Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes with Raspberry Jam Filling

When I think of delicious flavor combinations, my mind always goes to fresh fruit with rich chocolate. I wanted to create a cupcake that reflected that flavor combination. I used lots of fresh raspberries to enhance the chocolate flavor even more. This cupcake is moist and rich and is filled with a sweet raspberry jam, and topped with a creamy raspberry buttercream. It is sweet and delicious. My favorite part of this cupcake is the raspberry jam. The flavor really makes you not want to buy processed jelly again. If you are looking for a yummy dessert, definitely try this recipe!

Chocolate Cupcakes: Makes 12
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
1 cup of brewed coffee
1 tbs of white vinegar
2 tsp of vanilla extract
6 tbs of olive oil
First, preheat your oven to 350 and line your cupcake wells with liners. Then, mix together the flour, the cocoa powder, the sugar, the baking soda, and the salt until well combined. Make sure there are no clumps!

In another bowl, mix together the white vinegar, coffee, olive oil, vanilla extract.

 Then, pour the oil mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. It should be a little lumpy, so don't over mix.

Then, using a spoon fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let them cool and start to make the raspberry jam.
Raspberry jam:
1(16 oz )package of fresh raspberries
1/3 cup of sugar
3 tbs of corn starch
2 tsp of lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1/2 cup of water
On medium high heat, in a sauce pan, combine the raspberries, the sugar, the corn starch, and the lemon juice and stir. Also, smash the raspberries with your stirring spoon to get more juices out.
Then, add the water and keep stirring until it thickens up.

Let it cool. Then fill the cupcakes with the jam. First, using a knife cut out a hole in each cupcake. Don't let the whole be too wide or go all the way down. Then, fill the hole with the jam.

Next, you make the icing! :)
Raspberry Buttercream:
3/4 cup of unsalted butter
2 cups of powdered sugar
1 cup of fresh raspberries
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/4 tsp of salt
First, puree the raspberries in a blender.

Next, in a mixer combine half of the powdered sugar, the butter, and the raspberry puree and mix until combined.

Then, add the vanilla, salt, and the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until creamy.

Then, ice your cupcakes and enjoy! :)