RASPBERRY LAGER CUPCAKES

Raspberry Lager Cupcakes image

This lil' cupcake tastes even better than it looks and sounds! Super moist and flavorful, this recipe has been a unanimous hit with the entire Crew.

Provided by Wendy Rusch @AmmaWendy

Categories Cakes

Number Of Ingredients 23

Ingredients

SOAKING SYRUP
1 bottle(s) raspberry beer, i like shock top raspberry wheat
8-10 - fresh raspberries
CUPCAKES
2 cup(s) cake flour
3/4 cup(s) ap flour
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1 teaspoon(s) salt
3 tablespoon(s) cocoa powder
1/2 cup(s) butter, softened
1/2 cup(s) vegetable oil
1 3/4 cup(s) sugar
2 - eggs
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla
1 ounce(s) red food coloring
1 tablespoon(s) apple cider vinegar
1 cup(s) raspberry beer, i like shock top raspberry wheat
24-30 - fresh raspberries, for garnish
FROSTING
8 ounce(s) cream cheese, softened
8 ounce(s) butter, softened
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla
3-4 cup(s) powdered sugar

Steps:

For Soaking Syrup: Pour beer into a saucepan and add raspberries, bring to a gentle boil, stir occasionally, mashing raspberries as you stir. Once the beer has reduced by half, 7-10 minutes, remove from heat, allow to cool, then strain to remove raspberry bits. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pans with liners, 24ish. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder then set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together oil, butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, vinegar, red food color and mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with beer starting and ending with flour mixture. Mixing until just blended. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 17-20 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in the center. Remove from oven and cool in pans 10 minutes then remove to cooling racks, while still warm, brush tops a couple times with soaking syrup. Cool completely, then frost with cream cheese frosting. And top with a fresh raspberry, if desired.
For Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Scraping bowl as necessary, add vanilla, mixing well. Add powdered sugar and beat until very smooth, creamy and fluffy, 2-3 minutes
***Before brushing on soaking syrup, I like to take the ugliest cupcake and put it in the food processor to make crumbs to sprinkle on top for decoration. :o)
If you prefer not to use the beer in your cupcake, you can use buttermilk plus 1 tsp raspberry extract. And for the soaking syrup I'd use Apple Raspberry Juice in place of the beer and proceed the same way. Also, here is a link for store locator for Shock Top Brand Beer, There are other raspberry beers too, so if Shock Top is not available in your area, please ask your local liquor store clerk. http://www.shocktopbeer.com/s/index.php/store-locator/ Enjoy!!! :o)