By Yotam Ottolenghi
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes, plus cooling
- Rating
- 4(319)
- Notes
- Read community notes
These happy-looking cupcakes, with swirls of pink in the frosting, are only improved by a generous sprinkling of fun — in the form of popping candy, of course. The cream soda flavoring gives these cupcakes an ice cream shop vibe and can be ordered online, but vanilla will work just as well. Feel free to bake the cupcakes a day ahead and keep them in an airtight container. Top them with the mascarpone cream a couple of hours before you intend to serve them. For maximum effect, be sure to sprinkle on the popping candy only right before serving.
Featured in: These Cupcakes Are Pure Childhood Magic
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Ingredients
Yield:12 cupcakes
- 1large lemon
- 24raspberries (160 grams)
- 9tablespoons/125 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, softened
- 1cup plus 2 tablespoons/225 grams superfine (caster) or granulated sugar
- ¼teaspoon cream-soda flavor extract (see Tip) or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 2large eggs
- ½cup/120 grams mascarpone
- 1¼cups/160 grams all-purpose flour
- ¾teaspoon baking powder
- ¼teaspoon fine sea salt
- 14raspberries (75 grams)
- 1½cups/340 grams mascarpone
- 1cup/225 milliliters heavy whipping cream
- 3tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon/40 grams superfine (caster) or granulated sugar
- ½teaspoon cream-soda flavor extract, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- ½ounce/15 grams store-bought white or pink meringues, roughly crushed (½ cup)
- 2tablespoons/19 grams popping candy (optional)
For the Cupcakes
For the Toppings
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
521 calories; 30 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 47 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 225 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Make the cupcakes: Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
Step
2
Use a small, sharp knife to trim the ends of the lemon and then cut away all the skin and pith. Slide your knife between the membranes to release the segments, then roughly chop each segment into 3 or 4 pieces. You need 24 pieces in total. Stuff each of the raspberries with the lemon pieces and set aside.
Step
3
Add the butter, sugar and cream-soda extract to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment in place. (Alternatively, do this in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer). Mix on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until pale, fluffy and aerated. Scrape down the sides if needed, then turn the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is completely incorporated.
Step
4
Scrape the bowl. Then, with the speed on medium-low, add the mascarpone, flour, baking powder and salt, and mix to combine. Turn the speed to medium and mix for 15 seconds, or until everything is smooth and evenly combined. Use two spoons to evenly divide the batter among the liners, so they are about two-thirds full. Press two raspberries, hole sides up, into the center of a cupcake so they’re submerged halfway in the batter. Repeat with the remaining berries and cupcakes.
Step
5
Bake for 30 minutes, or until springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step
6
Once the cupcakes are cool, make the toppings: Blitz the raspberries into a smooth purée using a small food processor or blender. (Alternatively, mash them very thoroughly with a fork.) For the frosting, add the mascarpone, cream, sugar and cream-soda extract to the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment in place. Start the mixer on low, then gradually increase the speed to medium-high and whisk for about 1½ minutes, or until soft to medium peaks form. You don’t want it to be runny at all. (Alternatively, do this in a bowl with a hand-held mixer.) Add the blitzed raspberries, stirring just 3 or 4 times and not more so that the frosting is streaky with red bits throughout.
Step
7
Fit a piping bag with a star-shaped piping tip (about 1 ¼-inches/30-millimeters wide) if you have one. (Alternatively, snip a hole in a piping bag or resealable plastic bag.) Place the bag tip-side down into a cup and fold the top over the rim to help keep it upright. Use a spatula to transfer the mascarpone cream to the bag and then pipe tall swirls of the cream on top of the cupcakes. Just before serving, sprinkle with the meringue and, if using, the popping candy.
Tip
- Cream-soda flavor extract is available online and at professional baking shops. Be sure to buy extract made for baking and not for flavoring soda water. It is a speciality product, but it really makes these very special.
Ratings
4
out of 5
319
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Cooking Notes
Lisa Gordon
Can I make this as a cake? How would I bake it?
Ashley
Lovely! I went the vanilla extract route. Instead of the meringues and pop rocks, I dusted the tops with freeze dried raspberries. Will make again.
nancy
When the stem is pulled out of the raspberry, a hole is left behind. Put the lemon piece(s) in the hole. Insert the raspberry end that is opposite the stem into the batter.
Paulina
Hello,You don’t have to add the lemon. It’s there to imitate the sour candy, it’s about when you put the sour candy in a mouth and you make that funny face because it’s so sour, but also pleasurable. Hope it helps.
jo
Wanted to make this recipe after reading the wonderful accompanying article by Yotam Ottolenghi Substituted cream cheese and sour cream as didn’t have mascarpone and added sprinkles of caramelized walnuts instead of pop rocks. My boys were overjoyed to see these on the kitchen counter. Huge success. Truly a taste of summer. I’m going to bake them and give them away as often as I can. This is a joyful recipe from a master chef. Thank you!
Margaret
My 92 year old mother cut the lemons in half first, cut between the sections, then cut out the flesh with a curved grapefruit knife. I think it was a little easier that wayThis is an excellent recipe. I used Bakto cream soda flavoring.
CBaj
If I'm making this a day ahead, can I put the topping in the fridge and how long should I take it out for it to be the right temp to put it on the cupcakes?
Dana
Delicious! For me, this recipe made 16 cupcakes, not 12. Not sure I got the consistency of the icing right, it was more like thick whipped cream than icing. Didn’t have the cream soda extract so I used vanilla extract, was still very good. Definitely planning to make again and hopefully try it with the cream soda flavor next time!
Mike Morgan
Why do I need two spoons to fill the cupcake papers?
Dana
The batter is very thick, you’ll need one spoon for scooping the batter from the mixing bowl, the other for scraping it out of that spoon into the cupcake liner.
Maryanne R
These were okay. It was fun to try cream soda extract, but I don't think the recipe is worth the special order ingredient and the expense of all that mascarpone.
Jane
I made these for my husbands birthday. I bought everything except meringue and pop rocks for topping. The cupcakes were good but not spectacular, esp given the cost of the ingredients. I was somewhat disappointed but they were special for the occasion.
icing split
Tried to make the icing twice and it split both times… thoughts on why?
Renee Diamond
Do you stuff the raspberry into the cupcake with the piece of lemon in it?
alex
Has anyone tried a gluten free version? Would love a GF flour recommendation so we can try this one
Margaret
My 92 year old mother cut the lemons in half first, cut between the sections, then cut out the flesh with a curved grapefruit knife. I think it was a little easier that wayThis is an excellent recipe. I used Bakto cream soda flavoring.
Kate
I don't understand the purpose of stuffing the 24 raspberries with the 24 pieces of lemon. The lemon isn't mentioned in step 4 (pressing the raspberries hole side up into the uncooked cupcake). Can I skip the lemon?? Would love to hear from someone who's made these.
Paulina
Hello,You don’t have to add the lemon. It’s there to imitate the sour candy, it’s about when you put the sour candy in a mouth and you make that funny face because it’s so sour, but also pleasurable. Hope it helps.
Diane
Double the recipe to make a two layer cake, baking at 350 F for 25-35 min. Check with toothpick after 25 min.
Judy Stark
How do you stuff a raspberry with the lemon pieces? And what is meant by positioning the raspberries “hole side up”?
nancy
When the stem is pulled out of the raspberry, a hole is left behind. Put the lemon piece(s) in the hole. Insert the raspberry end that is opposite the stem into the batter.
Judy Stark
How do you “stuff the raspberries with the lemon pieces”? And what is meant by “hole sides up”?
Olga
I have also found cream soda flavoring from Olive Nation, going to try it.
jo
Wanted to make this recipe after reading the wonderful accompanying article by Yotam Ottolenghi Substituted cream cheese and sour cream as didn’t have mascarpone and added sprinkles of caramelized walnuts instead of pop rocks. My boys were overjoyed to see these on the kitchen counter. Huge success. Truly a taste of summer. I’m going to bake them and give them away as often as I can. This is a joyful recipe from a master chef. Thank you!
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