Raspberry Filled French Vanilla Cupcakes
I bring you another tasty way to jazz up a boxed cake mix with these Raspberry Filled French Vanilla Cupcakes. Have a favorite vanilla cake recipe, use it! There are a couple of things I did to my box of French vanilla cake mix. I added both almond extract and lemon zest. Both flavors separately pair deliciously with raspberry, and I couldn’t decide which way to go, so I just went with both, and it turned out great!
As you can see in the photos, I did not use cupcake liners. If you’ve been a reader long enough, you know I’ve been on the silicone muffin pan band wagon for some time now! I use them for cupcakes, muffins, egg muffins, meatloaf, anything!
These have a fun little surprise inside, raspberry preserves! I used a tool that pops out just the right amount of cake from the cupcake to make room for the filling, I’ll picture it at the end of this post. You don’t have to use it, but it makes the filling process super easy!
The frosting
This frosting is what I consider my signature frosting. I use it on almost all of my cupcakes, cakes, or in layered desserts. It’s just fresh whipped cream mixed with softened cream cheese. It’s light, fluffy, not overly sweet, and you can add any flavor you like. Vanilla, lemon, almond, cocoa, endless!
The cream cheese helps to keep the whipped cream nice and firm, and it just melts in your mouth! I use the same frosting on my popular Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes and in this hot cocoa frosting.
Top each cupcake with a fresh raspberry and some fresh lemon zest. Such a fresh and light bite, yum!
Hope you enjoy these Raspberry Filled French Vanilla Cupcakes as much as I do!
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Raspberry Filled French Vanilla Cupcakes
A simple and delicious way to jazz up a boxed cake mix!
Ingredients
- 1 box French Vanilla Cake Mix plus ingredients listed on box
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3/4 cup raspberry preserves
For the frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cup heavy whipping cream
For topping
- 24 fresh raspberries
- Lemon zest for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat oven according to your box mix instructions. Prepare your cupcake pans with liners, or use a silicone pan and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
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Prepare the cake batter according to the box mix instructions. Add in the almond extract and lemon zest, mix well to combine. Divide batter evenly into prepared cupcake pans, and bake according to box mix instructions for cupcakes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
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Once cupcakes are cooled, fill with raspberry jam. If you have a cupcake punch hole tool, use that. Otherwise, with a small knife or spoon, gently cut out from the top of the cupcake, a small hole, about 1-inch in diameter, and 1-inch deep, without going all the way to the bottom of the cupcake. Spoon or pipe-fill with the raspberry preserves. Enough to fill the hole up to the top of the cupcake.
For the frosting
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In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, mix together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined. Beat in heavy whipping cream and beat on high until stiff peaks form, this may take a minute or two.
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Add frosting to a piping bag or large plastic zip-top bag. Cut the corner so that you have about a 3/4-inch diameter opening. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes in a circular motion. Top each cupcake with a fresh raspberry and garnish with fresh lemon zest. Store in the fridge, enjoy within 3-4 days.
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