raspberry zinger cupcakes & happy valentine's day!!!

Almost one year ago I blogged about raspberry zinger cupcakes. I didn't include any real recipes or techniques. I gave a small and lame description and I attached a little photo. But for some weird reason, this was and still is THE most popular post!!! 
I guess everybody loves Zingers.....

I hope the second posting of this "recipe" gets as many hits as the original post. I tried to photograph every single step so that anyone and everyone could follow. The creamy white filling still seems like a mystery to me, but I borrowed a recipe for the filling from another blog for today. After I sampled my zinger cupcakes, I think plain old marshmallow Fluff will do just fine.....


Classic White Cake
Makes 24 regular-sized cupcakes OR half the recipe and make 12
This recipe was given to me by one of my pastry chef instructors from The French Culinary Institute. It was a xerox copy of a page from either a book or magazine. Unfortunately it didn't have any names attached so that I cannot give credit to where it is due.


1 cup milk - at room temperature
3/4 cup egg whites (about 6 large or 5 extra large) - at room temperature
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
***If you don't have almond extract, you can just substitute it for more vanilla extract***
2 1/4 cups plain cake flour (NOT self-rising)
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter - at room temperature


Heat oven to 350˚F. Line a cupcake/muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.


Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into a measuring cup and mix with a fork until blended.


Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl of an electric mixer at low speed. Add butter; continue beating at low speed until the mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery ingredients remaining.


Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high if using a handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture and beat for 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat for 20 seconds longer.


Divide batter evenly in your cupcake liners. ***I use a 2 ounce scoop.***

Bake on the middle rack for 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Rotate pan for even baking and browning. Cool completely on wire rack.

Creamy White Filling
Makes enough to fill 24 cupcakes


6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup marshmallow Fluff
1 1/2 tablespoon heavy cream


In a medium bowl beat together the butter and marshmallow Fluff. Add confectioners' sugar and heavy cream. Mix slowly until combined then beat until fluffy. 


***In a pinch, you can use the marshmallow Fluff straight from the jar.***

Transfer mixture into a Ziplock bag or pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.

In the meantime, with a 1-inch round cutter, cut the middles out of the cooled cupcakes. 

Since you will be filling these, cut a little off of the bottom of each cupcake "middles".

Set the cupcakes and "middles" aside while you strain the seeds from the raspberry jam.

In a strainer over a small bowl, with a small spatula, gently press the 1/2 cup raspberry jam through the strainer to remove the seeds. Set aside.

Cut a small hole off of the tip of your Ziplock bag or insert the tip of your pastry bag into the hole of each cupcake and slightly squeeze in some filling.  

Fill about 3/4 full.

Place the reserved cupcake "middles" on top of the filling and press down slightly. Refrigerate to set for 5 minutes.

Get a small offset spatula or butter knife, your strained raspberry jam and in a small shallow dish 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut ready.

Spread a thin layer of jam over the tops of each cupcake.

Then carefully dredge each one in unsweetened coconut.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!