White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

image of raspberry white chocolate cupcakes drizzled with white chocolate ganache

4.94 from 98 ratings

White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

These white chocolate raspberry cupcakes have the perfect balance of tart and sweet. They're tender, moist, and absolutely delicious!

Prep Time15

Cook Time19

Additional Time30

Total Time1 4

Course: Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 654kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 160g
1 cup granulated sugar 200g
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 6g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature 125g
1/2 cup water, room temperature 120g
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 54g
1 large egg, room temperature 56g
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g

Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted and cooled 85g
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 454g or 1 lb. box
1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 15g
1/2 cup raspberry jam or raspberry preserves - divided 180g

White Chocolate Ganache Drizzle

1/2 cup white chocolate 85g
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 30g

Cupcake Filling and Garnish

1 cup raspberry jam 320g

Suggested Equipment

Cupcake Pan
12 Cupcake Liners
Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Piping Bags & Tips or Ziploc Bags

Instructions

Vanilla Cupcakes

Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F / 175°C and line a muffin pan.
Whisk 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt together in a large bowl.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 large egg, and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract into the opening. Whisk the wet ingredients together, then whisk them into the dry ingredients. Mix until the batter is smooth.
Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. If you want to accelerate the cooling process, pop the pan into the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Raspberry White Chocolate Buttercream

While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the raspberry white chocolate buttercream.
Heat 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. If the white chocolate isn't fully melted, heat it in additional 10-second intervals, stirring between intervals until it is fully melted. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1 cup of room-temperature butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a hand mixer or paddle attachment until smooth.
Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt and mix on a low speed.
Mix in 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, 1/4 cup of raspberry jam (save the remaining 1/4 cup for step 6), and 1 Tbsp of heavy cream on a low speed until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Then mix in 1/2 cup of melted and cooled white chocolate. The white chocolate shouldn't be hot to the touch, but it should still be fluid. Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
Stir by hand with a rubber spatula for a couple of minutes to make the frosting SUPER smooth.
Spread the remaining 1/4 cup of raspberry jam inside a large piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip, then fill it with the raspberry buttercream and seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.

White Chocolate Ganache

Add 1/2 cup white chocolate chips and 2 Tbsp of heavy cream into a heatproof bowl and microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute. If you don’t have a microwave or prefer to use the stovetop, you can heat the cream over medium heat in a pan until the white chocolate mixture is mostly melted. Remove from heat. Let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes.
Stir the mixture together until the cream and white chocolate are fully combined and the mixture is smooth. If you notice any unmelted bits of white chocolate, heat the ganache in 10-second intervals, stirring between until the ganache is smooth.
Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is just slightly warm to the touch. Then place the ganache in a small piping bag and seal the top with a rubber band or clip.

Decorating These White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Use the wide opening of a large frosting tip or a small knife to remove the center from each cooled cupcake. Fill each cupcake with a rounded Tbsp of your favorite raspberry jam.
Pipe a large swirl of raspberry buttercream on top of each cupcake. Chill the cupcakes in the fridge for 15 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes to help the frosting firm up.
Remove the cupcakes from the fridge or freezer. Snip a small opening at the base of the piping bag filled with ganache, then drizzle it over each cupcake. If the ganache seems too thick as you drizzle it, heat it in the microwave for 5 seconds to make it more fluid. If it seems too thin, let it cool a bit more to help it thicken. Garnish with fresh raspberries and white chocolate shavings, then enjoy!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Swaps & Substitutions

For a detailed list of ingredient swaps and substitutions that can be made in each component of this recipe, please refer to the "swaps and substitutions" section above.

Making Mini Cupcakes

If you want to make mini white chocolate raspberry cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they only need to bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

Tips for Making the Best White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Once you add the flour, mix the cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure the cupcakes bake up tender and fluffy.
Use a large cookie scoop to fill your cupcake liners easily. It also makes sure the cupcakes end up being the same height.
Seal off the top of your piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bag easier to use.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake Variations

To make gluten-free white chocolate raspberry cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten-free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for. Be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Making These White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips

You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a day or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

They can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to fill and frost them until they're thawed.

You can also make the buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. This buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to stir the frosting well once it thaws to make the consistency nice and smooth again.

You can also store buttercream in a piping bag in the fridge. I find buttercream keeps its consistency well in piping bags and doesn't require any mixing after it's thawed.

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