Sweetheart's Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
A romantic treat featuring moist chocolate cupcakes, luscious strawberry frosting, and dazzling chocolate-covered strawberries, perfect for Valentine's Day or any special occasion.
Equipment
- Small Bowl
- Parchment Paper
- Cupcake Pan
- Paper Liners
- Large Bowl
- Medium-sized bowl
- Wire Rack
- Food Processor
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- Large mixer bowl
Ingredients
For the Dazzling Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- 8 ounces dark chocolate melting wafers
- 16 fresh strawberries washed and dried
- 4 ounces white chocolate melting wafers
- pink or red gel icing color A few drops (optional)
For the Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup hot water
For the Luscious Strawberry Frosting
- 3/4 cup fresh chopped strawberries
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- pink or red gel icing color A few drops (optional)
Instructions
- For the Dazzling Chocolate Covered Strawberries:
- 1. Begin by gently melting the dark chocolate wafers in a small bowl, following the package instructions.
- 2. Carefully dip each clean, dry strawberry into the melted dark chocolate, allowing any extra chocolate to drip off, then place them onto parchment paper to set.
- 3. Next, melt the white chocolate wafers in a separate small bowl as directed on the package.
- 4. If you wish, stir in a few drops of pink or red gel icing color to create a lovely pink hue for drizzling.
- 5. Artfully drizzle the colored white chocolate over your dark chocolate-covered strawberries and let them dry completely. For best results, refrigerate these beauties until you're ready to use them.
- For the Moist Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1. Preheat your oven to a gentle 300°F (148°C) and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- 2. In a large bowl, simply whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. This is your dry mix!
- 3. In another medium-sized bowl, combine the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. This is your wet mix.
- 4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just combined.
- 5. Now, add the hot water to the batter and stir until it's smooth. Don't be surprised if the batter seems thin – that's perfectly normal for these wonderfully moist cupcakes!
- 6. Fill each cupcake liner about halfway with batter. Bake for 18-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- 7. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- For the Luscious Strawberry Frosting:
- 1. Pop the fresh chopped strawberries into a food processor and blend until silky smooth. For an extra refined frosting, strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any seeds. Set this vibrant puree aside.
- 2. In a large mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and shortening together until they're wonderfully light and creamy.
- 3. Gradually add about half of the powdered sugar, mixing until it's smooth and fully incorporated.
- 4. Stir in 2 tablespoons of your fresh strawberry puree.
- 5. Add the remaining powdered sugar and continue mixing until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- 6. If you desire a thinner consistency or a more intense strawberry flavor, add more strawberry puree, one tablespoon at a time, until perfect.
- 7. For a charming pink frosting, mix in a few drops of pink or red gel icing color until you achieve your desired shade.
- 8. Finally, pipe this delightful frosting onto your cooled chocolate cupcakes and crown each one with a beautiful chocolate-covered strawberry.
Notes
Enjoy this romantic homemade treat!
Nutrition Information (per serving):
- Calories: 399
- Total Carbs: 50.3g
- Fats: 22.2g
- Protein: 3g
