Raspberry Almond Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line cupcake pans with 12-13 cupcake liners.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the granulated sugar, unsalted butter, and vegetable oil for a few minutes until light and creamy. Add the egg, sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until smooth.
Add in half of the dry ingredients and mix until mostly combined. Then, pour in the milk and mix. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until the cupcake batter is combined and smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are fully combined.
Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a large cookie scoop about ¾ full. The recipe yields about 12 to 13 cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes or until the cupcakes bounces back when gently touched. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a small saucepan, combine the frozen raspberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until the raspberries are broken down and the mixture is bubbling. Mash the raspberries with a wooden spoon to break them up.
In a small separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water until smooth.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the cornstarch slurry and mix well until the mixture thickens. Run the raspberry filling through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds (This is optional but highly recommended). Transfer the raspberry filling to a heat-proof bowl and cool to room temperature. If making ahead, store the raspberry filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined.
Add in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Mix on low speed for several minutes or mix by hand to remove any air pockets.
Optional: To smooth out the buttercream, melt ½ cup of the frosting in the microwave for 15 seconds. Pour the melted frosting back into the mixing bowl and mix the frosting on low speed until the buttercream is super smooth and creamy.

Use an apple corer to remove the center of the vanilla almond cupcakes. Plunge the corer about ⅔ of the way down the cupcake, twist, and remove the cake.
Fill a piping bag with the raspberry filling and pipe the filling into the center of the cupcakes.
Fill a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 857 piping tip with the almond buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of the buttercream onto the filled cupcakes and decorate with fresh raspberries.

Storing & Serving:

Room temperature: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day.
Refrigerator: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.

Recipe Tip: Make the raspberry filling ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Recipe Note: This recipe yields about 12 to 13 cupcakes.

Note: Metric conversions and nutritional information are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.