Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

Here are my mystery cupcakes! Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream Frosting. This was actually my first attempt at making my own frosting... I still need to work on the consistency I think. I also need to purchase a huge sack of icing sugar apparently! I found the recipe on the Cupcake Frenzy blog. Here it is:

Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

1 1/3 cups plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa powder
45g 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. In each individual cup, place a frozen raspberry 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

The recipe for this is really imprecise. Basically you have to play with the quantities until you get the colour and consistency you want.

150g butter, softened
2-3 cups icing sugar
frozen raspberries, quantity depends on how much of a raspberry taste/colour you're after
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!

So I was able to practice my piping bag skills with this recipe and also work on my stirring arm. I will admit, Jason had to take over once it started to get thick.

What I learned from this is to plan the plating before doing the plating. I didn't like the way they looked initially on the platter, so I took them all off and started over. This results in damaged cupcakes and a crummy plate.

MY REVIEW: The cupcake flavor was good - the chocolate/raspberry combo is a great mix. The icing could be perfected still. Must practice! Anyone want a cake? Jason can't keep up with me.

JASON'S REVIEW: They were delicious.