Decadent Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes: The Ultimate Valentine’s Day Dessert Recipe
Indulge in the exquisite flavor of moist, rich chocolate cupcakes crowned with a vibrant strawberry buttercream frosting and adorned with elegant chocolate-covered strawberries. These aren’t just any ordinary treats; these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes are meticulously crafted to be the quintessential dessert for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or any occasion that calls for a truly special, homemade touch.
*Recipe and photos updated January 2019*
With special occasions like Valentine’s Day approaching, finding a dessert that is both visually stunning and incredibly delicious can feel like a challenge. Look no further! These chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes are precisely what you need to impress your loved ones or simply treat yourself to something extraordinary. Forget about store-bought options; the homemade charm and irresistible flavor of these cupcakes will surely win hearts.
While I initially shared this beloved recipe for chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes back in 2016, I’ve since refined and perfected it. This updated version features an even lighter and more tender chocolate cupcake base, paired with an incredibly flavorful strawberry frosting. The frosting boasts an intense, natural strawberry taste and a beautiful pink hue, all thanks to a clever secret ingredient. Each cupcake is then crowned with a perfectly dipped chocolate-covered strawberry, creating a harmonious blend of textures and flavors that is truly unforgettable.
If the idea of baking and decorating beautiful, bakery-quality cupcakes has ever seemed daunting, put your worries aside. I’m here to guide you through every step, sharing all the essential tips and tricks to ensure your chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes turn out absolutely perfect, looking as good as they taste!
Crafting Your Perfect Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
To create these show-stopping cupcakes, you’ll embark on a culinary journey involving three distinct, yet complementary, components: the rich chocolate cupcakes, the luscious strawberry buttercream frosting, and the elegant chocolate-covered strawberries. Each element contributes to the overall magic of this dessert, and we’ll meticulously break down how to prepare each one.
Baking the Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
One of the best aspects of this chocolate cupcake recipe is its simplicity: the batter comes together effortlessly in a single bowl! This streamlines the baking process, making it less messy and more enjoyable. You’ll start by whisking together your dry ingredients, ensuring they are thoroughly combined for an even texture:
- All-Purpose Flour: For these exceptionally soft and light cupcakes, all-purpose flour is your go-to. The crucial tip here is to accurately measure your flour using the “spoon and level” method. Instead of scooping directly from the bag, which can compact the flour and lead to a denser cupcake, gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with the back of a knife. This technique ensures you add just the right amount, preventing dry or heavy cupcakes.
- Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: The deep, rich chocolate flavor comes from natural unsweetened cocoa powder. This type of cocoa interacts with the baking soda to create a beautifully dark color and a complex chocolate profile.
- Baking Powder, Baking Soda, & Salt: This trio acts as the leavening agents that give the cupcakes their rise and contribute to their wonderfully soft and airy texture. The salt, often overlooked, plays a vital role in balancing the sweetness and enhancing the chocolate notes.
- Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: While sugar is often added with wet ingredients, in this specific recipe, whisking it in with the dry ingredients yields optimal results. The combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar is key. Granulated sugar provides sweetness and contributes to the fine crumb, while brown sugar adds a subtle caramel note and, more importantly, a significant boost of moisture, ensuring your cupcakes remain tender and delicious.
Once your dry ingredients are perfectly mixed, it’s time to incorporate the wet components, which are carefully selected to provide unparalleled moisture and flavor:
- Buttermilk: This acidic ingredient is a star in achieving moist and tender cupcakes. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda, creating a light texture. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, don’t despair! You can easily make your own homemade buttermilk substitute using milk and a touch of lemon juice or vinegar.
- Oil (Canola or Vegetable): Surprisingly, these cupcakes use oil instead of butter. Oil is fantastic for moisture because it stays liquid at room temperature, unlike butter, which solidifies. This results in an incredibly moist crumb, especially important with cocoa powder, which can sometimes have a drying effect on baked goods.
- Large Egg & Pure Vanilla Extract: A single large egg binds the ingredients together and adds structure, while a generous amount of pure vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor profile, complementing the chocolate beautifully.
- Boiling Water & Instant Espresso Powder: This combination is the secret weapon for intensely flavored chocolate cupcakes. Start by putting a pot of water on the stovetop to boil even before you begin mixing your ingredients. Boiling water helps to bloom the cocoa powder, deepening its flavor and creating a smooth, thin batter. The instant espresso powder doesn’t make the cupcakes taste like coffee; instead, it profoundly enhances and intensifies the chocolate flavor, making it richer and more robust. I highly recommend King Arthur Espresso Powder for its quality; a little goes a long way, and it’s versatile for other chocolate desserts. If espresso powder isn’t available, you can use instant coffee granules or simply replace the ½ cup of boiling water with ½ cup of strongly brewed hot coffee.
After carefully mixing all these components, your cupcake batter will be ready. It will appear quite thin, but rest assured, this is perfectly normal and contributes to the ultimate moist texture. You’ll then evenly distribute this silky batter into 16 prepared cupcake liners, filling each just a little over halfway, and bake them to golden-brown perfection.
Creating the Irresistible Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
While your freshly baked chocolate cupcakes are cooling, which is an essential step for perfect frosting application, you can dive into preparing the star of the show: the strawberry buttercream frosting. If you’re new to making buttercream, don’t fret! I’ve put together an easy-to-follow tutorial on how to make buttercream frosting here, covering all the foundational techniques to achieve a smooth, creamy result.
In my original recipe, I used strawberry jam to flavor the frosting. However, through extensive testing, I discovered that jam tends to make the buttercream thinner, compromising its stability, especially when topped with a chocolate-covered strawberry. The brilliant solution? Freeze-dried strawberries! These culinary gems are a game-changer. They infuse the frosting with an incredibly concentrated, authentic strawberry flavor without adding excess moisture. Moreover, they naturally color the frosting with a beautiful, delicate pink hue, completely eliminating the need for artificial food coloring.
You can typically find freeze-dried strawberries in the produce section of your grocery store, often near the regular fresh fruit or alongside other dried fruits. Before adding them to your frosting, it’s crucial to blend them thoroughly into a fine powder. This ensures a smooth, lump-free buttercream with evenly distributed strawberry flavor and color.
Crafting the Elegant Chocolate Covered Strawberries
While you could technically omit the chocolate-covered strawberries, why would you want to resist the allure of a delightful dessert crowning another delicious dessert? These elegant toppers elevate the cupcakes to a truly gourmet experience. To achieve the best results, I recommend selecting strawberries that are uniform in size and intensely red. Remember, strawberries do not ripen further once they’ve been picked, so choosing the reddest, ripest berries available will ensure maximum sweetness and visual appeal.
For dipping, you’ll need about 4 ounces of good quality semi-sweet chocolate. Brands like Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate bars or Ghirardelli are excellent choices, offering a smooth melt and rich flavor. Once dipped, carefully place your chocolate-covered strawberries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. To speed up the hardening process and prevent the chocolate from blooming, transfer them to the refrigerator. This ensures a firm, glossy chocolate shell that sets beautifully atop your frosted cupcakes.
The grand finale is assembling your masterpieces. Once the cupcakes are completely cool and the frosting is ready, it’s time to pipe! I have a comprehensive tutorial here for how to frost cupcakes, which demonstrates exactly how to achieve that impressive, tall bakery-style swirl that makes these cupcakes truly stand out. With your stunning strawberry buttercream and perfectly set chocolate-covered strawberries, your final creations will not only taste incredible but also look absolutely irresistible, ready to be admired and devoured.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
What’s the best piping tip for these chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes?
For that classic, elegant swirl that makes these chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes look professionally made, I personally used the Wilton 1M piping tip. It creates a beautiful open star design that’s perfect for holding the chocolate-covered strawberry. However, if you’re looking for alternatives, the Wilton 2D tip (a closed star) and the Wilton 2A tip (a large round tip for a smooth swirl) are also fantastic choices that yield stunning results. You can usually find these versatile piping tips for a very affordable price, often around $1-$2, at stores like Walmart or Michaels.
How can I prepare these chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes ahead of time for entertaining?
Planning ahead for these chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes is entirely possible, making them an ideal dessert for events! Here’s how you can do it:
- Chocolate Cupcakes: The baked chocolate cupcakes can be made up to 2 days in advance. Once fully cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. This helps maintain their moisture and freshness.
- Strawberry Buttercream Frosting: Your delicious strawberry frosting can also be prepared 2-3 days ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to frost, simply take the frosting out and let it come to room temperature on the counter. Before using, give it a good mix with an electric mixer for a few minutes to re-whip it and restore its creamy consistency.
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries: These can be prepped up to one day in advance. After dipping, store them in the refrigerator on parchment paper until you are ready to assemble your cupcakes. Keeping them chilled ensures the chocolate stays firm.
By preparing these components in advance, you can assemble your stunning chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes with ease on the day of your event, saving you time and stress!
Essential Baking Tips for Perfect Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
- Accurate Flour Measurement: For the lightest, most tender chocolate cupcakes, never scoop flour directly from the container with your measuring cup. This compacts the flour, leading to too much being added. Instead, gently stir the flour in its container, then spoon it into your measuring cup until overflowing, and finally, level it off with the flat side of a knife. This “spoon and level” method ensures precision.
- Espresso Powder Alternatives: If you don’t have instant espresso powder, which enhances the chocolate flavor beautifully, you have a couple of easy substitutes. You can either use an equal amount (1/2 teaspoon) of instant coffee granules, or replace the 1/2 cup of boiling water and espresso powder entirely with 1/2 cup of strongly brewed hot coffee. Both options will give your chocolate cupcakes a deeper, richer flavor.
- Powdery Freeze-Dried Strawberries: When preparing the strawberry buttercream frosting, it’s crucial to blend the freeze-dried strawberries until they form a very fine powder. This ensures a smooth, lump-free frosting and even flavor distribution. While you can strain the powder through a fine mesh strainer to catch any larger pieces, I often find it unnecessary if blended thoroughly.
- Adjusting Strawberry Flavor: I use a full one-ounce bag of freeze-dried strawberries for an intense, vibrant strawberry flavor in the frosting. However, if you prefer a lighter, more subtle strawberry note, start by adding only half of the powdered strawberries. You can then taste the frosting and gradually add more as needed, until you reach your desired level of flavor.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to tough, dense cupcakes. Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, mix only until just smooth. A few small lumps are better than an overmixed batter.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and egg for the cupcakes and butter for the frosting are at room temperature. This helps them combine more easily and creates a smoother, more emulsified batter and a creamier frosting.
- Completely Cool Cupcakes: It’s absolutely vital that your chocolate cupcakes are entirely cool before you even think about frosting them. Warm cupcakes will melt your beautiful strawberry buttercream, leading to a messy, runny disaster. Patience is key here!
- Consider a Cake Version: If you’re hosting a larger gathering or simply prefer a layered dessert, you might want to try my equally delicious chocolate strawberry cake instead! It offers the same delightful flavor combination in a different format.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (32 grams) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (230 grams) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 (1-ounce) bag freeze-dried strawberries
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Covered Strawberries:
- 16 medium sized strawberries
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
Instructions
To make the chocolate cupcakes:
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Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 12-count muffin pans with 16 cupcake liners and set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined. Then whisk in the oil, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
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Add the instant espresso powder to the 1/2 cup boiling water and mix until fully dissolved. Add to the mixing bowl and mix until everything is just combined. The batter will be thin, this is okay.
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Evenly distribute the batter between all 16 cupcake liners, making sure to fill each one a little over halfway full. Bake in separate batches at 350°F (177°C) for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
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Remove from the oven and carefully remove the cupcakes from the pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the strawberry buttercream frosting:
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, making sure to mix in each addition until fully combined.
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Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a blender or food processor and blend until powdery. Then, mix the freeze-dried strawberry powder into the frosting.
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Mix in the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and salt until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
To make the chocolate covered strawberries:
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Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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Add the chocolate to a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring well after each increment, until melted and smooth.
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Dip each strawberry into the chocolate one at a time and place on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the refrigerator until the chocolate has hardened.
To assemble the cupcakes:
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Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Top each cupcake with one of the chocolate covered strawberries.
Notes
If you do not have any espresso powder you can use 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules or replace the boiling water and espresso powder with 1/2 cup of strongly brewed hot coffee.
Cupcakes may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
To prepare ahead of time: The chocolate cupcakes can be prepared 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The frosting may also be prepared 2-3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to frost the cupcakes just set the frosting on the counter to bring to room temperature and mix well before using it. You can prep the chocolate covered strawberries up to one day in advance, I would suggest storing them in the refrigerator until you assemble the cupcakes.
Freezing instructions: Chocolate cupcakes freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Strawberry frosting will also freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and mix well before using.