Description
Delight in these Raspberry Lemon Heaven Cupcakes, where zesty lemon cake meets fresh raspberries and a luscious raspberry jam filling. Topped with a creamy lemon-vanilla frosting and garnished with fresh berries and mint, these cupcakes are perfect for summer gatherings or any time you want a fruity, refreshing dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
Filling
- 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
Frosting
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish (optional)
- Fresh raspberries
- Lemon slices
- Fresh mint
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners to ensure easy removal and clean-up.
- Make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine lemon cake mix, water, vegetable oil, eggs, sour cream, and lemon zest. Mix until smooth, about 2 minutes, to create a uniform batter without lumps.
- Fold in raspberries: Gently fold in the fresh raspberries carefully to avoid breaking them up too much, preserving their whole texture.
- Fill cupcake liners: Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about 2/3 full to allow room for rising.
- Bake cupcakes: Bake for 18–22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, indicating they are fully baked.
- Cool cupcakes: Let the cupcakes cool completely in the pan before removing to ensure they hold their shape.
- Core cupcakes: Use a small knife or cupcake corer to gently remove the center of each cupcake, creating space for the filling.
- Fill with raspberry jam: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of seedless raspberry jam into each cored center, adding a burst of fruity sweetness inside.
- Prepare frosting: In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add vanilla extract and beat again until fully combined.
- Whip cream and combine: In another bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture for a light, fluffy frosting.
- Frost cupcakes: Pipe or spread the frosting over each cupcake evenly for a beautiful finish.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with fresh raspberries, lemon slices, or fresh mint leaves if desired before serving.
Notes
- Store cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to keep them fresh and maintain frosting texture.
- You can use frozen raspberries but be sure to thaw and drain them well before folding into the batter to avoid excess moisture.
- For an extra burst of lemon flavor, add 1 teaspoon of lemon extract to the batter.
