Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

I've mentioned on here before that I love Giada de Laurentiis. Well, a few years ago I was watching her on TV and she made the yummiest looking cupcakes ever! I saved the recipe, and for some reason forgot about it in my recipe box.

Today I decided I wanted to make something yummy, sweet, and light, and when I ran across this recipe for Raspberry Cream cupcakes I couldn't wait to make them.

I had just bought a huge box of raspberries at Costco and pretty much had almost everything else in the house to make them, so it worked out really slick.

They were one of the easiest desserts I've ever made, and quite honestly the cutest!

You can click HERE to get the recipe, and I'll post it below (I've also posted pictures below too!)

Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix (she recommends Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe) however I used another brand and they turned out great!

1 1/3 cups water

3 large egg whites

2 T. unsalted butter, melted

2 tsp. almond extract

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 (6oz.) containers fresh raspberries, cut in half or 1 (16oz.) container fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped--(I used raspberries).

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup powdered sugar, plus additional for dusting

Directions

Line 18 muffin cups with muffin papers. Preheat oven to 350*.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, water, egg whites, melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a large bowl for 2 minutes or until the batter is well blended.

Using about 1/3 cup batter for each cupcake, spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake the cupcakes until they are very pale golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely on a cooling wire rack.

Using a fork (I used a masher), coarsely mash 1 1/2 containers of raspberries in a medium bowl.

Beat the cream and 1/3 cup powdered sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks begin to form. Fold the mashed raspberries into the whipped cream.

Remove the muffin papers from the cupcakes and cut the tops off of each cupcake. Spoon the raspberry whipped cream atop the cupcake bottoms. Place the cupcake tops on the cupcakes. Dust with more powdered sugar and serve with the remaining berries (I cut a raspberry in half and used that for the top).

As I said, these cupcakes are SO GOOD and I think so pretty looking. If you make them, you'll be glad you did ;)

Check out some pics. from when I made them today.

Here they are cooling off. I was surprised that it didn't take very long at all for them to completely cool.

Mashing the raspberries. FYI: raspberries are one of my all time favorite fruits :)

Whipping cream

Raspberries, whipping cream, and powdered sugar mixed together. I LOVE the color....and the taste is to die for!

Take the muffin papers off slooooowly so the cupcakes don't break.



Then just slice the top right off.


Are you ready to see how cute they look once you put the filling in and top them off???






How awesome are these?!!! I served them on a cute, little, glass cake stand.




DELICIOUS!! Now go get busy and make some for yourself :)

Love,
Jen