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Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 4-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the large egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Gradually add the hot water (or coffee) and stir until the batter is smooth and thin. The batter will be runny, which is normal for a moist chocolate cupcake.

Divide the batter evenly among the 4 prepared cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes cool, prepare the raspberry filling. In a small saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup fresh raspberries, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, mashing the raspberries with a fork, until they break down and the mixture is bubbly, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water to create a slurry. Pour the slurry into the raspberry mixture, stirring constantly, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Once the cupcakes are completely cool (this is crucial for frosting), use a small paring knife or a cupcake corer to remove a small cone from the center of each cupcake. Fill each cored cupcake with about 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cooled raspberry filling. You can replace a small piece of the cored cupcake on top of the filling to seal it, if desired.

Prepare the raspberry puree for the buttercream. In a small bowl, mash the 1/4 cup fresh raspberries with a fork or process briefly in a food processor. Strain the mashed raspberries through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds, pressing down to extract as much puree as possible. You should have about 1 to 2 tablespoons of seedless puree. Set aside.

Make the raspberry buttercream. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Add the milk, vanilla extract, raspberry puree, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and vibrant pink. Add a drop or two of red food coloring, if desired, for a more intense color.

Frost the filled cupcakes using an offset spatula or a piping bag with your preferred tip. Top each cupcake with a fresh whole raspberry. For chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler to shave curls from the dark chocolate bar directly over the frosted cupcakes. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.


Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 4-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the large egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Gradually add the hot water (or coffee) and stir until the batter is smooth and thin. The batter will be runny, which is normal for a moist chocolate cupcake.

Divide the batter evenly among the 4 prepared cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes cool, prepare the raspberry filling. In a small saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup fresh raspberries, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, mashing the raspberries with a fork, until they break down and the mixture is bubbly, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water to create a slurry. Pour the slurry into the raspberry mixture, stirring constantly, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Once the cupcakes are completely cool (this is crucial for frosting), use a small paring knife or a cupcake corer to remove a small cone from the center of each cupcake. Fill each cored cupcake with about 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cooled raspberry filling. You can replace a small piece of the cored cupcake on top of the filling to seal it, if desired.

Prepare the raspberry puree for the buttercream. In a small bowl, mash the 1/4 cup fresh raspberries with a fork or process briefly in a food processor. Strain the mashed raspberries through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds, pressing down to extract as much puree as possible. You should have about 1 to 2 tablespoons of seedless puree. Set aside.

Make the raspberry buttercream. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Add the milk, vanilla extract, raspberry puree, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and vibrant pink. Add a drop or two of red food coloring, if desired, for a more intense color.

Frost the filled cupcakes using an offset spatula or a piping bag with your preferred tip. Top each cupcake with a fresh whole raspberry. For chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler to shave curls from the dark chocolate bar directly over the frosted cupcakes. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
