Raspberry Mud Cupcakes

Friday night, after our delicious sushi date, I was in the mood for some baking.  I was craving something chocolate and also wanted some fruit.  Luckily I remembered I saw raspberry mud cucpakes on my daily cupcake calendar a few days ago.  BINGO!  Decision made.  Bonus:  Few ingredients, easy to make; basically, my kind of cupcake.

Raspberry Mud Cupcakes
(Makes 12-18)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups (2 1/2 sticks) sweet butter
5 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup lightly crushed raspberries, plus whole raspberries for garnish
powdered sugar, for dusting

 Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325F
• In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring throughout.  Let cool slightly.
• If you don't have a double boiler (I don't!), but a medium bowl or smaller pot over a pan of simmering water.
• Beat together eggs and sugar, until thick and pale.
• Mix flour mixture into the batter
• Stir in melted chocolate
• Add crushed raspberries and mix
• Add mixture to cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes
• Let cool and dust with powdered sugar, garnish with fresh raspberry

These cupcakes were moist, gooey, and delicious, although not necessarily oozing chocolate out of the center as their 'mud' name would suggest.  They also had the perfect hint of raspberry, but weren't overwhelming fruity.  If you store them in the refrigerator for few day, I'd suggest popping them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to warm them up before eating.  Yum!

Now I don't need to worry about what to have for dessert for the rest of the week :)