Raspberry Creamed Cupcakes

Another beautiful day in the Midwest here. The sun is shining and it's suppose to get to 79 degrees today. It's perfect weather for planting flowers, which I plan on doing after work today. I will be planting some hostas, coral bells and a new rosemary plant I just picked up from a local nursery. I plan on making a post soon about all the uses of rosemary, which is my favorite herb besides chives.

I have lettuce, onions, cabbage growing in the garden and I will be transplanting my tomato and pepper plants soon. I can't wait to start cooking again with plants grown from my own garden. Everthing is so much fresher and tastier.

This recipe is a dessert recipe and I wish I had a photo to follow along with this wonderful recipe. Make sure you get fresh raspberries from a local grower, it makes the cupcakes even better.

Recipe follows:
1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
1 1/3 cups water
3 large eggs whites
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 (6-ounce) containers fresh raspberries, cut in half or 1 (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar, plus additional for dusting

Line 18 muffin cups with muffin papers. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, water, egg whites, melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a large bowl for 2 minutes, or until the batter is well blended. Using about 1/3 cup of batter for each cupcake, spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake the cupcakes until they are very pale golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely on a cooling rack.

Using a fork, coarsely mash 1 1/2 containers of raspberries in a medium bowl. Beat the cream and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Fold the mashed raspberries into the whipped cream.

Remove the muffin papers from the cupcakes and cut the tops off of each cupcake. Spoon the raspberry whipped cream atop the cupcake bottoms. Place the cupcake tops on the cupcakes. Dust with more powdered sugar and serve with the remaining berries.