Description
Sinful chocolate strawberry cupcakes blend rich cocoa with sweet berry notes for an irresistible dessert. Perfectly balanced flavors and elegant presentation make these cupcakes a delightful treat you’ll savor with pure indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Base:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Components:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam
- 2 tbsp strawberry liqueur (optional)
Frosting and Decoration:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 6–8 whole fresh strawberries for garnish
- 50 g dark chocolate for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners, preparing a clean workspace for mixing ingredients.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl to eliminate any lumps and ensure smooth batter consistency.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, granulated sugar, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and slightly frothy.
- Gradually fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, stirring gently until a uniform chocolate batter forms without overmixing.
- Gently fold chopped strawberries into the batter, distributing them evenly throughout the mixture.
- Carefully fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full with the chocolate-strawberry batter to allow room for rising.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a toothpick that comes out clean, then remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
- While cupcakes cool, prepare frosting by whipping butter until creamy, then gradually incorporate powdered sugar, heavy cream, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract.
- Once cupcakes are cool, use a small knife to create a center cavity in each cupcake and fill with strawberry jam and optional strawberry liqueur.
- Pipe the chocolate buttercream frosting generously onto each cupcake using a star-tipped piping bag.
- Melt dark chocolate and drizzle delicately over frosted cupcakes for an elegant finish.
- Garnish each cupcake with a fresh whole strawberry placed strategically on top of the frosting.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to set the frosting and enhance flavor melding.
Notes
- Carefully control strawberry moisture to prevent soggy cupcake batter by patting chopped strawberries dry with paper towels before folding into the mixture.
- Experiment with gluten-free flour blends to make these cupcakes suitable for those with wheat sensitivities, ensuring the same rich chocolate texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients like eggs and milk to create a smoother, more evenly mixed batter that rises consistently during baking.
- For a lighter version, substitute some butter with Greek yogurt in the frosting and use dark cocoa powder to maintain deep chocolate flavor while reducing calories.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-22 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg