Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
You've got the rich, velvety chocolate teaming up with the sweet, slightly tart strawberry to bring in an amazing flavor harmony. That’s why these cakes are a classic favorite!
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Servings: 24
Calories: 446kcal
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, leveled & spooned
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup lightly packed, light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup boiling water
- ¾ teaspoon instant espresso powder
Frosting:
- 1 ½ cups softened, unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ 1-ounce bags of freeze-dried strawberries
- 3-4 ½ tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate-coated strawberries:
- 24 medium-sized strawberries
- 6 ounces chopped, semisweet chocolate
Instructions
Chocolate cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line 24 cupcake liners in two muffin pans.
- Sift together dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, then add sugars, vanilla, buttermilk, egg, and oil. Mix until smooth.
- Dissolve instant espresso in boiling water, then add to the batter and mix.
- Spoon batter into liners and bake for 16 to 18 minutes until a toothpick comes out quite clean. Let them cool on the wire rack.
Frosting:
- Beat butter until smooth, then gradually add powdered sugar. Mix until creamy.
- Process freeze-dried strawberries into powder and mix them into the frosting.
- Add salt, vanilla, and heavy whipping cream. Whisk until combined and scrape down the bowl’s sides if necessary.
Chocolate-coated strawberries:
- Line your baking sheet with some parchment paper.
- Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth.
- Dip strawberries in melted chocolate and place on the baking sheet.
- Chill them in the fridge until the chocolate is all set.
Notes
- Freeze-dried strawberries are typically found in grocery store dried fruit aisles and differ from regular dried strawberries.
- To keep cupcakes fresh, store them in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Frosting can also be stored in the fridge for about a week.
- Cupcakes sinking in the oven is normal; they often bounce back once baked. And even if they sink, you can still fill them with cream.
- Add powdered sugar if the frosting’s too runny, but be cautious not to make it overly sweet.
- Create a DIY buttermilk by adding lemon juice or vinegar to whole milk, then allow it to sit for 5 minutes. You can use non-dairy or lower-fat milk instead, but it may affect the richness and moisture of the cupcakes.
- When adding fillings (like strawberry jam), you should use the "cone" trick: cut out the center, fill with jam, and replace the top.
Nutrition
Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 57.4g | Protein: 4.8g | Fat: 20.5g | Saturated Fat: 12.1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 2452mg | Potassium: 798mg | Fiber: 3.6g | Sugar: 44.2g | Calcium: 291mg | Iron: 2mg
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