Almond Raspberry Cupcakes, take 1.

This is my first Peace, Love & Bagels original recipe! I was inspired by the Almond Berry Cupcakes from Main Street Cupcakes and I wanted to try to make my own as a Chrismukkah surprise for Brandon's sister (Almond Berry is her favorite MSC cupcake). 

This was my trial attempt so I could get it just right for Tanja...they taste nothing like the MSC cupcakes but the flavor turned out pretty amazing! I'm going to call this a win for my first attempt at building my own recipe. I'm planning on changing a few things the next time around so I'll repost the recipe when that happens. Some changes I'd like to make:

• bake the raspberry sauce into the cupcake instead of piping in the filling
• leave some whole(ish) almonds in the batter
• thicker frosting, so I can use my piping things to make the cupcakes look a little bit more enticing...my frosting was VERY sweet, but I think the best way to thicken it up is more powdered sugar. I'm all for the sugar high
• I  might also add a bit of sweet (sugar, agave, juice, whatevs..) to the raspberry sauce
• Use some unbleached AP flour in the batter

The frosting was my biggest let down...but that was highly my own fault because I didn't even follow my own recipe. I probably only used 2 cups of powdered sugar, instead of my prescribed 4 cups. Holy laziness. Also, I really REALLY liked the raspberry and wanted there to be more of it, I think I will drizzle any leftover raspberry sauce on top after they're frosted. Without further ado...

Almond Raspberry Cupcakes
almond cupcakes filled with raspberry sauce and topped with almond frosting
makes 12 cupcakes

for cupcakes:
1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (can sub all purpose or regular whole wheat or a mixture)
½ cup almond meal**
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ cup sugar
2 egg whites
½ cup applesauce (or sub butter or margarine)
½ cup almond milk
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract

for raspberry sauce:
1 pint fresh raspberries
½ cup water or choice of juice (or ¼ cup agave and ¼ cup juice/water)
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with enough water to form a paste
½ tsp vanilla

for almond frosting:
⅔ cup unsalted butter or margarine
4 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup almond milk
1 tsp almond extract

In a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, agave nectar, and juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, stir in the vanilla and the cornstarch mixture. Continue to stir as the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, almond meal, baking soda. In a smaller bowl, cream applesauce (or butter) and sugar for about two minutes. Stir in egg whites, almond milk and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring together until just combined.

Prepare muffin/cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Fill cups about ¾ full (eyeball it, but beware, they puff up pretty big...I'd err on the side of less). Bake 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

While cupcakes are baking, cream butter and powdered sugar together until creamy. Add almond milk and almond extract and continue to mix until desired frosting consistency is reached.

When cupcakes have completely cooled, use piping equipment to fill cupcakes with raspberry sauce by  placing tip into center of cupcake and carefully squeezing sauce in. Try not to overfill, the sauce will squirt out the top of the cupcake. When cupcakes are filled, frost with a knife or any desired piping tip.

**NOTE: almond meal can be made by grinding almonds in a food processor, blender or coffee grinder (I find this the best use of my coffee grinder and it works better than the other two)