Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
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Love at first bite! These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes are the perfect dessert to enjoy this Valentine’s Day. A simple-to-make chocolate cupcake, infused with intense chocolate flavor using a trick called “blooming cocoa”, and generously frosted with a rich strawberry frosting that will have you falling head over heels!
Just in case cookies, pink velvet cake, crème brûlée, and chocolate soufflés weren’t enough for your valentine’s day, we have a new (and delicious!) cupcake recipe to share with all of you. These were a BIG hit with taste testers, and the best part? There’s no food dye in this recipe, plus you only need one bowl to mix them up!
Oh, and they’re every bit as delicious as they look! 😉
What Is “Blooming The Cocoa”?
As I mentioned above, these cupcakes use a little trick called “blooming cocoa powder” to bring forward an intense chocolate flavor. But, what does it mean exactly? Let’s get into it.
Blooming cocoa is a process where cocoa powder is mixed with a hot liquid or fat, such as hot water, hot milk, hot coffee, or hot butter, to intensify its flavor and aroma. This process helps to release the natural oils and flavors present in the cocoa powder, resulting in a richer and more robust chocolate flavor in the baked good.
Why You Will Love These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
- Extra delicious. These cupcakes are the perfect balance between rich chocolate and sweet strawberry just like our chocolate strawberry linzer cookies. Plus, these cupcakes have been thoroughly taste-tested and were a huge hit. Not a single cupcake was left, proving their irresistible appeal.
- Easy to make. With only one bowl needed to mix up the batter (technically two, if you’re counting blooming the cocoa…but I won’t tell if you won’t 🤫), these cupcakes are simple to make, perfect for any level of baker.
- No artificial colors. The vibrant pink frosting is achieved without any artificial food dyes, making it a natural and delightful treat!
- Perfect for Valentine’s Day. These cupcakes are a perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their romantic chocolate-covered strawberry theme.
A Quick Overview
Homemade cupcakes are one of the easiest desserts to make! Further below in the post, you will find a step-by-step tutorial WITH pictures, but it’s always nice to read a quick overview of a recipe before diving head first into it. If you feel like you don’t need it, go ahead to the bottom of the post to find the recipe card!
- Make the batter: The first step to these delicious cupcakes is to bloom the cocoa! From there, mix-up all the ingredients in one bowl(!!!).
- Bake: Divide the batter into a muffin pan and bake.
- Frost: Quickly mix up your frosting and decorate these cupcakes however your heart desires!
You Will Need These Ingredients To Make The Perfect Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
For The Cupcakes:
- Dutch Process Cocoa Powder – The dutching process neutralizes the acidity in the cocoa powder making it milder, smoother, and more intensely chocolate than natural process cocoa powder.
- Boiling Water – The liquid used to bloom the cocoa powder and bring out that intense chocolate flavor.
- All Purpose Flour – We wanted moist, tender cupcakes but with enough structure to hold their shape without going to pieces. That’s where the all purpose flour comes in. It has the perfect amount of protein to create that structure.
- Granulated Sugar – While adding the perfect amount of sweetness, it also helps with the texture and structure of the cupcakes.
- Baking Powder – The leavening agent responsible for the rise in this cake.
- Salt – Just a bit of salt enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Eggs – The binder that holds all the ingredients together, eggs also contribute structure, stability, moisture, and richness.
- Vegetable Oil – We wanted a neutral flavored oil that would contribute moisture and make the cupcakes lighter, which made vegetable oil the perfect choice.
- Whole Milk – The higher fat content in whole milk is ideal for helping to tenderize these cupcakes as well as contributing to the structure and helping keep them moist.
- Vanilla Extract – Adding a subtle undertone, vanilla extract is the perfect choice to enhance the deep, chocolate flavor of these cupcakes.
For The Frosting:
- Salted Butter – This frosting gets its richness and creaminess from the butter. The salt in the butter enhances the flavor while eliminating the need for additional salt.
- Powdered Sugar – Not only does powdered sugar sweeten, it is the best choice for making this frosting smooth because it melts easily, making it a snap to incorporate.
- Strawberry Powder – Freeze-dried, ground strawberries flavor this frosting and give it its natural pink color.
- Whole Milk – While thinning the frosting to piping consistency, whole milk adds creaminess and depth of flavor.
- Vanilla Extract – Adding a subtle undertone, vanilla extract is the perfect choice to enhance the strawberry flavor.
Quick & Easy Substitutions You Can Make:
Gluten Free:
- Substitute your favorite measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour.
- You might need to adjust the milk by 1-2 tablespoons depending on the absorbency of your flour blend.
Dairy Free:
- Replace the butter with coconut oil or your favorite melted non-dairy butter, such as Earth Balance, Violife, or Miyoko’s.
- Substitute the whole milk with your preferred non-dairy milk. Almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk are popular choices, but the final flavor of the cupcakes might vary slightly.
Remember, results may vary depending on the specific brands and types of substitutes used.
How To Make These Cupcakes (With Photos!)
Step 1: Bloom the cocoa
In a small bowl, whisk cocoa powder and boiling water together. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the batter
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
Add egg, egg yolk, oil, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
Whisk in chocolate.
Quick Tip: Expect a thin batter! For this recipe, we don’t want a super thick batter because that would yield dense cupcakes. While that’s great for recipes like brownies, we want a light, spongey, chocolatey cupcake!
Step 3:Bake
Use a 3 Tablespoon scoop to portion into prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cupcakes test done.
Step 4:Prepare frosting
In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, and strawberry powder until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Add milk and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
It’s Time To Decorate!!
Now that everything is prepared, it’s time to decorate! After frosting each cupcake (I personally love to use a piping bag and a large star tip), the real fun can begin. To make these cupcakes extra valentine’s themed, I added chocolate dipped strawberries on top and made little hearts with my leftover chocolate. So, let’s make some chocolate covered strawberries!
- Step 1: Thoroughly wash and dry your fresh strawberries.
- Step 2: Melt the chocolate. The amount of chocolate you need will vary depending on how you want to decorate these cupcakes. I personally used about 2 cups of bittersweet chocolate because I wanted some extra chocolate dipped strawberries and to make the little heart shapes to add on top.
- Step 3: Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, dip ¾ of each dried strawberry into the chocolate. Let excess drip off. Place on a parchment paper lined sheet pan to dry.
To add some extra cuteness to each strawberry, drizzle some extra chocolate over the dipped strawberries or add some valentine’s sprinkles!
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When you make these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Happy baking!
x, Caylie
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 6⅓ Tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 cup all purpose flour*
- ⅞ cup granulated sugar
- 1⅛ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- ¾ cups salted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup strawberry powder
- 4 Tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Heat oven to 350℉.
- Line a cupcake tin with paper liners or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk cocoa powder and boiling water together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
- Add egg, egg yolk, oil, milk, and vanilla.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Whisk in chocolate.
- Use a 3 Tablespoon scoop to portion into prepared pan.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cupcakes test done.
Frosting
- In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, and strawberry powder until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add milk and vanilla.
- Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
- Decorate as desired.
Notes + Tips!
- Room temperature is about 70℉.
- Use an oven thermometer to ensure accurate cooking temperatures.
- Remember to preheat your oven.
- Make sure you’re baking soda and baking powder are in-date!
- Do not over-mix the batter.
- To ensure each cupcake is the same size, use a large cookie scoop (3 Tablespoons)!
- If you’re unsure the cupcakes are done baking, poke the middles with a toothpick or cake tester. If it comes clean, then they’re done! If there’s still batter on it, the cupcakes may need 2-3 minutes more baking.
- Let the cupcakes cool COMPLETELY before frosting them.
Tools You May Need (affiliate links)
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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I love chocolate covered strawberries and these cupcakes are everything I wanted and MORE! Thank you for such a delish recipe 😊😊😊😊
Hi Anna! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed these cupcakes 🥰 x, Caylie