I really like to use fruit when I bake. Somehow it gives me a false sense of healthy. I simply choose to ignore all the butter, sugar, frosting and hyper focus on the fruit. Fruit is good for you. Fruit is healthy. Therefore these cupcakes are healthy!

I used to make ‘em with strawberries, eons ago. But then I had a child who just had to be allergic to strawberries of all things. And food coloring, but that’s a different story all together. Ever saw a kid bounce off the walls after eating a handful of M&M’s? It ain’t pretty.

I decided to just go ahead and replace the strawberries with raspberries. What do you know, they turned out fantastic. They don’t just taste wonderful, but they smell out of this world! I’m telling you, these cupcakes would make a fantastic addition to a little girl’s b’day party.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to talk my son into wearing a dress with matching tiara for his 4th birthday.

Ingredients:

2/3 stick butter
2 cups raspberries
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2/3 tsp salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/5 tsp baking powder
1 large egg

Frosting

Directions:

Opted for frozen raspberries but obviously you can use fresh ones as well. When using frozen ones, make sure they’re thawed properly. That’s where my microwave comes in.

Put them in your blender or use your immersion blender, as I like to do. Sieve out the raspberry seeds.  

Want to create a wicked cocktail? Combine a spoonful of raspberry puree with a glass of cold prosecco or champagne!

Here’s 2/3 stick of butter. Roughly 80 grams. Of course I forgot to take it out of the fridge—if my head wasn’t firmly attached to my neck I’d probably forget it, too—so I nuked it for a few seconds. For the record, I always use salted butter.  

Add 1/2 a cup granulated sugar to the butter and 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/2 tsp if you like a more low-key vanilla flavor). Let’s pretend for a moment I still had opaque vanilla extract instead of just brown, shall we? Mix until it’s a light and fluffy concoction.

Add the egg and beat well.

Pour in the raspberry puree.

With the mixer on low-speed, beat until everything is combined and smooth.  

Add a slightly heaping 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 2/3 tsp salt to 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and sieve.  

Keep the flour mix nearby and pour yourself 1/3 cup of buttermilk I (room-temperature).  

Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk. Start and end with the flour.  Now taste it. No, seriously, taste it! Isn’t it amazing?

Line a standard muffin tin (12) with cupcake liners. Fill your liners about 2/3 of the way full.  

Here I am, in a desperate attempt to level the batter. I really should bake more often because this is just pathetic.  

Bake the cupcakes in a preheated oven at 350F (180C) for 20 minutes. Until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.

I decided to add the same frosting I made for my Sinterklaas Cupcakes. A white chocolate frosting that is to die for. Raspberries versus white chocolate. Need I say more?

These are healthy. They’re good for you. No, really!

Kay’s Recipe Card

Click here for printable size.