One-Pan Chocolate and Raspberry Jam Cupcakes with Raspberry Jam Frosting

I may not have convinced you that I'm not a hoarder or collector, but I think I've managed to convince myself. I go around believing I'm unsentimental and ruthless when it comes to getting rid of things I don't need or don't use... And then I look at my jam collection. It appears I have a serious jam habit. We live perilously close to a berry farm and my husband is the best jam maker ever! I don't have a hope. It's the old "lush with the keys to the booze cabinet" situation.

I decided I needed to rationalise my jam stockpile. There's only so much toast and jam a girl can eat so I invented these little pretties to amuse myself, win points with the boys and relieve my groaning pantry. I sieved the jam to get rid of the seeds for both the cupcakes and the ravishing dusky pink frosting. Oh, and if your boys are anything like mine and wont go near anything pink, apparently that rule doesn't apply if the pink in question is this particular frosting and comes accompanied with these heavenly chocolate cupcakes. Who knew?


One-Pan Chocolate and Raspberry Jam Cupcakes with Raspberry Jam Frosting
Makes 12

For the Cupcakes:
60g butter, in small cubes
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup water
50g dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup cocoa, sifted
3/4 cups caster sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4  teaspoon  baking powder
1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons raspberry jam (sieved)

For the Frosting:
85g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 cup icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

3 tablespoons raspberry jam, sieved

1 tablespoon cream, plus extra if needed

Make the Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line 12 muffin pans with paper cases. Place butter, oil, water and chocolate in a medium pan and melt over medium heat. Turn off heat and whisk in cocoa and caster sugar, making sure there are no lumps of cocoa. whisk in egg, jam and vanilla.

Mix baking powder and baking soda into yoghurt or buttermilk then add to chocolate mixture with flour, whisking until evenly combined to a smooth batter. Stand for at least 10 minutes before cooking.

Spoon mixture into paper cases, using about 3 tablespoons per cupcake to ¾ fill each case.

Bake cupcakes until they are risen and the tops bounce back when gently pressed (about 20 minutes). Stand 5 minutes before lifting out of tins. Ice when cold.

Make the Frosting:

Place the butter and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl down. Add the sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the jam and increase the speed to medium. Add the cream and beat until smooth and a spreading consistency. Add more cream if the mixture is too stiff.