Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C Fan / 350F and get your kids to line a muffin tin with cupcake cases.
Measure all the cupcake batter ingredients out
- Measure all the cupcake ingredients out (except the white chocolate and raspberries) and add them to a free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl.Everything just gets added to the same bowl at the same time so you can do that in any order you like but if you stick to the order on the ingredients list you shouldn't miss anything out.
- Start by adding the butter or margarine if you're using it, the sugar and the flour.If you're using butter it needs to be soft enough to mix in so either take it out the fridge a wee while before you need to use it, or alternatively, cut it into a few pieces and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it. Don't heat it for so long that it starts to melt.
- Measure out the baking powder and add it to your bowl. Make sure you level the half teaspoon with your finger before it goes in so that you add just the right amount.Add the vanilla extract.
- Finally, crack the eggs into a small bowl before adding them to your mixing bowl.
Mix the cupcake batter together
- Using the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer, a hand held mixer or even wooden spoons, beat everything together until the batter is nice and smooth. Be sure not to over mix it. Just do it for a minute or so until it comes together and no lumps of flour or butter is visible.Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure no unmixed ingredients are left at the bottom of your bowl.
Add the raspberries and white chocolate chips
- Measure out the raspberries and crush them gently with a fork. You can leave some a bit more whole while crushing others more completely. Add the raspberries to your bowl.Add the white chocolate chips and mix them both in with a spatula.
Bake the raspberry and white chocolate cupcakes
- Divide the cupcake batter among the cupcake cases.Try to make sure you add roughly the same amount to each case so they bake evenly. They should be about ¾ full. Also, as much as possible, try to make sure the raspberries and white chocolate chips are well distributed among your cupcakes.
- Bake the cupcakes for 20 – 25 minutes. They're ready when they have risen and turned nice and golden brown. If you press down gently on the top they should spring back up. You can also check they're fully baked by inserting a skewer, cocktail stick or sharp knife into the middle of the cupcake. If they're baked it should come out clean. If it's not, pop the cupcakes back in the oven for a few more minutes.Remove the cupcakes from the oven and leave them to cool in your muffin tin for a few minutes before removing them and putting them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the white chocolate butter icing
- Start by melting the white chocolate in a double boiler/bain-marie (a saucepan of simmering water with a heatproof bowl on top). Keep stirring the chocolate until it is nice and smooth. Set it aside to cool down while you make the rest of the icing.
- While the white chocolate is cooling make the buttercream icing. Measure the, icing/confectioners sugar, butter and milk out and add them to your free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. As with the cupcakes themselves, if your butter isn’t soft cut it into a few pieces and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to make it easier to mix.
- Cover your bowl or mixer with the lid, or a clean tea towel to save a bit of mess, then using the k-paddle of your mixer or hand held mixers start beating the icing. Start on a slow setting and once the icing sugar has mixed in, you can turn the speed up and keep beating it for at least 5 minutes. Once the white chocolate has cooled, pour it into the buttercream icing and mix it in.
Decorate the raspberry and white chocolate cupcakes
- Add the white chocolate buttercream icing to a piping bag fitted with a large star shaped nozzle. Add a bag clip at the top end to stop icing coming out the wrong end while your piping.Swirl the icing on top of the cupcakes. Start at the outside and go round in circles until you get to the middle. If you have icing leftover once you've iced all the cupcakes, add another swirl on top.
- Finally, get your add a raspberry and/or freeze dried raspberries to the tops of each of the cupcakes.
Notes
* If you don’t have any self raising flour, swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and add an extra teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt.