chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate raspberry cream cheese frosting

Chocolate and raspberry is quickly becoming one of my new favorite dessert combos. I just love how tart raspberries cut through the rich sweetness of dense, chocolaty treats. This homemade icing was sinfully good, and I found myself sneaking many bites with a spoon. As for the cupcakes, I'm a big fan of doctoring boxed cake mixes, turning bland flavors into something special, as I rarely have the time to make every component from scratch. These cupcakes were so addictive and delicious that I must coquettishly refrain from mentioning how many I devoured. They would also make the perfect Valentine's Day treat, especially when topped with pieces of this perfectly themed and adorable raspberry dark chocolate bar.

My Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake Recipe:

1 box chocolate cake mix, I used a moist fudge variety
Ingredients required on cake box
Raspberry syrup, such as Torani
Strong brewed coffee

One trick to doctoring cake mixes, used in this cupcake, is all in the liquid. Every ingredient you add to your cupcake is a chance to add some flavor, so use it! My cake mix called for 1 cup of water, so instead, I added 3/4 cup of brewed coffee and 1/4 cup of Torani raspberry syrup. As long as the amount of liquid remains the same, you can add any flavoring you choose. Bake according to package directions.