Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

How To Make These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

To assemble these cupcakes you’ll need to make three different components: chocolate cupcakes, strawberry frosting, and chocolate covered strawberries. Let’s break down each one.

Chocolate Cupcakes
The great thing about the chocolate cupcake batter is that you can mix it all together in one bowl.

Strawberry Frosting
As the cupcakes are cooling you can prepare the strawberry buttercream frosting. If you’ve never prepared buttercream before I have an easy tutorial on how to make it here.
In the original recipe that I posted, I used strawberry jam, but I find that it really makes the frosting thinner and doesn’t hold up as well with the strawberries on top. The solution? Freeze-dried strawberries! They add tons of strawberry flavor to the frosting and add that beautiful pink color so you don’t even have to add food coloring.

You can typically find freeze-dried strawberries near the fruit or by the dried fruit at the grocery store. Just make sure to blend them up really well until they’re powdery before adding them to the frosting.

I originally posted the recipe for these chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes back in 2016. But I’ve revamped the recipe with a lighter chocolate cupcake and an even better strawberry frosting. These cupcakes are chocolatey, the frosting is full of strawberry flavor and naturally colored thanks to a secret ingredient, and they’re all topped with a chocolate covered strawberry.

If you’ve ever been intimidated when it comes to making beautiful cupcakes, don’t worry, I’m sharing tons of information on how to make these look absolutely perfect!

How To Make These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

To assemble these cupcakes you’ll need to make three different components: chocolate cupcakes, strawberry frosting, and chocolate covered strawberries. Let’s break down each one.

Chocolate Cupcakes
The great thing about the chocolate cupcake batter is that you can mix it all together in one bowl.

Strawberry Frosting
As the cupcakes are cooling you can prepare the strawberry buttercream frosting. If you’ve never prepared buttercream before I have an easy tutorial on how to make it here.
In the original recipe that I posted, I used strawberry jam, but I find that it really makes the frosting thinner and doesn’t hold up as well with the strawberries on top. The solution? Freeze-dried strawberries! They add tons of strawberry flavor to the frosting and add that beautiful pink color so you don’t even have to add food coloring.

You can typically find freeze-dried strawberries near the fruit or by the dried fruit at the grocery store. Just make sure to blend them up really well until they’re powdery before adding them to the frosting.

Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

•     2 oz. (56g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
•     1/2 tsp baking soda
•     1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into measuring cup and leveled)
•     1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled)
•     1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, softened
•     1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
•     1/4 tsp salt
•     1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
•     1 large egg yolk
•     1 large egg
•     1/2 cup (120ml) boiling water
•     1/2 cup (120g) sour cream

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

•     1 cup (17g) freeze dried strawberries
•     3 1/4 cups (390g) powdered sugar
•     3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter nearly at room temperature
•     1 cup (230g) fresh strawberry puree (from strawberries blended in a food processor)
•     1/4 tsp vanilla extract
•     1 tsp fresh lemon juice
•     Few drops red food coloring (optional)

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

•     4 oz. (113g) semi-sweet chocolate
•     12 small fresh strawberries

Instructions

For the cupcakes

1. 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.
2. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds, set aside.
3. 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).
4. Mix in egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix in melted chocolate then mix in sour cream.
5. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined then add remaining half and mix until combined.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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).
4. Pour reduced puree into a small bowl, then freeze or refrigerate, stirring occasionally until fully cooled.
5. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter until pale and fluffy.
6. 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

1. Melt chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring between intervals, until melted and smooth. 
2. Dip strawberries in chocolate, let excess run off then transfer one to each cupcake.

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