Modern-day cupcake hysteria can be intimidating for an amateur baker like myself. Picturesque little cupcakes are everywhere: In bakeries, on TV, in cookbooks, online.

And don’t get me wrong. I love them. But I’ll never be able to compete with that level of perfection in my little kitchen.

And that’s fine with me because I have a killer recipe up my sleeve: Moist chocolate cupcakes with a sweet and slightly tangy raspberry buttercream frosting.

Simple. Delicious.

And imperfectly perfect.

About The Recipe

This foolproof chocolate cake recipe comes from Penzey’s Spices. It’s moist, dense, and not overly sweet. And did I mention delicious? It might become your new go-to chocolate cake recipe. It’s even giving my beloved wacky cake a run for its money.

I used Penzey’s high-fat cocoa for this recipe. I love that store, by the way. Everything I buy there is of superb quality, and it’s reasonably priced.

But the raspberry buttercream frosting really makes these cupcakes. The frosting recipe calls for a whole pint of fresh raspberries, which adds a sweet tartness. If you have extra, this frosting freezes well.

I found these cute cupcake liners at TJ Maxx. I love how the pink frosting compliments the yellow liner!

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Moist Dark Chocolate Cupcakes With Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

To make these cupcakes imperfectly fancy, I placed them in the freezer for about 30 minutes, then spread on a thin layer of buttercream frosting. Then I piped on stars using a piping bag and star tip.

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Ingredients

For cupcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 eggs

For frosting

• 1 pint raspberries, rinsed and patted dry
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon cream
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

To make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350F. Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, sift dry ingredients together (flour, cocoa, soda, and salt).

In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, vanilla, and sugar. Add boiling water to butter mixture and stir until mixture is smooth. Add eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture a cup at a time, mixing well after each cup is added.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

To make raspberry buttercream frosting: Start out by pureéing the raspberries in a blender. Pour into a strainer placed over a bowl. This will remove most of the raspberry seeds. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, raspberry pureé, and salt with an electric mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar, a cup at a time, and mix well. Add a tablespoon or so of milk if necessary. Chill until ready to frost cupcakes.

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