Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes for raspberri cupcakes' 5th Birthday!

Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes
Today raspberri cupcakes is 5 years old! Can you believe it? I can't. I'm pretty sure in blogging years that is a decently long time. I couldn't let an occasion like this go by without any acknowledgement, even though things are crazy in my part of the world at the moment. So of course, I made raspberry cupcakes for raspberri cupcakes. Swirly ones.
Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes
Aren't they pretty? I mixed some raspberry compote into the white chocolate icing, and also some raspberry puree into the white cupcake batter. Strangely enough the batter turned a sort of purple shade, which matched the paper liners. I thought it was appropriate since purple is my favourite.
Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes
The cakes on their own didn't taste as strong as I had hoped, so you might want to try mixing in whole raspberries if you want a bigger raspberry flavour in the cake. The icing was also a little salty for my liking, so I've switched it in the recipe below to use unsalted butter. But I loooove how the swirlyness turned out. So purdy. It helps that I invested in some nice big new piping bags so it was easy to fill it half with white and half with pink icing to achieve the perfect swirl.
Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes
It's so weird to think about how far this blog has come from its humble beginnings. I never would have imagined how many amazing experiences and wonderful friends I would get from starting this little website and I feel super lucky because of that. This blog has become part of my life and hopefully will continue to be part of my future. To those of you who read my blog, try my recipes, comment here or on facebook or instagram or write me messages or emails, thank you so much. You can't imagine how much it means to me. There have been so many times where I've had fleeting thoughts about whether it was worth the effort to keep going with the blog, and then I've gotten a sweet email or comment from a reader and it just reaffirms that it is always worth it.
Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes
So cupcakes for everyone! I wish I could send one out to each and every one of you but I can't, raspberries are 7 bucks a punnet and I would go broke. But I wish I could! Anyway I hope that I can keep doing what I'm doing, because it's been a blast. Happy 5th Birthday to my little blog!
Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes
Aaaaaannd GIF!
Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes
(makes about 20 cupcakes, cake adapted from i am baker's Perfect White Cake, icing from Cookies and Cups)
For the icing:
150g (about 1 punnet/5.5oz) raspberries (frozen or fresh), pureed and strained (about 1/2 cup strained puree)
Finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup sugar (50g)
340g (1.5 cups) butter (preferably unsalted, I used salted and found it too salty in this case)
255g (9oz/1.5 cups of chips) good quality white chocolate (min 30% cocoa solids, do NOT use baking chocolate), finely chopped
Optional: Fresh raspberries for decoration
  1. Prepare the icing ahead of time as it will need to be chilled before whipping.  Place butter and white chocolate in a large saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring regularly until smooth (the solids may separate but this is okay). 
  2. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes, then chill in the fridge until solid, about 3 hours. If you are impatient like me you can stick it in the freezer for about half an hour.
  3. Place raspberry puree, lemon rind and sugar in a small saucepan on medium/low heat and simmer until mixture has thickened and darkened slightly, about 10-15 minutes. 
  4. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes, then chill in the fridge for at least half an hour. (You can skip this step and replace this with 1/3 cup raspberry jam to save time) 
  5. Before you are ready to decorate your cupcakes, remove white chocolate mixture from fridge at least 30 mins ahead of time to allow it to soften slightly.
  6. Place white chocolate mixture in a large mixing bowl and beat on high with an electric mixer until very light and fluffy.
  7. Place 1/3 of the mixture in a separate bowl and fold in raspberry mixture or jam until combined.
  8. Prepare a large piping bag with a star tip, fill one side along the length of the bag with the raspberry icing and the other side with plain white icing and pipe over cupcakes in a spiral motion. (About 1 part pink to 2 parts white icing will work best)
  9. Optional: Top cupcake with fresh raspberry for decoration.
Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
150g (about 1 punnet/5.5oz) raspberries (frozen or fresh), pureed and strained (about 1/2 cup strained puree) 
295g (about 2 cups + 1 tbsp) plain flour
4 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
2/3 cup milk at room temperature
6 large egg whites at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
350g (1 3/4 cups) granulated sugar (I used caster)
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
170g (1 1/2 sticks butter), softened but still cool (I used salted, add 1 tsp salt if using unsalted)
Optional: 50g raspberries, chopped
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two cupcake trays with cupcake papers.
  2. Triple sift flour and cornflour together in a medium bowl.
  3. Make sure milk and eggs are room temperature.
  4. Pour raspberry puree, milk, egg whites, and vanilla into a medium bowl and mix with a fork until blended.
  5. Mix flour mixture, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter, cut into cubes and continue beating on low for about 1-2 minutes.
  6. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to flour mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 & 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat for about 1 minute. Optional: fold in extra chopped raspberries at this point.
  7. Fill cupcake papers 3/4 full with batter (an ice cream scoop helps with this).
  8. Bake until toothpick/skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then carefully remove from tin and cool completely on a wire rack.
  9. Pipe icing mixture above, store iced cupcakes in fridge, removing 15 minutes before serving to allow icing to soften slightly. Icing will melt if left at room temperature for too long.
Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes

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53 comments:

  1. Ahhhhhh happy 5th birthday!!! This is such an exciting event to celebrate - I love the look of these cupcakes :)

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  2. Fantastic stuff Steph, love the GIF too :D

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  3. Happy 5th birthday, Raspberri Cupcakes, aka Steph. I love your blog, so thank you for all the time and trouble you put into it. I can imagine that sometimes you think, "Is it worth it?" so just to let you know how much I appreciate all your efforts and all your fantastic inspirations. Cheers, Anita (Melbourne)

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  4. Happy 5th Anniversary! Beautiful cupcakes, love the bi-colour icing.

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  5. Happy blog birthday! Love the running radpberry GIF haha.

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  6. Congratulations! And what a charming gif that is. Hope you have a wonderful cake-filled blogoversary!

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  7. Cutest GIF ever! The frosting is to die for!

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  8. Well I, for one, am certainly glad you started your blog otherwise we'd never have met and Monday night block parties would never be the same :P

    Such an appropriate way to celebrate, love love love these cupcakes. Happy anniversary Raspberri Cupcakes! xxxx

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  9. CONGRATULATIONS!!

    5 years in blog years is 89 human years! :)

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  10. congrats on such a big milestone, these look fab as usual!

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  11. CONGRATS YOU SWEET THANG! Here's to five more years of sugar, success and good times. xx

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  12. Happy Birthday/Anniversary! Thank you for doing this blog, it's always adds a smile to my Monday (or whatever day you post!)
    Lisa

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  13. Congrats, what a great milestone! And these look delish!

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  14. Happy 5th birthday! Starting reaading your blog recently and love your lovely raspberri cupcake:) Wish you have another fruitful blogging year~~

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  15. Congratulations, Steph! Your blog´s adorable and your receipes are wonderful. Take care.

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  16. happy blogiversary!!! here's to many more delicious years to come!

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  17. HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY! and yum! those cupcakes look delish~~ love the icing!

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  18. I love your blog - Happy Blogiversary! The raspberry cupcakes look amazing!

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  19. The animation is soo great :) & the cupcakes look very delicious!
    Greetings from Germany xo
    strawberryred

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  20. Congratulations! I've only recently discovered your blog, but I like what I'm seeing :) And you take gorgeous pictures!

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  21. YUM! i wish you could send everyone a cupcake too - they look so delicious! congratulations and happy 5th birthday :D !!! here's to many more years!

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  22. Happy 5th birthday! I'm glad you started blogging :) xx

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  23. Oh gosh you are needed on the web now. I hope you have many more years ahead of you. Your creations are simply stuff of genius!

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  24. Happy Birthday raspberri cupcakes! Love all your work Steph. I'm so glad you started your blog, your recipes have made me quite popular ;) I've made so many of your creations and I reckon I'll have a crack at these cupcakes too, they look so good x

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  25. Aren't they pretty? They are GORGEOUS! :)
    I'll definitely make them! Except for the buttercream, which I don't like...I'll use a batch of white ganache :P
    Kisses and happy birthday to your blog!!
    Tulla

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  26. Congratulations! and many more to come :)

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  27. They look delish!! Happy Birthday!! x

    Jen | http://jenniferbakes.blogspot.ie

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  28. I'll just weigh in and say I love your blog.
    I've been reading for about a year and a half I think, and I still look forward to updates.
    So far I've tried three of your recipes and though they usually end up messy the flavour is always amazing.
    I love your cake posts. though I am never game to try them.
    Keep up the awesome work :)

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  29. happy 5th bloggiversary! I've yet to try doing two-toned piped icing but the pink swirl looks great! and that gif is awesome

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  30. Happy 5th bloggiversary! You've inspired so many budding bakers and I'm always amazed by your next original creation. Also that is the coolest gif ever :)

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  31. Aw wow, five years in blogging is such an achievement. I love the swirly icing that you have done here, looks absolutely perfect.

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  32. Congratulations on your blog anniversary. I love your blog and look forward to the new recipe each week. Everything I've tried has been great but I love it just as a source of inspiration too!

    I made your Iced Vovo cake a couple of years ago for a farewell for a colleague who was moving back to the US. It was such a hit that when another colleague retired late last year she requested that cake 4 months out from her departure and then when I agreed spent the next 4 months telling everyone to look forward to it.

    Love the blog and your gorgeous pictures. Please keep up the faith.

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  33. How exciting to reach 5! I've only just started following this blog, but love it already.

    Why ARE raspberries so expensive? (They are in the UK too!)

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  34. felice compleanno! Ti seguo con piacere immenso, il tuo blog è magnifico!

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  35. Steph, '5 Years' is a huge milestone Anniversary. Lots of love, time, expense, and heart goes into blogging. Many, myself included, look forward to your recipes and photographs. Keep 'em coming!

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  36. Happy blog-versary! Here's to five more years of yummy recipes like this.

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  37. Congratulations and happy 5th birthday. I'm a fairly newcomer to your blog too and absolutely love it. I savour getting those lovely messages that there is a new blog to explore. It is like a breath of fresh air! I'm not really a foodie yet I'm spellbound and inspired by your blogenergy. Your blog is amazing, your recipes are amazing, your photography is stunning. Thank you thank you thank you thank you. Lee

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  38. Congratulations Steph !!! Your blog is amazing :)

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  39. Pretty! And lol, that GIF is hilariously cute! ;)

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  40. That GIF is adorable, and the cupcakes look incredible. Happy 5th Birthday to the blog!

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  41. Beeautiful looking cupcakes! Happy 5th too!

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  42. happy 5th birthday! beautiful cupcakes! that gif is amazing!
    xx gemma
    gemmachew.com

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  43. Happy birthday!!!They look awesome!So cute and delicious!!

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  44. Congratulations, five years is awesome! And these cupcakes look delicious!

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  45. Happy Birthday! That gif makes my heart melt, so adorable!!

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  46. happy 5th birthday! i stumbled across your blog and i instantly fell in love with it. the cupcakes look soo delicious!

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  47. steph, your blog is amazing and you have such a talent! WE are the lucky ones because you spend all this time every week to create beautiful sweets and share them with us. so happy 5th birthday to your blog and THANK YOU!!

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  48. Ohh god, these look so delicious

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  49. Hi :)

    Does the 1 tbsp measurement equal 15ml or 30ml?

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  50. Hi in step 5 of the cupcakes you canal to add salt. You do not have that listed in the ingredients. How much do I need to add

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    Replies
    1. Sorry my mistake! It should be 1 tsp of salt, I've updated the ingredients list.

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