Begin by roasting the raspberries. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Spread the raspberries out on a parchment lined baking sheet, separating the 2 cups of raspberries for the cupcake batter, and the 1 cup for the frosting. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar over the raspberries. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool.

Then prepare the cupcake batter. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. It's smart to double check the oven temperature to make sure it isn't over 350 degrees before you put the cupcakes in to bake. Line 2 12-well muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Whisk the butter and granulated sugar together in a stand mixer, on medium high speed for 6 minutes, until very pale, yellow, and fluffy.

While the butter mixture is beating, add 2 cups of the roasted raspberries to a food processor (or blender) and puree. Then pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Repeat this process with the remaining cup of raspberries, but keep separate from the other raspberry puree.

Turning your attention back to the butter mixture in the stand mixer, add the eggs one at a time, combining well after each addition, stoping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Then reduce the speed of the mixer to low, and add the puree made from the 2 cups of raspberries, add a small amount at a time.

In a separate medium sized bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add half of this mixture to the stand mixer, mixing on the lowest speed until combined.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil and sour cream together, and then add to the stand mixer.

Add the remaining flower mixture to the stand mixer, and mix on low until until incorporated, being careful not to overheat. Add the vanilla and raspberry extracts, and food coloring if desired. The food coloring brightens the color of these darker cupcakes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, and mix until just combined.

Scoop batter in the cupcake liners until each one is ¾ full, being careful not to overfill. Bake for 17 to 21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out mostly clean but still moist.

While the cupcakes cool, prepare the buttercream frosting. Clean your stand mixer and whisk attachment. Add the confectioners sugar and butter and mix on a low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high. Continue to mix until fluffy and light.

Add the remaining cup of raspberry puree, the raspberry extract and salt. Beat until the frosting is cotton-candy pink and the puree is fully incorporated.

Frost the cupcakes once they have cooled completely. I added some nonpareils since I think they make cupcakes look a little more festive, or you can add raspberries on top like Jocelyn did!

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