Fresh Raspberry Cupcakes with Fresh Raspberry Buttercream

We made a valiant effort to eat all of our meals at the table this weekend, dinner not coffee table. During one of our little stints scarfing down the 4th burger of the weekend (I blame me totally..and the male child in my belly). During one of these stints my daughter said to us "we need to pray, we need to pray".





Normally Indigo and I say a nightly prayer and that's it, so I thought it was adorable that she wanted to say a prayer before our 4th burgers...um...OK maybe 5th. So the prayer went a little like this...


Indigo : "Dear god thank you for this food, please keep everyone safe in warm beds tonight. Bless Jesus Christ, and Jesus please make my friend Jack invisible- AMEN."  And then she ate her lunch.





If that lovely adorable over the top cute prayer doesn't get answered, I will go make Jack invisible myself - or at least offer him a burger to remain scarce.






INGREDIENTS
Raspberry Cupcakes (makes 24 cupcakes)
{Full Printable Recipe} 


• 3 cups raspberries
• 3 tbs sugar, for the raspberries
• 1/4 cup half & half, at room temperature
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened






DIRECTIONS

Three hours before baking, toss your raspberries with 3 tbs white sugar. Smash raspberries with a fork or potato masher. Let them sit in a bowl and become nice and juicy (3 hours time). Once ready, puree this mixture in your food processor. Reserve ¾ cup of this puree for the cupcakes, 3 tbs for the Butter Cream. The rest can easily be used over ice cream.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare your baking dishes. I made 24 cupcakes in liners. You could always make a cake if you prefer. In small bowl, combine puree, milk, egg, vanilla and mix with fork until well blended. In bowl of stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), add sifted flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. Continue beating and add butter. Mix until combined and resembling moist crumbs.





Add liquids and beat at medium speed for about 1 minute or until full and evenly combined. Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl and hand beat for 30 more seconds. Divide the batter evenly among the pans or into your cupcake liners about half way. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (time will vary).


Let cupcakes rest in pan for about 10 minutes and turn out onto wire racks. Let cupcakes cool completely (about 2 hours).





 INGREDIENTS
 Raspberry Buttercream

• 3 tbs fresh raspberry puree
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
• 3 1/2 - 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract






DIRECTIONS


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons cherry puree.


PS - Raspberries do have seeds, so if you have an aversion to the texture in general I would not recommend these cupcakes...but if you love a freshly made cake that is flavored with fresh fruit, then by all means...OPEN UP.