Christmas is the time for Christmas cookies. Obviously. We love Christmas cookies, but now and then we are craving for something more substantial. Delicious cupcakes, like these Candy Cane Chocolate Cupcakes, for example. Others might recommend something savory to balance out all the sweet stuff, but this is a baking blog for sweet treats. Guess what you get from us. ;P

Cupcakes can be baked and served all year round – even these »Christmas themed« chocolate cupcakes with raspberry filling, buttercream topping, and candy cane decorations. You can cut back on the candy cane decorations in the height of summer maybe, but otherwise, these cupcakes are perfect 365 days a year.
Chocolate, raspberries, and vanilla buttercream are always a good combination – whether in a cupcake or a regular cake. The slightly tart dark chocolate and sweet raspberries in combination always work for us! We would even just snack on raspberries dipped in melted chocolate if someone offered them to us. It’s just so good!

When preparing cupcakes, we tend to use Swiss meringue buttercream for the topping. This type of buttercream has a great texture, tastes great, and is easy to prepare. It’s perfect for decorating and (unlike) American buttercream, for example, it’s not quite as sweet. If you want your cupcakes or cakes sweeter, you can always add more sweetness with a sweet filling and decorations. Crushed candy canes, for example. ;P
If you’re not familiar with candy canes, they’re those little red and white sugar sticks that are often used for decorations around Christmas. Mostly in English-speaking countries like UK or the US. Here in Germany, candy canes aren’t quite as common, so you might need to check several stores to find them. ;P
In case you like the combination of chocolate and raspberries as much as we do, you might also want to check out these two recipes. Our Raspberry & Chocolate Tart is the perfect embodiment of this combination. It’s all chocolate and raspberries. Just that.
The chocolate and raspberry combination might not be that obvious when looking at our Baked Raspberry Cheesecake – here the chocolate is in the Oreo cookie base. Not very visible, but still very delicious. ;P
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(12 cupcakes)
For the cupcakes:
2/3 cup (150g) butter, softened
2/3 cup (150g) brown sugar
2 large eggs
3.5 oz. (100g) semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
For the buttercream:
4 medium egg whites
1 cup (200g) sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups (290g) butter, in small cubes
1 cup (130g) confectioners‘ sugar
2 tbsp. Cappuccino (White Vanille) Pulver*
or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the filling:
5.2 oz. (150g) fresh raspberries
1-2 tbsp. raspberry jam
For the decoration:
some crushed candy canes*
some fresh raspberries
(12 Cupcakes)
Für die Cupcakes:
150g weiche Butter
150g brauner Zucker
2 Eier (L)
100g Zartbitterschokolade, geschmolzen
130g Mehl (Type 405)
1 EL Backkakao
1 TL Backpulver
1/4 TL Salz
3 EL Milch
Für die Buttercreme:
4 Eiweiß (M)
200g Zucker
1/4 TL Salz
290g weiche Butter, in Stücken
130g Puderzucker
2 EL Cappuccino (White Vanille) Pulver*
oder 1 TL Vanille Extrakt
Für die Füllung:
150g frische Himbeeren
1-2 EL Himbeermarmelade
Für die Dekoration:
einige Candy Cane Zuckerstangen*, zerstoßen
einige frische Himbeeren

DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a muffin tin* with 12 paper liners and set aside. Melt the chocolate and let cool down.
2. Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Next, add the cooled melted chocolate and mix in.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, then add these dry ingredients together with the milk to the large bowl and mix just briefly. Divide the batter among the paper liners and bake for about 16-18 minutes – or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
4. For the buttercream, place a large (heatproof) bowl over a pot with simmering water – the bowl should not touch the water. Add the egg whites, sugar, and salt and stir until the mixture reaches a temperature of 71°C (160°F) and the sugar has dissolved completely.
5. Using a food processor (the mixture may need to be transferred) or a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed for about 5-6 minutes until stiff peaks form and the meringue has cooled down to room temperature. Gradually add the butter in small pieces and stir well each after each addition. Add the confectioners’ sugar and cappuccino powder and mix on high speed for another 6-8 minutes until the buttercream is creamy and shiny. Add the buttercream to a piping bag with a large round tip and set aside.
6. Add the fresh raspberries and jam to a small bowl and mash the raspberries until you have a thick raspberry sauce.
7. Use a sharp knife or a cupcake corer* to make room for the filling in the cupcakes and cut out a small indentation. Fill the indentations in the cupcakes with the raspberry sauce and pipe a nice swirl of buttercream on top.
8. Crush the candy canes with a hammer or small (metal) pot. Be careful not to scatter them all over the kitchen. Decorate the cupcakes with the candy pieces and place a raspberry on top of each cupcake. Store the cupcakes in a cool place – they should keep for up to 3 days.
1. Den Ofen auf 200°C (390°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Ein Muffinblech* mit 12 Papierförmchen bestücken und zur Seite stellen. Die Schokolade schmelzen und abkühlen lassen.
2. Butter und Zucker in einer großen Schüssel hell und luftig aufschlagen. Die Eier einzeln zugeben und jeweils gut unterrühren. Die abgekühlte, geschmolzene Schokolade dazugeben und unterrühren.
3. In einer kleineren Schüssel das Mehl mit Kakao, Backpulver und Salz vermischen, dann mit der Milch zur großen Schüssel dazugeben und alles nur kurz verrühren. Den Teig auf die Papierförmchen verteilen und dann für etwa 16-18 Minuten backen. Mit einem Zahnstocher testen, ob noch Teig kleben bleibt und die Küchlein erst herausnehmen, wenn der Zahnstocher sauber herauskommt. Die Küchlein aus dem Ofen holen und auf einem Kuchengitter komplett auskühlen lassen.
4. Für die Buttercreme eine große (hitzebeständige) Schüssel auf einen Topf mit köchelndem Wasser stellen – die Schüssel sollte das Wasser nicht berühren. Eiweiß, Zucker und Salz in die Schüssel geben und so lange aufschlagen, bis die Mischung eine Temperatur von 71°C (160°F) erreicht hat und sich der Zucker komplett aufgelöst hat.
5. Mit der Küchenmaschine (die Mischung muss ggf. umgefüllt werden) oder mit einem Handmixer das Eiweiß auf höchster Stufe für etwa 5-6 Minuten aufschlagen, bis es steif ist und auf Zimmertemperatur abgekühlt hat. Die Butter in kleinen Stücken nach und nach dazugeben und jeweils gut unterrühren. Den Puderzucker und Cappuccino Pulver zugeben, unterrühren und dann für weitere 6-8 Minuten auf höchster Stufe aufschlagen, bis die Buttercreme schön cremig ist und glänzt. In einen Spritzbeutel mit großer runder Tülle füllen und zur Seite legen.
6. Die frischen Himbeeren zusammen mit der Marmelade in eine kleine Schüssel geben und die Himbeeren zerdrücken, bis eine dickflüssige Himbeersoße entsteht.
7. Mit einem scharfen Messer oder Cupcake Corer* Platz für die Füllung in den Cupcakes schaffen und eine kleine Vertiefung herausschneiden bzw. ausstechen. Diese Himbeersoße in die Vertiefungen der Cupcakes füllen und dann eine schöne Haube mit der Buttercreme aufspritzen.
8. Die Candy Cane Zuckerstangen mit einem Hammer oder kleinen Topf zertrümmern. Vorsicht, nicht in der kompletten Küche verteilen. Die Cupcakes mit den Candy Stücken dekorieren und auf jeden Cupcake eine Himbeere aufsetzen. Die fertigen Cupcakes an einem kühlen Ort lagern – sie sollten bis zu 3 Tage durchhalten.

Craving more? Keep in touch on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for new post updates and more. You can also contact me with any questions or inquiries!
Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Candy Cane Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 00:40
- Cook Time: 00:18
- Total Time: 01:30
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Cupcakes
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delicious chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and raspberry filling – decorated with candy cane pieces. Maybe your next Christmas dinner dessert? ;)
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
2/3 cup (150g) butter, softened
2/3 cup (150g) brown sugar
2 large eggs
3.5 oz. (100g) semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
For the buttercream:
4 medium egg whites
1 cup (200g) sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups (290g) butter, in small cubes
1 cup (130g) confectioners‘ sugar
2 tbsp. Cappuccino (White Vanille) Pulver*
or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the filling:
5.2 oz. (150g) fresh raspberries
1–2 tbsp. raspberry jam
For the decoration:
some crushed candy canes*
some fresh raspberries
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a muffin tin* with 12 paper liners and set aside. Melt the chocolate and let cool down.
2. Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Next, add the cooled melted chocolate and mix in.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, then add these dry ingredients together with the milk to the large bowl and mix just briefly. Divide the batter among the paper liners and bake for about 16-18 minutes – or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
4. For the buttercream, place a large (heatproof) bowl over a pot with simmering water – the bowl should not touch the water. Add the egg whites, sugar, and salt and stir until the mixture reaches a temperature of 71°C (160°F) and the sugar has dissolved completely.
5. Using a food processor (the mixture may need to be transferred) or a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed for about 5-6 minutes until stiff peaks form and the meringue has cooled down to room temperature. Gradually add the butter in small pieces and stir well each after each addition. Add the confectioners’ sugar and cappuccino powder and mix on high speed for another 6-8 minutes until the buttercream is creamy and shiny. Add the buttercream to a piping bag with a large round tip and set aside.
6. Add the fresh raspberries and jam to a small bowl and mash the raspberries until you have a thick raspberry sauce.
7. Use a sharp knife or a cupcake corer* to make room for the filling in the cupcakes and cut out a small indentation. Fill the indentations in the cupcakes with the raspberry sauce and pipe a nice swirl of buttercream on top.
8. Crush the candy canes with a hammer or small (metal) pot. Be careful not to scatter them all over the kitchen. Decorate the cupcakes with the candy pieces and place a raspberry on top of each cupcake. Store the cupcakes in a cool place – they should keep for up to 3 days.
Notes
Make something amazing in the kitchen!
Links marked with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links (advertising/Werbung) to Amazon Germany. If you click on one of those links and buy something via this link, I will get a commission for that sale. The price of whatever you buy is not affected in any way by this.
Seit 1947, Vanillekipfel