Tart lemons & raspberries and smooth, creamy white chocolate are a match made in heaven! Plus, this dessert is almost too pretty to eat (almost)!
Hey there, fellow dessert aficionados! Today, I've got a recipe that's going to take your taste buds on a delightful journey through a sweet and tangy paradise. Picture this: fluffy lemon cupcakes topped with clouds of white chocolate raspberry mousse. Yes, you read that right. It's a flavor explosion waiting to happen!
Now, before we dive into the kitchen, let's take a moment to appreciate the sheer brilliance of combining lemon, white chocolate, and raspberry. It's my dream dessert!
Making Light Lemon Cupcakes
First up, let's talk about those lemon cupcakes. They're light, they're zesty, and they're guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Plus, the aroma that fills your kitchen as they bake? Pure bliss.
Let's talk about the secret sauce behind those heavenly light cupcakes: creaming butter and sugar.
Think of it as the dynamic duo of baking – butter brings the richness, while sugar adds sweetness and helps create that airy texture.
When you cream them together, it's like a magical transformation occurs. The butter traps air as it's beaten with sugar, creating a light and fluffy mixture that forms the perfect base for your cupcakes. It's not just about texture though; creaming also helps ensure your cupcakes rise evenly and develop that beautiful golden-brown crust.
So don't skimp on the creaming – your taste buds will thank you!
White Chocolate Cups filled with Raspberry Mousse
First off, we need to make those White Chocolate Cups. But have no fear, you don't have to go through the fear and stress of tempering the chocolate.
These are the molds that I used for these Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Mousse: Silicone Circle Molds
I mean, you can if you choose to! But I have found that using Ghiradelli White Chocolate Melting Wafers offers great flavor as well as being easy to use! These melting wafers taste so good that people are always surprised that I didn't use expensive white chocolate and go through the pain of tempering.
But if you really want to temper your chocolate, go for it!
Tempering White Chocolate
Tempering white chocolate is like a delicate dance between heat and patience.
First off, you'll need to chop your white chocolate into small, uniform pieces. Set about ¼ of the chopped chocolate aside. Then, grab yourself a heatproof bowl and set it over a pot of gently simmering water, creating a makeshift double boiler.
As your chocolate begins to melt, keep a close eye on the temperature – we're aiming for around 110 to 115°F (43 to 46°C). Once it's melted down, take it off the heat and add the ¼ of the chopped chocolate that was set aside. Stir it constantly until the white chocolate cools to 87 F.
With a little finesse and a whole lot of patience, you'll have perfectly tempered white chocolate that's ready to elevate any dessert to the next level. So go ahead, channel your inner chocolatier – you've got this!
Let's Make Raspberry Mousse to Top Our Perfect Cupcakes
Making raspberry mousse is surprisingly easy the end result is worth every whisk.
First things first, grab yourself some fresh raspberries – the juicier, the better. Give them a good rinse and then toss them into a blender or food processor until they're nice and smooth. Press the puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove those pesky seeds.
White chocolate adds the sweetness to this mousse recipe. The first dose of heavy cream helps the chocolate to melt smoothly.
The gelatin is bloomed in a little water and then melted and added to the raspberry chocolate mixture. This is just enough gelatin to set this mousse without making it too stiff or rubbery.
Now, onto the fluffiness factor – whip up some heavy cream until it forms soft peaks, then gently fold it into your raspberry mixture (once it is completely cooled) until it's smooth and creamy. And that's it – you've just whipped up a batch of raspberry mousse that's guaranteed to steal the show at any dessert table. Go ahead, take a bow – you've earned it!
Why Should You Make These Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Mousse?
If you've never experienced the magic of lemon, white chocolate, and raspberry together, prepare to have your mind blown. The creaminess of the white chocolate perfectly complements the tartness of the lemon and raspberries, creating a match made in dessert heaven.
But wait, there's more! Not only do these cupcakes taste divine, but they also look stunning. Picture-perfect swirls of lemon buttercream topped with a white chocolate cup filled with tangy raspberry mousse atop golden lemon cupcakes – they're almost too pretty to eat. Almost.
So, whether you're planning a fancy dinner party or simply craving a little indulgence on a rainy day, these lemon cupcakes with white chocolate raspberry mousse cups are the perfect choice. They're elegant, they're delicious, and they're guaranteed to make you the hero of any dessert table.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some cupcakes calling my name from the kitchen. It's time to indulge in a little slice of sweet perfection. Happy baking, my friends!
Other Recipes To Try:
Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Mousse Cups
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Fine Mesh Strainer
- Silicone Mold
- Cupcake Pan
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cupcakes
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup whole milk*
- 2 tablespoon Tablespoons lemon zest*
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice*
For the Lemon Buttercream
- 2 cups softened butter
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- Pinch of Salt
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
- Zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons
For the White Chocolate Cups
- 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
For the Raspberry Mousse
- 2½ cups fresh raspberries
- 9 oz white chocolate chopped finely
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream DIVIDED
- 2 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
- 2 Tablespoons water
- Pink food coloring optional
- 8 ounces fresh whole raspberries For topping
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract, then beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the milk, lemon juice, and zest.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with the mixer on low speed, then slowly add half of the milk mixture. Add ⅓ more of the dry ingredients, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and ending with the last of the dry mixture. Once combined, stop the mixer. Do not overmix the batter.
- Scoop the batter evenly into 12 cupcake liners, filling them about ⅔ full. Bake for about 18-22 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean when they’re done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Buttercream
- Beat the butter on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until the butter is light in color and very airy. Add half of the powdered sugar, the heavy cream, pinch of salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix on low speed at first and then turn up to high speed and beat until light and fluffy. Turn down to low and add the remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Once all of the sugar has been added, turn up to high and beat until light and fluffy. Add more cream (a tablespoon at a time) if the buttercream is too stiff or more powdered sugar if the buttercream is too soft to hold its shape for piping.
- Add the buttercream to a piping bag with your chosen piping tip. Frost the completely cooled cupcakes with lemon buttercream.
Make the White Chocolate Cups
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the finely chopped white chocolate on 30-second bursts, stirring in between bursts, until melted and smooth. Add a spoonful of melted white chocolate to each of the round mold cavities. Use the back of the spoon or a clean paintbrush to spread the white chocolate into a thin layer that completely coats the inside of the mold. I make a couple more than I need just in case some break when I remove them from the mold.
- Repeat the process for each cavity in the mold and then turn the mold over on top of a piece of parchment paper. Allow the extra chocolate to drip out for about 5 minutes. Turn the mold back over and refrigerate until set.
- Once the chocolate is completely set, gently remove the cups by pushing gently on the bottom, gently holding the cup as it releases.
Make the Raspberry Mousse
- Make a raspberry puree by blending 1 cup fresh raspberries in a blender or food processor. Pour them through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds, and measure out ½ cup of raspberry puree.
- Combine the white chocolate, raspberry puree, ½ cup of heavy cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Add a few drops of pink food coloring to boost the pink color, if desired.
- While you wait for the chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and chocolate together.
- Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the raspberry mixture, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate the mousse for 30 minutes to an hour for the mousse to set. Stir well and then add to a piping bag. Pipe the mousse into the white chocolate cups and top with a fresh raspberry. Place the cup on top of an iced cupcakes and chill.
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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