Raspberry Chocolate Lava Cupcakes (Printable)

Rich chocolate cupcakes with molten centers and fresh raspberries, ideal for special celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chocolate Batter

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 tsp baking powder
04 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
05 - 1/4 tsp fine salt
06 - 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
08 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ Lava Filling

11 - 3.5 oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
12 - 3 tbsp heavy cream

→ Raspberry Center

13 - 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

→ Garnish (optional)

14 - Powdered sugar for dusting
15 - Extra fresh raspberries
16 - Chocolate shavings

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - Place chopped dark chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Let cool, then spoon into 12 small mounds (about 1 tsp each) onto a parchment-lined plate. Freeze for at least 15 minutes.
03 - In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and sugar until combined. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Add half the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, followed by buttermilk, then remaining dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined.
06 - Fill each cupcake liner with 1 heaping tablespoon of batter. Place a frozen chocolate mound in center, pressing lightly. Add 2–3 raspberries per cupcake, then cover with remaining batter, filling liners about 3/4 full.
07 - Bake for 14–16 minutes until tops are just set but centers remain slightly soft.
08 - Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh raspberries and chocolate shavings if desired. Serve warm for molten center.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The warm molten center feels like a restaurant dessert but comes together in under an hour
  • Fresh raspberries cut through the richness so every bite stays interesting
  • Freezing the chocolate filling ahead makes assembly feel effortless
02 -
  • Do not overfill the liners or the batter will spill over creating messy edges
  • Letting the chocolate filling freeze completely prevents it from sinking to the bottom during baking
  • Serving these warm is essential because the lava center firms up as it cools
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients prevent the melted chocolate from seizing when you mix everything together
  • Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter evenly so all cupcakes bake at the same rate

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