Chocolate-Covered Raspberry Cupcakes

Make the Chocolate Cupcakes
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake cup liners. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.
2 In a large bowl, blend together the butter and applesauce until smooth using a hand mixer.
3 Crack the eggs in a separate bowl, and pour them into the butter/applesauce mix one by one until incorporated.
4 Measure the milk into the mixture, and stir until smooth.
5 Sprinkle in the box of Pillsbury Purely Simple Chocolate Cake & Cupcake Mix. Mix until incorporated and smooth.
6 Pour the cupcake mix into the prepared cupcake cup liners, and transfer to the oven.
7 Bake for 19-23 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
8 Once cooked through, let cool and come to room temperature.
Make the Raspberry Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling
1 In a medium-sized bowl, blend the cream cheese and the powdered sugar with a hand mixer.
2 Add the raspberry preserves, stirring until combined.
3 Lastly, pour in the melted dark chocolate. Blend until smooth and well incorporated.
4 Set aside.
Make the Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
1 In a medium-sized bowl, combine the warm raspberry preserves and the softened butter using a hand mixer. Mix until smooth.
2 Add the Pillsbury Purely Simple Buttercream Frosting Mix to the mixture, stirring slowly. The mixture will be very thick and tacky. This is normal.
3 Measure in the water -- you might need to add more or less -- so play it by texture. When the frosting has reached the desired consistency, set aside.
Decorate the cupcakes
1 Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, scoop 1" holes out of the middle of each using a knife and spoon. Don't cut too deep, as you want there to be some cake left!
2 Carefully dollop the Raspberry Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling into these holes.
3 Press a single raspberry into the filling of each cupcake.
4 Frost the cupcakes with the Raspberry Buttercream Frosting, either using a pastry bag or a plastic bag, in the decoration you desire. Repeat until all the cupcakes have been frosted.
5 Enjoy immediately!