Skip the bakery and make these raspberry almond cupcakes from scratch! Made with a soft vanilla-almond cupcake base, they're filled with tart raspberry jam and topped with a creamy raspberry buttercream. I love that each cupcake hides a little surprise raspberry jam center! These cupcakes come together easily but look so elegant (and taste good, too!)

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Make these almond and raspberry filled cupcakes one time, and you'll never be able to buy store-bought cupcakes again! The almond cupcake base is super moist, thanks to a combination of both oil and butter, giving you a moist texture but with that buttery flavor.
These raspberry almond cupcakes are kind of like the raspberry version of my strawberry filled cupcakes! Or if you're more of a chocolate person (like meee!) try my raspberry cupcakes with white chocolate ganache!
Super Soft Cupcakes + Dreamy Frosting = ❤️
Using my favorite cupcake base (seen over in my vanilla bean cupcakes!), you're guaranteed super soft and plush cupcakes. I've added a dash of almond extract (you really don't need much) to get that almond flavor.
To make our lives a tiny bit easier, I'm using storebought raspberry jam instead of making my own. The creamy raspberry buttercream is made with freeze-dried raspberries, giving you a naturally vibrant color and tons of flavor. I like adding a squeeze of lemon juice to the buttercream, it just gives a bit of brightness and makes it taste more fresh and zingy!
If you aren't feeling this raspberry buttercream, swap it out for vanilla bean buttercream!
Grab these key ingredients!

- Raspberry Jam: Kind of key for raspberry filled cupcakes! Use your favorite jam brand, mine has to be Bonne Maman.
- Freeze-Dried Raspberries: These are freeze-dried raspberries, not frozen and not just dried - freeze-dried! I've found these at Trader Joe's and Target, but you can also grab them online. All the moisture has been taken out of them so they're perfect for using in baking. Plus, they'll make your frosting naturally pink.
- Neutral Oil: My secret to super soft cupcakes? Oil! Using a neutral tasting oil like sunflower, canola, or vegetable oil is going to keep these cupcakes ✨moist✨ for days.
- Unsalted Butter: We'll need some unsalted butter for the cupcakes and a bunch for the frosting! If you can grab European-style butter, do it. Higher butterfat content = happier cupcake eaters.
- Lemon: This is a lil trick I do with my strawberry frosting (like in the strawberry frosting in my strawberry funfetti cake). It's totally optional, but that lemon juice is going to amplify the raspberry flavor.
- Almond Extract: You only need a dash of almond extract; this stuff is POTENT.
- Cake Flour: I've tested this recipe with all-purpose flour and cake flour, and I can tell you that it does make a difference. The cupcakes with cake flour were just so much softer and fluffier! If you've got it in your pantry, use it, people!!
Let's make some cupcakes!
The full recipe and video are below, but let's walk through the steps.

- Preheat the oven to 350ºF & place liners in your cupcake pan. In a stand mixer, mix butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy.

- Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula! Mix in the sour cream.

- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed. Finally, add the whole milk.

- Fill the cupcake liners so they're about three-quarters full. Bake them in the oven for 18-22 minutes.

- Once the cupcakes are cool, make the frosting. Beat the butter with the confectioners' sugar until thickened. Add the remaining ingredients. If it is too thick, add some heavy cream.

- Core your cupcakes and fill with raspberry jam. Frost and enjoy!

Filling & Decorating the Cupcakes
I've found the easiest way to core and fill the cupcakes is by using the base of a large piping tip (like the size of the Wilton 1M). Place it in the middle of the top of the cupcakes and press down gently. Take the piping tip out, and now you should have a hole in the middle of the cupcake!
To fill it, you can either use a small spoon and spoon the jam in. Or, fill a piping bag with raspberry jam and pipe it in with a large round piping tip. Wow, how many times have I written piping tip just now!
Finally, to frost these cupcakes, I used a Wilton 1M piping tip. I decorated these cupcakes with fresh raspberries, but I also think it would be cute with some pink or white sprinkles.
Storage & Make Ahead
Once you've filled and frosted these cupcakes, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let the cupcakes come to room temperature before eating; if they're still cold, the texture won't be as nice, and the flavor won't be as pronounced.
You can make the almond cupcakes up to 3 days in advance. Just let them cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Made This Recipe?
Make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! You can tag me on Instagram @alpineella or follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok!
Thank you!
Ella
Recipe

Easy Raspberry Almond Cupcakes with Raspberry Jam Filling
Equipment
- 2 cupcake pans
Ingredients
Almond Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (56 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) neutral oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup (113 grams) whole milk
- ¼ cup (56 grams) sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup (85 grams) raspberry jam
Raspberry Frosting
- 2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 4 cups (480 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup (25 grams) freeze-dried raspberries blended into a powder
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit/175°Celsius. Place 14 cupcake liners in 2 cupcake pans.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.1 ½ cups (180 grams) cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, combine the butter, oil and sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.¼ cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 grams) neutral oil
- Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extract and mix to combine.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Mix in the sour cream.¼ cup (56 grams) sour cream
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combine, then slowly pour in the milk.½ cup (113 grams) whole milk
- Using a spoon or a medium cookie scoop, scoop out the cupcake batter into the liners. You want them to be about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and letting them cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand held mixer, combine the room temperature butter with the confectioners' sugar on low speed. Once combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter, 4 cups (480 grams) confectioners' sugar
- Add the salt, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and raspberry powder.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 cup (25 grams) freeze-dried raspberries
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- If the frosting isn't as creamy as you would like, add in the heavy cream and beat on medium speed until spreadable. You might not need all of it!¼ cup heavy cream
- Use the base of a large piping tip to core the cupcakes. Press gently down into the top of the cupcake to create a hole. You don't want to go all the way down!
- Spoon or pipe the raspberry jam into each cupcake.¼ cup (85 grams) raspberry jam
- Frost the cupcakes with a Wilton 1M piping tip and enjoy!













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