Rose Lychee Raspberry Cupcakes

These Rose Lychee Raspberry Cupcakes are delicately flavoured with rose water and fresh lychee. It's topped with a lightly sweetened rose and raspberry buttercream and is naturally coloured pink.

This first appeared on Sift & Simmer in March 2018. Updated July 2022.

What are lychees?

Lychee is a small, round tropical fruit with a white, soft, juicy flesh and a red-green rough textured rind/skin.

It contains a dark brown inedible seed in the middle.

The lychee skin turns from green to dark red as it ripens.

What does lychee taste like?

Ripe lychees taste sweet and impart a strong floral fragrance, similar to rose.

Looking for ways to use lychee?

Homemade Lychee Syrup

Sparkling Strawberry Lychee Jasmine Tea

Sakura Lychee Fizz

Why you'll love this recipe

This recipe for Rose Lychee Raspberry Cupcakes is easy to make.

Using cake flour yields an ultra tender cupcake.

Inspired by the delicate fragrance of rose flavour in Ispahan macarons, you'll enjoy these cupcakes.

Using fresh lychees (rather than canned lychee) gives these cupcakes a fragrant and delicious flavor.

These fluffy cupcakes are beautifully naturally pink coloured, with a little raspberry surprise inside.

What is Ispahan flavour?

Ispahan actually refers to a type of rose.

Pierre Hermé created the flavour and it is a combination of raspberry, rose and lychee, where I drew inspiration from for these croissants.

Ingredients you'll need

For the cupcakes, you'll need:

• fresh lychee: if you can find fresh lychees, use them; you can use canned if you can't find fresh
• whole milk: or non-dairy alternative
• rosewater: adds a light floral note; you can find rose water in South Asian/Persian stores
• cake flour: for best results, use a cake flour which has a lower protein content; don't use all-purpose or bread flour
• baking powder: acts as a leavener and adds lift to the cupcakes
• fine sea salt: omit if using salted butter
• unsalted butter: softened to room temperature; for this recipe, I prefer to use unsalted butter, but you can use salted butter and omit the salt and add a touch more sugar
• granulated sugar: regular cane sugar or granulated white sugar will work here
• egg: large egg; room temperature
• fresh raspberries: washed and blotted dry for the centre of each cupcake

For the Swiss meringue buttercream:

• egg white
• unsalted butter
• pinch of sea salt
• freeze-dried raspberry powder
• rose water
• dried rose petals: for garnish

How to make the lychee rose cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line a muffin tray with paper liners. Set aside.

In a blender, combine the fresh lychee (seed removed), milk and rose water.

Blend the lychee, milk and rose water until smooth. (Note: It's OK if there are small bits of lychee pieces, but if you prefer a smoother texture, you can blend it again and push the lychee milk through a sieve). Set aside.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.

To a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the softened butter and sugar and cream until pale, light and fluffy.

Add in the egg, one at a time, until the mixture is homogenous.

Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients (cake flour, baking powder, salt) to the butter-egg mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the lychee milk. Don't overmix.

Transfer about 1 tablespoon of cupcake batter to the bottom of each muffin well.

Place a raspberry in the centre of the batter.

Cover with another tablespoon of cupcake batter.

Give the tray a few taps to release any air bubbles.

Bake the cupcakes for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with the slightest crumbs clinging to it.

(Note: insert the toothpick off-center or you may hit the raspberry).

Let the cupcakes cool on a wire cooling rack.

Make the raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream

Place egg white, granulated sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl.

Create a double boiler by heating a pot of water on the stove.

Make sure the mixing bowl can be placed over top of the pot without the water touching the bottom of the bowl.

Place the bowl with the egg white over the simmering water.

Whisk constantly until the egg white mixture is thin and foamy and registers 160F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

(Note: If you don't have an instant-read thermometer, the sugar should be dissolved and feel hot to the touch).

Beat the egg mixture with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed until light and airy and cooled to room temperature, about 5 mins.

Reduce speed to medium and add butter, one piece at a time.

Once all butter is added, increase speed to high and beat 1 minute until light and fluffy and thoroughly combined.

Add the freeze-dried raspberry and rose into the buttercream and mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Note: Swiss Meringue Buttercream can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Decorate the cupcakes

Add the Swiss Meringue Buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I used a 1M Wilton star tip).

Pipe swirls of buttercream on the surface of the cupcakes.

Garnish with additional freeze-dried raspberry powder and dried rose petals.

How to store the cupcakes

Frosted/iced:

If not serving immediately, store the Rose Lychee Raspberry Cupcakes in a container in the fridge until ready to serve.

Remove the cupcakes from the fridge about 15-20 minutes prior to serving.

Freeze the frosted cupcakes (in a freezer-safe container) for up to 3 months.

Thaw the cupcakes overnight in the fridge or leave at room temperature for a few hours before serving.

Unfrosted:

If the cupcakes are unfrosted, you can individual wrap each cupcake and freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost the cupcakes overnight in the fridge or leave at room temperature for a few hours.

Expert tips, FAQs & troubleshooting

For tender cake:

Use cake flour (low-protein), sift it, and don't over mix.

Don't overbake the cake. If a toothpick inserted comes out with some crumbs, then it's ready.

My cupcakes have a large dome

It is possible too much baking powder was added. Next time, reduce the baking powder by ¼.

My buttercream is curdled!

If the buttercream appears curdled, keep on beating.

If it continues to look curdled or soupy after 5 minutes of beating, remove some of the buttercream (about ¼ of it) and heat it in a bowl for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.

Then carefully pour the melted buttercream back into the mixer and the buttercream should whip up nicely.

I don't have freeze-dried raspberry powder

If you can get whole freeze-dried raspberry, you can use a coffee/spice grinder to pulse the freeze-dried fruit into a fine powder.

Be sure to sift it to remove any seeds/large chunks.

Can I use freeze-dried lychee powder for the buttercream?

Yes, you can use lychee powder to add more lychee flavour to the buttercream.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, you can double the ingredients to make a larger batch.

Can I make them into mini cupcakes?

Yes, you'll need to reduce the baking time by a little, depending on your oven.

Substitutions

Use a raspberry jam or Raspberry Rose Compote as an alternative filling.

If you cannot find fresh lychees, you can use drained, canned lychees.

For a more pronounced lychee texture, you can use finely chopped lychees mixed into the cupcake batter.

Other recipes you may like

Be sure to check out these recipes:

Rose Milk Tea Latte

Raspberry Rose Lychee Ispahan Croissant

Homemade Lychee Syrup

Rose Syrup

Raspberry Earl Grey Cream Puffs

Raspberry Rose Compote

Be sure to let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!

Print Recipe

4.67 from 6 votes

Rose Lychee Raspberry Cupcakes

These Rose Lychee Raspberry Cupcakes are delicately flavoured with rose water and fresh lychee. It's topped with a lightly sweetened rose and raspberry buttercream and is naturally coloured pink.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time17 minutes mins

Total Time47 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Asian

Servings: 6

Calories: 250kcal

Author: Michelle

For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.

Ingredients

Lychee rose cupcakes:

• 3 fresh lychees seeds removed
• 25 ml whole milk or enough milk to make up a total of 60ml liquid when combined with the blended lychee
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• 100 g cake flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• pinch fine sea salt
• 60 g unsalted butter room temperature
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 6 fresh raspberries blotted dry

Raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream:

• 1 large egg white
• 50 g granulated sugar
• pinch sea salt
• 50 g unsalted butter cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon freeze-dried raspberry powder
• 1 teaspoon rose water

Garnish:

• dried rose petals

Instructions

Make the lychee rose cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C.
• Line a muffin tray with paper liners. Set aside.
• In a blender, combine the fresh lychee (seed removed), milk and rose water.
• Blend the lychee, milk and rose water until smooth. (Note: It's OK if there are small bits of lychee pieces, but if you prefer a smoother texture, you can blend it again and push the lychee milk through a sieve). Set aside.
• Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.
• To a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the softened butter and sugar and cream until pale, light and fluffy.
• Add in the egg and mix until the mixture is homogenous.
• Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients (cake flour, baking powder, salt) to the butter-egg mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the lychee milk. Don't overmix.
• Transfer about 1 tablespoon of cupcake batter to the bottom of each muffin well.
• Place a raspberry in the centre of the batter.
• Cover with another tablespoon of cupcake batter.
• Give the tray a few taps to release any air bubbles.
• Bake the cupcakes at 350°F/177°C for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with the slightest crumbs clinging to it.
• (Note: insert the toothpick off-center or you may hit the raspberry).
• Let the cupcakes cool on a wire cooling rack.

Make the raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream:

• Place egg white, granulated sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• Create a double boiler by heating a pot of water on the stove.
• Make sure the mixing bowl can be placed over top of the pot without the water touching the bottom of the bowl.
• Place the bowl with the egg white over the simmering water.
• Whisk constantly until the egg white mixture is thin and foamy and registers 160°F/71°C on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. (If you don't have a thermometer, the sugar should be dissolved and feel hot to the touch).
• Beat the egg mixture with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed until light and airy and cooled to room temperature, about 5 mins.
• Reduce speed to medium and add butter, one piece at a time.
• Once all butter is added, increase speed to high and beat 1 minute until light and fluffy and thoroughly combined.
• Add the freeze-dried raspberry and rose into the buttercream and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Note: Swiss Meringue Buttercream can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Decorate the cupcakes:

• Add the Swiss Meringue Buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I used a 1M Wilton star tip).
• Pipe swirls of buttercream on the surface of the cupcakes.
• Garnish with additional freeze-dried raspberry powder and dried rose petals.

Notes

Note 1: If the buttercream appears curdled, keep on beating. If it continues to look curdled or soupy after 5 minutes of beating, remove some of the buttercream (about ¼ of it) and heat it in a bowl for 10-15 seconds in the microwave. Then carefully pour the melted buttercream back into the mixer and the buttercream should whip up nicely.

Note 2: If you don't have raspberry powder, you can make it yourself by using a coffee/spice grinder to pulse the freeze-dried fruit into a fine powder. Be sure to sift it to remove any seeds/large chunks.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 512IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 0.4mg

The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.

Did you try this recipe?Mention @siftandsimmer or tag #siftandsimmer!

i