Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

Looking for a great Valentine's day dessert? Well look no further! I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I think these are the best cupcakes I have ever made! I just love the combination of raspberry and chocolate. I was inspired by this bar that I had at a restaurant here in Minneapolis called French Meadow Bakery. It had yummy layers of chocolate and raspberry with chocolate chips on top. I thought it would work great as a cupcake, and I was so right!

Sadly, no valentine for me this year so I made these for the rest of my loves around me. My family loved them! They wouldn't have known they were Vegan if I hadn't told them. Sadly I couldn't give them to my four-legged daughter Keeva. I guess I should have made her some non-chocolate Valentines day treats. Oh well, she gets enough treats as it is!

 Keeva on her 2nd Birthday (I can't believe she's almost 4 now!)

I got these really great cupcake liners made by this company called If You Care. They're 100% unbleached and 100% recycled. I use their aluminum foil and parchment paper too! Their parchment paper contains no Quilon, which is a chemical that contains Chrome (a heavy metal).

Anyway, no more serious talk! I have a cold, but these cupcakes definitely fed my soul. I just have to try to stay away from them until I get better! Good luck with that right?

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water

Makes about 12-14 regular sized cupcakes.


Preheat the oven to 350F. Put cupcake liners in a muffin pan, and lightly grease them. If you want to make a cake, this recipe works best in a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar, and water. Mix together until smooth.

Pour into the prepared muffin pan. Fill each cup about 3/4 of the way up. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Mine were done at exactly 20 minutes though. If you're making it in the loaf pan, bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.

Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 16oz package of powdered sugar

Beat the first four ingredients at medium speed until creamy

Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating at low speed until it's blended and smooth. Frost onto the cooled cupcakes!

Here's another great Valentine's Day Dessert! Strawberry Walnut Delight!

Enjoy and Happy Eating!