Raspberry Almond Cupcakes

I still can’t believe it, but the next generation of my (extended) family is about to be born. If there were ever a reason to make these raspberry almond cupcakes, it’s this!!

My cousin is full term, and I was lucky enough to attend our family’s baby shower for her while I was home for the holidays.

She’s having a girl, so of course I wanted to make something pink.

I chose to make these raspberry almond cupcake and filled them with my mom’s homemade jam. The ingredients included:

Almond Cupcake Base:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp buttermilk
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cup cake flour
• 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups raspberry jam

Almond Buttercream:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam
• 14 raspberries, for decoration (optional)

Prep time: 20 minutes

Bake time: 15-17 minutes

Assembly/Decoration Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 14 cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line two cupcake trays with liners. Cream together the sugar and the butter.

Add the dry ingredients slowly, and mix until fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites and almond extract. Gradually add the eggs mixture into the cupcake batter, and then mix in the buttermilk.

Fill the cupcake liners half way, making sure that each liner has the same amount of batter. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until the edges have just begun to brown.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the  frosting. Mix together the butter, almond extract, and salt.

Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Mix in the heavy cream. 

Whip together all ingredients for a couple minutes, until the consistency of the frosting is fluffy and light.

Once the cupcakes are done cooling, cut out the centered of the cupcakes with a sharp knife.

The circle should be about 1 inch in diameter, and about 3/4 inch deep.

Make sure there is about 1/2 inch of cupcake remaining at the bottom, so that the jam doesn’t seep through to the bottom of the cupcake.

Fill each cupcake with a tablespoon of jam, then place the top 1/4 inch of the cut out center on top the jam.

To add a girlish touch, I rimmed the cupcakes with pink sprinkles. I lightly brushed them with melted butter, then rolled the edges in pink sprinkles.

To frost the cupcakes, fill a Ziploc bag (I didn’t have any frosting bags or decorative tips at my sister’s house) with the frosting, and add the jam.

Gently move the the jam around the bag, until it has been evenly swirled into the frosting. Cut the tip of the bag to create a 3/4 inch opening, and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

Finish the cupcakes with a raspberry on top. They tasted AMAZING. Then again, anything I make with my Mom’s jam always tastes delicious!!

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