Description
Delight in these decadent Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes featuring moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a luscious strawberry-infused buttercream frosting and crowned with beautifully decorated chocolate covered strawberries. Perfect for a romantic occasion or a special treat, these cupcakes combine rich dark chocolate with fresh strawberries for an irresistible dessert experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- 8 oz dark chocolate melting wafers (e.g., Ghirardelli, Wilton candy melts)
- 16 strawberries, washed and dried
- 4 oz white chocolate melting wafers
- Pink or red gel icing color (optional)
Cupcakes
- 1 cup (130g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- 6 tbsp (43g) Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water
- 3/4 cup (149g) chopped strawberries
Strawberry Frosting
- 1/2 cup (112g) salted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (95g) shortening
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- Chopped strawberries pureed and strained (from above 3/4 cup strawberries)
- Pink or red gel icing color (optional)
Instructions
- Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Melt the dark chocolate melting wafers in a small bowl according to the package instructions. Dip each strawberry into the melted dark chocolate, shaking off any excess chocolate, then place on parchment paper to dry.
- Decorate with Colored Chocolate: Melt the white chocolate wafers in a separate small bowl following package directions. Add pink or red gel icing color a little at a time until the desired shade is reached. Drizzle the colored white chocolate over the dark chocolate covered strawberries and allow to dry. Refrigerate strawberries until ready to use.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 300°F (148°C) and line a cupcake pan with liners.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, Hershey’s cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add Hot Water: Slowly add the hot water to the batter, mixing until smooth. The batter will be thin.
- Fill Cupcake Liners and Bake: Fill each cupcake liner about halfway with batter. Bake for 18-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool Cupcakes: Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Strawberry Puree: Place the chopped strawberries in a food processor and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds and pulp. Set aside.
- Beat Butter and Shortening: In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature butter and shortening together until smooth and well combined.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Add half of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and combined.
- Add Strawberry Puree: Mix in 2 tablespoons of the strawberry puree until well combined.
- Add Remaining Sugar: Add the rest of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Adjust Consistency: Add the remaining strawberry puree as needed to reach the desired frosting consistency and flavor.
- Color the Frosting: Add pink or red gel icing color in small amounts until the frosting reaches the preferred shade of pink.
- Pipe Frosting: Using a piping bag fitted with Ateco tip 844, pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes in a decorative swirl.
- Top with Chocolate Covered Strawberry: Place one chocolate covered strawberry on top of each frosted cupcake as a beautiful finishing touch.
Notes
- Use good quality melting chocolate for best results with coating strawberries.
- Ensure strawberries are completely dry before dipping to help chocolate adhere properly.
- Batter will be thin due to hot water; this is normal and results in moist cupcakes.
- Strain strawberry puree carefully to avoid seeds in the frosting.
- Custom gel coloring helps achieve festive pink hues but is optional.
- Store frosted cupcakes with strawberries refrigerated but bring to room temperature before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes, strawberry frosting cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, strawberry cupcakes, chocolate dipped strawberries, dessert cupcakes
