cupcakes
Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes
Diet Coke Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting
Apple Meringue Cupcakes
The Vagabond Baker says
They look very pretty! I remember being a wee bit freaked when I read Nigella's recipe for fairy cakes in How to be a Domestic Goddess, when I first acquired the book. Again, it was 'put all the ingredients into the processor...' Worked a treat however, I feel you get a finer crumb doing it this way. Not as ruggedly delicious as the old method. I rarely use a processor at the mo as mine is in storage but it certainly meant for quick easy cupcakes. For the satisfaction factor, I prefer a mixer or a wooden spoon!