Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese and Raspberry Filling

These chocolate cupcakes offer a beautiful contrast: soft, moist cocoa crumb, a delicate cheesecake filling at the center, and a vivid raspberry finish. Simple ingredients, clear steps, and excellent results at home.

Ingredients

For the chocolate batter

• 3.9 oz | 110 g unsalted butter, melted
• 4.6 oz | 130 g all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 3.9 oz | 110 g sugar
• 0.7 cup | 170 ml milk
• 0.9 oz | 25 g cocoa powder
• 0.3 oz | 8 g baking powder

For the ‘cheesecake’ filling

• 1 egg
• 2.8 oz | 80 g full-fat cream cheese
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 packets vanilla sugar (with bourbon vanilla)
• 1.5 tsp starch

Additional

• 3.5 oz | 100 g raspberries (fresh or frozen)

How to prepare

1. Preheat the oven to 356°F | 180°C. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin and line it with paper liners.
2. Filling: combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla sugar, lemon juice, egg, and starch. Whisk or blend until perfectly smooth, then pass through a sieve if needed. Chill while you make the batter.
3. Batter: whisk the eggs and sugar until pale. Add the melted butter, not hot, and the milk, then mix well. Sift in the flour, cocoa, and baking powder, and fold into a smooth batter.
4. Assemble: fill the liners halfway with chocolate batter. Add 1 tbsp cheesecake filling to the center and 1 to 2 raspberries. If you like, cover with a thin layer of batter to hide the filling, or leave it slightly exposed for a marbled look.
5. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes. A skewer inserted near the edge should come out dry, while the center may still feel slightly moist because of the filling.
6. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve as is, or dust with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh raspberries.

Tips and variations

• Use frozen raspberries straight from the freezer; for less bleeding, toss them with a pinch of starch.
• Vanilla sugar can be replaced with vanilla extract: 1 tsp in the filling.
• For a deeper chocolate flavor, add 1 to 1.4 oz | 30 to 40 g chopped dark chocolate to the batter.
• Want taller cupcakes? Fill the cups two-thirds full and do not open the oven for the first 15 minutes of baking.

Nutritional value

Serving	1 cupcake (of 12)
Calories	≈ 210 kcal
Protein	≈ 4 g
Fat	≈ 11 g
Carbohydrates	≈ 26 g
Sugar	≈ 15 g
Fiber	≈ 2 g
Sodium	≈ 80 mg

FAQ

Can I use frozen raspberries?

Yes. Add them straight from the freezer and, if you like, toss lightly in starch so they hold their shape better and stain the batter less.

What can I use instead of cream cheese in the filling?

Mascarpone or well-drained 9% farmer’s cheese with a smooth texture will work well. If using farmer’s cheese, add another 1 to 2 tsp sugar to taste.

How should I store them, and can I freeze the cupcakes?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and serve at room temperature.