Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry-Peach Champagne Frosting

Oh chocolate, how I love thee. Vanilla is fine, but chocolate is fabulous. Every time I decide to make cupcakes, it's hard for me to not go crazy with the chocolate. I have to remember not everyone loves chocolate all the time like I do. And, it's nice to change things up every once in a while. 

A few weeks ago I spotted a jar of Stonewall Kitchen Raspberry-Peach Champagne jam. Since raspberries and peaches aren't quite in season yet here, it sounded extra delicious. I deliberated on what I should use the jam for. The recipe needed to be extra special because a jam like this deserves something better than a PB&J sandwich. My first thought was pastry. But then as I was rifling through my baking cabinet I found some adorable pink cupcake liners I had forgotten I had. Cupcakes it was.

These cupcakes are lovely, easy yet elegant. They'd be perfect for a baby or wedding shower, a birthday, or for just when you're craving something sweet. As I note in the frosting recipe, you can strain whatever type of jam you end up using, or just use seedless jam, for a more polished look.

More Cupcake recipes:

• Sticky Pecan Upside-Down Cupcakes
• Thin Mint Cheesecake Cupcakes
• Double Chocolate Cupcakes
• S'mores Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Nutella Cupcakes
• Healthy Almond Cupcakes with Pomegranate Frosting
• Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

Recipe Rundown
Taste: Cocoa-y, tart, sweet, elegant.    
Texture: The cupcake is soft and moist yet firm while the frosting is creamy with small chunks of raspberry jam.
Ease: Nothing too difficult, does dirty a few bowls and utensils though. 
Appearance: I have yet to see an ugly cupcake.

Pros: Cupcakes with a gourmet touch.
Cons: None, really. 
Would I make this again? Yes.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting
Makes 12 cupcakes
Adapted from Cupcakes

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• Raspberry Frosting (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 standard muffin tin cups with paper liners. 

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until smoothly blended and lightened in color, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs on at a time, beating until each is blended into the batter and it looks creamy, about 1 minute. Mix in the vanilla and espresso powder. On low speed, add half of the flour mixture until just incorporated. Mix in buttermilk and blend in. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until it is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.

Pour batter evenly into prepared muffin tin and bake for about 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan then remove cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Raspberry-Peach Champagne Frosting
Adapted from The Great Cupcake book
Note: if you want a smoother frosting, use a seedless jam or strain your jam through a fine sieve to remove chunks or pulp.

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 salt
• 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
• Raspberry-Peach Champagne Jam, or any raspberry jam

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed until just combined. Increase mixer speed and beat until smooth. Add milk or cream and beat until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Fold in a spoonful or jam, adding more to taste.

Spoon frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large tip of your choice. Pipe frosting onto each cooled cupcake.