Raspberries & Cream Cupcakes

I love decorating cakes but when it comes to eating, I’m not a big frosting fan . Most frostings, especially buttercream varieties are just too sweet for my taste, though I love piping with buttercream. However, I absolutely loved this light and fluffy whipped cream frosting with raspberry jam. The jam made it easier to pipe with the frosting. I did add some piping gel for stabilizing the whipped cream. However, I think even without the piping gel it would have been good enough for piping some simple swirls .

For the vanilla cupcakes (Recipe adapted from Glorious Treats )

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs (at room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable/canola oil (I used canola)
1/2 cup buttermilk
(or 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice- add acid to the milk then set aside for 5 minutes before using)

Directions-
* Preheat oven to 350*F.

* In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with whisk, and set aside.

* In a bowl , add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds. Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and oil, beat.

* Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl. The batter will be thin.

*  Pour batter into a muffin pan prepared with paper liners. Fill liners about 2/3 full.

* Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes.

* Cool the cupcakes in pan for about 5 minutes, then remove them from pan  and finish cooling on a wire rack.
I got 14 cupcakes from this recipe.

For the Raspberry Whipped Cream:

Ingredients:
1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream (35-40% butterfat)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 – 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar/icing sugar
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons piping gel
Pink food color

Directions:
Place your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then place the chilled whipping cream,vanilla extract, and sugar into the bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Add the jam, piping gel and food color and beat just until stiff peaks form. I used Wilton tip 1M for making the swirls and garnished each cupcake with a raspberry.

This recipe was one of the winners of Food of the Month – Desserts Contest

This has been sent to 4th Annual Power Of Pink Challenge