Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting are no doubt one of the BEST cupcakes I’ve ever eaten! You get a rich chocolate cupcake, a naturally flavored strawberry frosting and a fresh chocolate covered strawberry and together they create one unforgettable cupcake!
Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberries!
These really do take a top stop for one of my favorite cupcakes. It’s probably a tie between these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes and my Twinkie Cupcakes.
It’s just an absolutely perfect flavor combination. Rich and sweet and perfectly satisfying. And sure to curb those chocolate cravings!
I was savoring each and every bite of these. They are dreamy in every way!
What Makes them So Good?
So what makes these so amazingly delicious??
The cupcakes themselves are my favorite chocolate cupcakes, they aren’t an overly fluffy and airy cupcake. They have the perfect density to them. And they’re perfectly moist.
And they have just the right amount of chocolate flavor (coming from both real chocolate and cocoa powder). Their chocolate intensity is something between milk chocolate and dark.
Then that frosting. Oh don’t even get me started!
The Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
I actually combined two of my strawberry buttercream frosting recipes this time around (this one with real strawberries and this one with freeze dried).
So why did I do that? It sounds like too much work, right?
Well each on their own didn’t have enough strawberry flavor to go up against the bold flavor of chocolate. So together with freeze dried strawberries and reduced fresh strawberries you get the best strawberry frosting this world has ever known. Seriously.
The frosting is bursting with an abundance of strawberry flavor! It’s like eating a strawberry that turned into frosting.
And yes it takes work and time to make it between the different steps and everything but it’s so worth it!
A Seedless Frosting is Key
I even went the extra mile and strained out the seeds because we are going for a perfect cupcake here. So don’t skip that step for a lusciously smooth seedless frosting.
I already bought another bag of freeze dried strawberries to make another batch soon. I’m thinking Valentines Day but we’ll see if I can wait that long.
In case you were wondering, you can usually find freeze dried strawberries in pouches in the produce section of grocery stores and sometimes by the raisins. You can also buy them in a big container on Amazon and they are great for snacking! I have 6 of those cans in my food storage.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries for Garnish!
Oh and of course let’s not forget the crowning jewel here. Those fresh chocolate covered strawberries, they’ll let everyone know from the start just how good this cupcake will be.
I just don’t know if this cupcake could get any better. It’s my idea of cupcake perfection.
If you like chocolate covered strawberries you’ve got to try these cupcakes!
I dare say these are one of the best cupcakes you’ll ever eat! A rich, moist chocolate cupcake is topped with a boldly flavored, natural strawberry frosting and it’s finished with a fresh chocolate covered strawberry. A cupcake worthy of any celebration!
Ingredients
- 2 oz. (56g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour(spooned into measuring cup and leveled)
- 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into measuring cup and leveled)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream
- 1/2 cup (120ml) boiling water
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (17g) freeze dried strawberries
- 1 cup (230g) fresh strawberry puree (from strawberries blended in a food processor)
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butternearly at room temperature
- 3 1/4 cups (390g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Few drops red food coloring(optional)
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- 12 small fresh strawberries
- 4 oz. (113g) semi-sweet chocolate
Instructions
For the cupcakes
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power in 20 second intervals, stirring between intervals until melted and smooth, set aside to cool slightly.
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In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds, set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer mix together sugar and butter until combined (it won’t come together entirely but mix until lumps of butter are creamed).
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Mix in egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix in melted chocolate then mix in sour cream.
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Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined then add remaining half and mix until combined.
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Add about 1/5 of the boiling water at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Once water has all been blended mix batter on medium-low speed for 1 minute.
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Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven until set and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 17 – 20 minutes.
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Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container (one that doesn’t touch tops. I like to do this to seal in moisture) and allow to cool completely before frosting.
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Once cool frost with strawberry buttercream frosting and top with a chocolate covered strawberry. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator (for best results serve within the day at room temperature).
For the strawberry frosting
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Place freeze dried strawberries in a small resealable bag, seal bag and crush strawberries to a fine powder with a rolling pin. Sift through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds, set aside.
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Strain strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve and measure out 3/4 cup, then pour into a small saucepan set over medium-low heat.
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Simmer puree, stirring occasionally until reduced by about two thirds to a 1/4 cup, about 10 – 14 minutes (measure and if it isn’t quite 1/4 cup then return and continue to simmer, if it’s not reduced to correct amount it will make the frosting runny).
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Pour reduced puree into a small bowl, then freeze or refrigerate, stirring occasionally until fully cooled.
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In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter until pale and fluffy.
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Mix in powdered sugar, reduced strawberry puree, freeze dried strawberry powder, lemon juice, and vanilla and continue to mix until frosting is pale and fluffy. Tint with color if desired.
For the chocolate covered strawberries
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Melt chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring between intervals, until melted and smooth.
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Dip strawberries in chocolate, let excess run off then transfer one to each cupcake.
- Recipe source: Cooking Classy