These white chocolate raspberry cupcakes look beautiful and taste even better. The white chocolate cupcakes are moist and fluffy and are finished with a white chocolate raspberry frosting made from real berries. 
Sweet white chocolate and bright raspberries combine to make these cupcakes a special treat. They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day, baby showers, bridal showers, or any occasion that calls for pretty pink frosting. The cupcakes have a delicate white chocolate flavor without being overly sweet, and they remain moist with a tender crumb. The frosting is creamy and sweet, made with real raspberries and white chocolate so each bite tastes like a white chocolate–covered raspberry.
Delicious.
For the white chocolate cupcakes
These cupcakes are tender and moist, flavored with a modest amount of white chocolate and made primarily with butter for richness. Too much melted white chocolate can make the batter overly sweet and dense, so this recipe balances chocolate with whole milk and a touch of oil to keep the crumb soft and lasting. Note that the recipe uses only egg whites for a lighter texture—do not add the yolks.
For best results:
- Melt the white chocolate slowly and gently.
- Separate eggs when cold, then let the whites sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before using.
- Have the butter at room temperature but not melting.
- Sift the cake flour before measuring—the flour often clumps, and sifting ensures a light crumb. A substitution for cake flour is provided in the notes.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Add dry ingredients and liquids alternately and mix only until combined. Finish the last additions by hand to avoid tough cupcakes.
For the white chocolate raspberry frosting
The frosting uses both real raspberries and melted white chocolate, so it requires a few careful steps. Start by pureeing fresh or frozen raspberries and pressing the puree through a metal sieve to remove seeds. Work in small batches and press the puree with the back of a spatula; the puree is thick. Then simmer the raspberry puree in a saucepan until it reduces to a jam-like thickness—about one-quarter of the original volume. Stir frequently near the end to prevent burning. When finished, you should have only a few tablespoons of concentrated raspberry flavor.
This reduction step is essential: adding unreduced puree to buttercream will make it watery and can cause separation.
For the white chocolate, chop it finely and melt slowly—either in a double boiler or in the microwave on medium power in short bursts (45 seconds, then 30 seconds as needed), stirring between intervals. Avoid high power to prevent the chocolate from becoming grainy.
Both the reduced raspberry and the melted white chocolate must be completely cool before adding them to the butter. If they are even slightly warm, they will melt the butter and thin the frosting.
Key reminders:
- Boil the raspberry puree down until thick (you should end up with about 3–4 tablespoons).
- Cool the puree fully before incorporating it into the frosting. You can make and reduce the puree a day ahead to save time.
- Melt the white chocolate very slowly and only add it to the butter after it has cooled to room temperature.
This frosting yields enough to generously pipe or pipe large swirls on 12 cupcakes. If you prefer a thin layer, you can halve the frosting quantities.
Fluffy cupcakes with a hint of white chocolate topped by a silky white chocolate raspberry buttercream—this recipe is hard to resist. If you love raspberries and chocolate, these cupcakes are a great choice for any celebration or a simple treat at home.
White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cavity muffin pan
Ingredients
White Chocolate Cupcakes
- 3 ounces white chocolate (85 g)
- 1/2 cup whole milk (120 ml), 2% works too
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour (180 g), sifted
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (75 g), cut into cubes
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (15 ml)
- 2 large egg whites (discard yolks)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
White Chocolate Raspberry Frosting
- 3/4 cup raspberries (188 g)
- 4 ounces white chocolate (112 g)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 g), softened to room temperature
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar (330–440 g), as needed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1–2 tbsp whipping cream, as needed
Instructions
White Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
- Finely chop the white chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl.
- Warm the milk, pour over the white chocolate, stir, and let sit 2 minutes. Heat in the microwave on medium power in short intervals until smooth. Set aside.
- Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk briefly and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add oil and vanilla.
- Make sure egg whites are room temperature, then add them one at a time to the batter, scraping the bowl after each addition.
- On low speed, add about one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the milk–chocolate mixture. Continue alternating, finishing with the flour. Stir the last additions by hand to avoid overmixing.
- Divide batter evenly among the 12 liners.
- Bake in the center of the oven 19–22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Cool cupcakes in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
White Chocolate Raspberry Frosting
- Pulse raspberries in a blender until smooth.
- Pour puree through a metal sieve and press with the back of a spoon or spatula to remove seeds; discard seeds.
- Simmer the seedless puree in a saucepan over low–medium heat, stirring as it thickens, until it reduces to about one-quarter of the original volume and resembles jam (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Chop the white chocolate, place in a heatproof bowl, and melt slowly in the microwave on medium power in short bursts, stirring until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
- Beat the room-temperature butter until smooth.
- Once the white chocolate and reduced raspberry are fully cooled, beat the white chocolate into the butter.
- Add 1 cup powdered sugar, then 1 tablespoon of the cooled raspberry concentrate. Continue adding powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time, alternating with raspberry puree until you reach the desired flavor and consistency. If frosting seems thin, chill to firm up.
- Frost cupcakes with a knife or pipe using a large tip (1M recommended) and decorate as desired.
Notes
- White chocolate: Use high-quality white chocolate; avoid candy melts or almond bark, which don’t provide the same flavor or texture.
- Cake flour: Cake flour yields a more delicate crumb. If you don’t have it, mix 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup cornstarch, whisk, and sift three times.
- Raspberries: Fresh or frozen both work; frozen will take longer to reduce.
- Make-ahead: Cupcakes can be baked a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. Reduce the raspberry puree the day before and refrigerate; make the buttercream on the day you serve.
- Nutrition: Nutrition information is an estimate per cupcake with frosting, assuming 12 equal cupcakes.