Love Potion Cupcake

This week's cupcake is, of course, in honor of Valentine's Day. I based the flavors on & got the name from an ice cream Baskin Robbins has had for Valentine's Day in the past, vanilla ice cream with a raspberry swirl, chunks of chocolate & heart shaped raspberry filled chocolates. The cupcakes are a basic vanilla cake with chunks of dark chocolate mixed in. In the center of each cake I placed a frozen raspberry before cooking. The frosting is dark chocolate & flavored with Bouteille Call (pronounce that booty call) a syrah port from Boony Doon Vineyard with a strong raspberry flavor.


Cupcake

1/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 c granulated white sugar
1 1/2 large eggs
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
3/4 c all purpose flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1/8 c milk
2 T chopped dark chocolate (I used 60% cocoa)
6 frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or put paper cups in 6 muffin cups.

Cream the butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well. Beat in the vanilla.

In another bowl whisk the flour, baking powder & salt together. Add to the wet mixture, along with the milk. Beat until combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks.

Even fill the muffin cups. Press a raspberry into the center of each cupcake making sure it is covered by the batter. Bake for 20 minutes & cool on a wire rack.

Frosting

1/2 stick softened butter
1/2 c dutch processed cocoa
3 c powdered sugar
1/4+ c milk
1 T Bouteille Call (or other dessert wine or flavoring of your choice.)
1/8 t salt

Mix butter, coca powder, salt & sugar together in a bowl. Mix in wine or flavoring. Add milk a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency. I got a very soft frosting.

Makes 6 cupcakes (this can easily be doubled to make 12)

The best part of this cupcake for me was definitely how wonderful the raspberry turned out in the middle. It was really flavorful & a nice surprise.

Basic Vanilla Cupcake recipe by Stephanie Jaworski at Joy of Baking. Frosting recipe basics came from Kahala's Fluffy Chocolate Frosting on Cooks.com.