Raspberry Lemon Cupcake Clouds
This combination of melt-in-your-mouth vanilla cupcakes, bright lemon curd filling, and raspberry swirled white chocolate cream cheese frosting is simply divine.
I first created my White Chocolate Cupcake Clouds for a good friend's wedding...he had originally asked for me to make my go-to chocolate cupcakes, but his bride-to-be wanted everything WHITE for the wedding! Several experiments later, my White Chocolate Cupcake Clouds were born.
Recently, another friend asked for these for her birthday, but she wanted to add a hint of raspberry. I also knew she LOVED lemon bars...and the rest is history.
As you can tell, these cupcakes are near and dear to my heart...and I hope you and yours love them as much as me and mine...and whether you choose to go with the original white chocolate recipe or add the extra steps, either way, you'll be a bit closer to heaven!
Raspberry Lemon Cupcake Clouds
Recipe details
Ingredients
Cupcake Clouds - White Chocolate Base Recipe
- 1 2/3 c cake flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (5.1 ounce box)
- 2/3 cup salted butter room temp.
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs – room temp
- 1 ½ c buttermilk
- 2/3 cup white choc chips
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting - Base Recipe
- 2 ounces of white chocolate (melted)
- 8 ounces of full-fat cream cheese (softened)
- ½ c salted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp half-n-half (can substitute whole milk or heavy cream; however, this will slightly shift the consistency of your frosting)
Instructions
Step-by-step
- Set out eggs and butter at least 30 minutes prior to baking
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Once eggs and butter are near room temperature, set out buttermilk (so it can come closer to room temperature as well).
- In a medium bowl, blend dry ingredients (cake flour, baking soda, salt, pudding mix). Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, cream butter. This means that you use an electric whisk to blend up the butter until it is smooth – this allows your other ingredients to incorporate better. This should take about 15 seconds.
- Whisk in sugar – turn mixer to medium-low and mix until fluffy.
- Then add vanilla – mix until blended.
- Then add eggs – one at a time - mix until blended after each addition.
- Now, starting with your dry ingredient mixture, you will alternate blending the dry ingredients and the buttermilk into your butter/sugar base. Start with 1/3 of your dry ingredients – pour them in and mix until blended. Then, pour in half of your buttermilk and mix until blended. Continue this process until all dry ingredients and buttermilk have been added. (This process goes 1/3 dry, ½ buttermilk, 1/3 dry, ½ buttermilk, 1/3 dry.)
- Finally, add white choc chips. Blend only until the chips are incorporated.
- Spoon the mixture into your prepared baking cups - Fill cupcakes ½ way only!
- If you’re using cupcake liners, bake at 350 for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 325 and bake 10 more minutes. If you are not using liners, bake at 350 for 10 minutes, then turn down oven and bake at 325 for 8 more minutes. *This means that between batches, you will need to shift the temperature of the oven - for each new round, allow the oven to come back to 350 to start the process again.
- *You can test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle – when the cupcakes are done, transfer to a cooling rack. Let them cool before filling and frosting.
- Allow cupcakes to cool for about 15 minutes before you begin your frosting (I use this time to wash the implements that I’ll need for making my frosting).*If filling your cupcakes, do so before you make the frosting! Using a melon baller, cookie dough scoop, or small, sharp knife, remove the center of each cupcake (this will become your ‘lid’). I cut down about ½ inch. Fill with option of your choice, then replace cupcake ‘lid.’
- Make the frosting: 1. Melt your white chocolate – I find this works best if I chop the chocolate into dime-sized pieces and microwave for 30 second increments, stirring between so as not to burn the chocolate. Set aside. 2. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese. 3. Once blended, add white chocolate. 4. Then add you vanilla. 5. Once vanilla is incorporated, add powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Blend between each addition. 6. Finally, add in the half-n-half. 7. *If adding another flavor, gently swirl that addition through the frosting.
- Decorate! Using a large spatula, transfer the frosting to your piping bag. After frosting, transfer to storage container and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the frosting to set. *Keep these refrigerated! I find they are best served directly from the fridge!
Tips
- Best served chilled - hence part of the reason for the name!
- These are such a good base recipe for mixing it up! I've used raspberry filling in the middle...swirled dulce de leche with the frosting...so many possibilities! If you make them, let me know on my blog! I hope you enjoy!
- If you'd like to add the Luscious Lemon Curd Filling or use the Raspberry Coulis to swirl into your frosting, you can find these easy-to-make recipes on my blog! I usually prep additional fillings or sauces the day before...and both of these recipes last beautifully in the fridge for a week!
Comments
Share your thoughts, or ask a question!
very weird they are called Raspberry Lemon Cupcake Clouds and have no raspberry or lemon?