These raspberry cupcakes are a simple vanilla cupcake studded with raspberries and topped with a super creamy raspberry buttercream. There’s a taste of summer in every bite!
OH EM GEE. You guys, these raspberry cupcakes! It took me about three hundred tries to get them just right.
I felt like Goldilocks; this batch is too hard, this batch is too soft. . .but finally I found the just-right version. The texture is perfect and they’re just PACKED with raspberry! I’m talking every.single.bite is raspberry-filled.
And the raspberry buttercream on top? Let’s just say I hope you like it because A) I LOVE IT and B) I have a few more recipes coming that use the same frosting. I recommend making a double batch because you’ll be tempted to eat most of it with a spoon.
Unless you’re blessed with better self control than I have 🙂
Why you’ll love these raspberry cupcakes:
- The cupcakes call for frozen raspberries so you can enjoy them all year!
- You don’t need a stand mixer to make them!
- They freeze beautifully so you can always have cupcakes on hand
How to make raspberry cupcakes
- Beat room temperature butter and granulated sugar together
- Add an egg and a few other ingredients
- Beat to combine
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in all-purpose flour
- Place frozen raspberries and a little flour in a bowl
- Stir to coat the berries
(The coating of flour helps keep the berries from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes while they’re baking.)
- Fold the flour-coated berries into the cupcake batter
- Divide between muffin cups and bake!
Note: after you fold in the berries, the batter will be very thick. This is fine—don’t panic!
Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting them.
Baker’s tip: If you prefer to divide your work up over a couple of days, you can store the cupcakes overnight at room temperature covered with plastic wrap. Don’t cover the cupcakes until they’ve cooled completely!
How to make raspberry buttercream
- Cook pureed raspberries until thick
- Press the thickened puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds
If you don’t mind seeds in your frosting you can skip pressing the puree through a sieve.
Use a rubber spatula to push as much of the puree through the sieve as you can, leaving only the seeds behind.
Cool the puree, then continue with the frosting. If you don’t cool the puree before making the frosting your frosting will melt!
- Beat room temp butter until creamy
- Beat in powdered sugar, milk, and salt
- Beat in the puree to combine
Note: if your berries are really sweet you may want to add more salt than the recipe calls for; it’s up to you and your taste buds.
Baker’s tip: You can make the frosting ahead of time and store it in the fridge (covered!) overnight. When you’re ready to frost your cupcakes, beat the frosting with a mixer on high speed until it’s a spreadable/pipe-able consistency. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of milk if the frosting is too thick.
Can I use fresh raspberries in these cupcakes?
Sorry, no. They need to be frozen or they completely fall apart when you stir them into the cupcake batter.
However if you only have fresh raspberries, you can just pop them in the freezer until they’re frozen solid and then use them. (That’s actually what I do because I think fresh berries taste better than the ones you buy already frozen.)
But the good news is that using frozen berries ensures you can make these raspberry cupcakes year-round!
How to store your cupcakes
Frosted raspberry cupcakes can be stored at room temperature (covered) for up to 2 days, however they taste best the first day or so. You can also store them in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.
When I freeze frosted cupcakes I always do a “flash freeze” first to set the frosting: I set the cupcakes on a baking sheet then freeze them for about 30 minutes, until the frosting is totally hardened.
That way I can wrap them up tightly with plastic wrap and freezer paper but the frosting isn’t smushed (technical term).
A few more cupcake recipes
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Lemon Curd Cupcakes
Strawberry Mimosa Cupcakes
Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
Did you make these raspberry cupcakes? That’s great! Let me know what you think with a comment and a rating below. Then post a pic on Insta! Tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see your beautiful creations!
Raspberry cupcakes with raspberry buttercream are a simple dessert that packs a big punch of raspberry flavor!
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- finely grated zest of half a lemon
- 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour divided
- 1 cup frozen raspberries coarsely chopped
- 1 cup frozen raspberries defrosted and drained
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 10 to 12 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside.
- Combine the butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium until well combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the milk, egg, vanilla, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest and beat until combined.
- Fold in the 3/4 cup flour with a rubber spatula. Place raspberries in a small bowl with the remaining tablespoon of flour and stir until berries are coated. Fold the berries into the cake batter. (Batter will be thick.)
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 to 26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
- Puree the berries in a blender or food processor. Pour into a small saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
- Turn heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until puree reduces by about half (5 or 6 minutes). You'll have about a 1/4 cup of puree.
- Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl to remove the seeds. Use a rubber spatula to press the puree through the sieve, extracting as much of the raspberry juices as possible. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Once puree is cool, place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until very smooth.
- Add 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and the salt and beat to combine. (Depending on how sweet your berries are, you may want to add a little more salt than this recipe calls for.)
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then turn mixer to medium and beat until smooth. Add additional powdered sugar if frosting is too thin and additional milk if frosting is too thick.
- Frost and decorate cooled cupcakes as desired.
- If you prefer to divide your work up over a couple of days, you can store the cupcakes overnight at room temperature covered with plastic wrap. Don’t cover the cupcakes until they’ve cooled completely!
- You can also make the frosting ahead of time and store it in the fridge (covered!) overnight. When you’re ready to frost your cupcakes, beat the frosting with an electric mixer on high speed until it’s a spreadable/pipe-able consistency. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of milk if the frosting is too thick.
- Uneaten cupcakes can be stored at room temp (covered) for up to 2 days or in the freezer (tightly wrapped) for up to 2 months.
Lauren says
I’ve been altering this recipe many times with different berries and the same result, everyone loves them. I will say you need the berries FROZEN when putting in the batter. If they’re a bit thawed the cupcake will not bake correctly. Currently making these today for a wedding!
Kelsie says
You’ve made my day, Lauren! I’m so glad you love the recipe!
Divya says
Hi Kelsie,
This was the first recipe I tried from your website and loved loved it. It was an easy recipe to follow and super quick to put together. I was wondering if you could also share how to convert this to a layer cake? I was thinking about making two 9 inch cakes using this recipe.
Kelsie says
I’m so glad you liked them, Divya! As for converting the recipe to a layer cake, I’m not really sure. You’d definitely need to double the recipe, particularly for 9-inch cake pans.
Ana says
Is there a difference in texture or flavor between this buttercream and your raspberry almond cake buttercream with the different ratios if ingredients? Is one fluffier? My almost two-year-old seems to be all about fluffy frosting.
Kelsie says
Hi Ana! They’re basically the same frosting so there’s really no difference in texture–I just needed a little more frosting for the cake than for the cupcakes. I would say that sifting your powdered sugar and beating the frosting longer might help you get EXTRA fluffy frosting, but either recipe should yield a fluffy buttercream.
Ariana says
I almost never make a cupcake recipe twice-but these I’m keeping without any tweaks! Made them for the 4th of July and topped with blue and white star sprinkles. My family loved them and I got raspberry taste in every bite. Amazing! Easy to make and worth all the testing you put into it! This is my first time on your site and I’m excited to look for more recipes on it! Thanks a million!!
Kelsie says
You’ve made my day, Ariana! I’m SO GLAD you guys like the cupcakes so much! Happy 4th of July!
Joanne says
These are too pretty Kelsie!! I love them!! Thanks for the flash freezing tip too!
Kelsie says
Thank you so much, Joanne!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Love berry season! These cupcakes look berry, berry good. 🙂
Kelsie says
Haha! Thank you, John!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
Come on, Kelsie! You’re the cupcake Queen, so I don’t believe it took you many attempts to get those beauties just perfect. Anyway, the cupcakes look and sound fantastic; they’re indeed a taste of summer in every bite!
Kelsie says
Haha! Thank you, Ben!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
Such a pretty cupcake! So summery and delicious!! I’ll take all the berries, please! Pinned!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Annie!
Carlee says
That frosting is so vibrant and I love all the berries you managed to pack into these. Yum!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Carlee!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
In love with that pink swirl!! Raspberry cupcakes sound delicious and I always love your step-by-step photos! I’ll take two please! XOXO
Kelsie says
Thank you, Kelly!
Haylie / Our Balanced Bowl says
I loved the line about Goldilocks – been there way too many times with baking recipes LOL! But it always feel so wonderful to get it right! And you definitely did with these! Raspberries are my jam in the Summer! I think I could literally eat this raspberry buttercream with a spoon as well…sounds dangerously delicious!
Kelsie says
Haha! Thank you, Haylie!
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Kelsie, these raspberry cupcakes are sweet perfection! The cupcakes look wonderful with raspberries in every bite and that raspberry buttercream – gorgeous!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Kelly!
Marie says
These look just amazing. That frosting is beautiful and I love that the berries are right through the cupcakes too.
Kelsie says
Thank you, Marie!
Joanna says
Hey,
You can specify the amount of butter in gram?
Kelsie says
Hi Joanne, in the cupcakes it will be 60 grams and in the frosting it will be 180 grams. Hope that helps!
Laura says
I so agree with you about the fresh fruits, Kelsie, especially raspberries. I think the fresh ones are sweeter than the frozen. The color of that buttercream is so inviting, I can see why you commented about eating it with a spoon! These look and sound amazing, so thanks for the thousand tries!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Laura!
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
That raspberry buttercream! Wowza! Thanks for doing all of the hard work retesting these beauties so we can benefit!! They look so GOOD!!! Happy Monday, Kelsie!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Katherine!
Kim Lange says
Wow! These look stellar Kelsie! Pinned several times…ha!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Kim!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Goldilocks…lol…I feel like that sometimes too 😉 These cupcakes are so BEAUTIFUL, Kelsie! I can’t take my eyes of that pretty pink hue!! I would definitely wanna double the batch of these cause I know they’d disappear so so fast. Pinned! Happy Monday, my friend 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you so much, Dawn!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Love that raspberry buttercream Kelsie! I’ve seen some recipes with freeze dried fruits, but I think fresh is so much better! Pinned!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Mary Ann!
Milena says
These are so perfectly pink! I love the promise of a raspberry flavor explosion – saving the recipe! Happy summer!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Milena! Happy summer to you too!