Cinematic overhead view of raspberry almond cupcakes with swirled pink frosting, ruby jam centers, and toasted almonds, surrounded by fresh raspberries on a white marble surface.

Raspberry Almond Cupcakes: Light, Elegant, and Ridiculously Easy

Raspberry Almond Cupcakes: Light, Elegant, and Ridiculously Easy

Raspberry almond cupcakes are soft, buttery cupcakes loaded with almond flavor, filled with sweet-tart raspberry jam, and topped with silky frosting.

These aren’t your basic birthday cupcakes. They’re the ones you bring when you want people to think you spent hours in the kitchen (even though you didn’t).

KEY INFO

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 17 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes (includes cooling)
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Difficulty level: Easy to Moderate
Dietary tags: Vegetarian (can be made gluten-free)

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EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Simple alternatives:
No stand mixer? A hand mixer works perfectly.
No piping bag? Use a small spoon or a ziplock bag with one corner cut off.

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INGREDIENTS

For the Cupcakes:
  • 1½ cups (190g) cake flour (or 1â…“ cups all-purpose flour + 3 tablespoons cornstarch)
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1½ teaspoons pure almond extract (not imitation—trust me on this)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk, room temperature (or ½ cup milk + 1½ teaspoons lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes)
For the Raspberry Filling:
  • â…“ cup (110g) raspberry jam or preserves (seedless works best)
For the Frosting:
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3-4 cups (360-480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pink or red food coloring (optional)
For Garnish:
  • Sliced almonds, lightly toasted
  • Fresh raspberries
  • Extra raspberry jam for drizzling

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METHOD

Making the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with your mixer on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. This step matters—don’t rush it.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5. Mix in the almond extract and vanilla extract until combined.

6. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined—don’t overmix or you’ll get tough cupcakes.

7. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about â…” full.

8. Bake for 15-17 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

9. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before filling—warm cupcakes will make your jam weep and your frosting melt.

Ultra-detailed overhead shot of a pristine kitchen countertop showcasing precisely measured ingredients for raspberry almond cupcakes, including soft butter, sifted flour in a vintage bowl, fresh eggs, almond extract, and neatly arranged muffin liners in a tin, all bathed in soft natural light against a pastel background.

Filling the Cupcakes:

10. Once cooled, use a paring knife or the wide end of a piping tip to cut a small cone-shaped piece from the center of each cupcake. Cut about 1 inch deep.

11. Fill each cavity with about 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam. Don’t overfill or it’ll ooze everywhere when someone bites in (actually, that might be a good thing).

12. You can replace the cone-shaped tops or discard them. I usually eat them as “baker’s tax.”

Close-up of a baker's hands using a piping tool to create a cone-shaped cavity in a golden-brown cupcake, while rich raspberry jam is being spooned in, with droplets glistening in warm light. A soft kitchen background features a blurred wooden cutting board and fresh raspberries.

Making the Frosting:

13. Beat the butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until creamy and pale.

14. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed after each addition.

15. Add the almond extract, vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of cream.

16. Beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. If it’s too thick, add more cream one teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time.

17. Add food coloring if you want a pink frosting (I use 2-3 drops for a pale pink).

18. Transfer frosting to your piping bag fitted with your favorite tip.

Assembling:

19. Pipe generous swirls of frosting on top of each filled cupcake.

20. Garnish immediately with toasted sliced almonds, a fresh raspberry, or a small drizzle of raspberry jam.

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CRUCIAL TIPS

Room temperature ingredients matter.
Cold butter won’t cream properly. Cold eggs can cause the batter to curdle. Cold buttermilk won’t incorporate smoothly.

Use real almond extract, not imitation.
The flavor difference is massive—imitation tastes chemical and fake.

Don’t overbake.
Check at 15 minutes. Overbaked cupcakes are dry cupcakes.

Sift your powdered sugar

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