Cupcake Hero - White Chocolate

Cupcake Hero is back for 2009 and the January theme is white chocolate. I ended up going for something quite simple and also quite summery I think – White chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes.

I made a very basic cupcake recipe, adding in raspberries and chunks of white chocolate. I actually used frozen raspberries as it seems a complete waste to use beautiful fresh raspberries in baking. They are best eaten straight out of the punnet. Actually when we were on holiday we went to Akaroa for the day and at the local farmers market we bought the most amazing raspberries – they were huge, about the same size as a boysenberry and so sweet!



I added two teaspoons of rose water to the cupcakes, but you could leave that out. Two teaspoons is just enough to give a little flavour to leave you wondering exactly what it is. I topped the cupcakes with fresh whipped cream, adding a little icing sugar and vanilla paste – you can see the flecks of vanilla in the cream. I made the little toppers by melting white chocolate, tinting it pink and then squiggling it onto baking paper using a little plastic bag with the tip cut off. When the shapes hardened I popped them into the cream.

I took these cakes into work where they got rave reviews – some said that these are the nicest cupcakes I have made yet. They were pretty yummy, but then I’m a sucker for raspberries and cream!



Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes

125g butter
2/3 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 ¼ c flour
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
½ c milk
2 tsp rosewater (you could leave this out)
1 c raspberries (I used frozen)
2/3 c white chocolate buttons or chunks

· Cream butter and sugar, then add vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time
· Mix in remaining in flour, baking powder, milk and rosewater (if using). I did this with the beater as well
· Fold in raspberries and white chocolate
· Spoon into 12-14 cupcake cases and bake @ 160c for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean
When cold, top with whipped cream