Raspberry Cupcakes with Whipped White Chocolate Ganache

         I'm just going to come out with it...I don't love cupcakes. There. I said it. I feel like this cupcake phenomenon is overrated. I think that pies, cookies, danishes, donuts, tarts and other delicious sugar-coma inducing goodies should have their fair share in the limelight. I need to face facts though; the cupcake is not going anywhere. It's happy at the top and has no plans of relinquishing the crown anytime soon. So I need to take Matt Lewis' advice and "suck it up and appreciate the little frosting-topped monstrosities for the ubiquitous, delicious little [things] they are." 
        I think Matt Lewis is a baking genius, so I took his advice. I jumped in with both feet and started perfecting my cupcake repertoire. First, I made Orange Chiffon Cupcakes. Next, I tried Cinnamon Sugar Cupcakes. This new recipe is for Raspberry cupcakes. Real Raspberry Cupcakes, yum. 
       These cupcakes taste really fruity. They don't just look like red cupcakes with a hint of fruit, they taste like a raspberry. I originally found a recipe for strawberry cupcakes, then I found a great recipe for a real raspberry cake. I'm sure they would have been delicious. However, I wanted to make raspberry cupcakes and I also had half a cake mix that I wanted to use (the other half I used to make the Cinnamon Sugar cupcakes.) Well, I did what I do best....adapt. I made a couple quick changes and came up with a very moist and fruity cupcake that uses a cake-mix base.  I brought these mini cupcakes along with the Cinnamon Sugar cupcakes to the cupcake party, where they were very well received.
      The cake portion of a cupcake is only half of  it. The frosting is where it's at. It doesn't matter how good the cake is, the frosting can make or break the cupcake.  Luckily, I made two frostings for these little beauties. I made a whipped white chocolate ganache and a lemon white chocolate ganache. Both of which pair extremely well with raspberries. The lemon frosting reminded me of a raspberry lemonade; fruity, tart and refreshing. The white chocolate frosting was rich, decadent and a wonderful accompaniment to the moist and fruity cupcake. I hope you will try these cupcake and let me know what you think. Slowly, even I am coming around to the 'frosting-topped monstrosities'. 


Raspberry Cupcakes
1 package white or yellow cake mix
1 (3 oz) package of raspberry gelatin
1 cup of thawed frozen raspberries
1/4 cup juice from thawed frozen raspberries
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 eggs


In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and gelatin. Make a well in the center and pour in mashed raspberries, juice, oil buttermilk and eggs. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl and beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared cupcake pans.


Bake at 350º for 15-18 minutes or until cupcakes are done. A toothpick inserted into the cupcake should come out clean.


Whipped White Chocolate Ganache
adapted slightly from Tish Boyle, Cake Book
3 oz. high quality white chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream


Place chocolate in a bowl and set aside. In a double boiler, or heat proof pan set over simmer water, heat cream until hot. Remove cream from heat and pour hot cream over white chocolate.  Allow mixture to sit for 1 minute. Then whisk together cream and chocolate until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.


After chilled, beat cold chocolate mixture in a mixer at medium high speed with your whisk attachment. Until the whisk begins to leave a trail in the chocolate. The consistency should be like gently whipped cream.


variation: Lemon Whipped White Chocolate Ganache
Make the whipped ganache following directions above. Once chilled remove from refrigerator and add the zest of one lemon and at least 1 tablespoon of juice or to taste. Beat in a mixer on medium-high speed with a whisk attachment. Beat mixture until the whisk leaves a slight trail and the mixture begins to look like softly whipped cream.