Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes…*
…a chocolatey treat for a berry special birthday girl
What better way to celebrate Morgan’s birthday than to embarrass her at work with an overwhelming display of beautifully crafted cupcakes…well, I’m sure there are better ways, but those options were not feasible at the time being. When I was conceptualizing these cupcakes, I knew that I wanted to include 3 elements: chocolate, fruit, and the color pink. The only way to do this was of course, to make a chocolate covered strawberry cupcake, duh! The deep chocolate cupcake was rich in flavor but light in texture, leaving plenty of room for a whipped buttercream frosting made with freshly chopped strawberries. Topped with a hand-dipped chocolate covered strawberry, striped with melted vanilla chips, these cupcakes made my top 10 favorites list. They are fun and outgoing, yet classy and chic, just like the birthday girl herself. Happy Birthday, Morgan, hope it was everything you wished for and more! :)
…a chocolatey treat for a berry special birthday girl
What better way to celebrate Morgan’s birthday than to embarrass her at work with an overwhelming display of beautifully crafted cupcakes…well, I’m sure there are better ways, but those options were not feasible at the time being. When I was conceptualizing these cupcakes, I knew that I wanted to include 3 elements: chocolate, fruit, and the color pink. The only way to do this was of course, to make a chocolate covered strawberry cupcake, duh! The deep chocolate cupcake was rich in flavor but light in texture, leaving plenty of room for a whipped buttercream frosting made with freshly chopped strawberries. Topped with a hand-dipped chocolate covered strawberry, striped with melted vanilla chips, these cupcakes made my top 10 favorites list. They are fun and outgoing, yet classy and chic, just like the birthday girl herself. Happy Birthday, Morgan, hope it was everything you wished for and more! :)
Fresh strawberries are on my list of top ten favorite foods, ever. Add ‘em tofreshly whipped buttercream, dip ‘em in chocolate, and throw ‘em on top of this decandent cupcake, and I’m at a loss for words.
The Ingredients…*
Chocolate Cupcakes
(Recipe byMartha Stewart)
(Makes ≈ 24 cupcakes)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons safflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Cupcakes
(Recipe byMartha Stewart)
(Makes ≈ 24 cupcakes)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons safflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Strawberry Buttercream
(Recipe by My Baking Addiction)
(Makes ≈ 5 cups)
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
A pinch of fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6 ounces strawberries, pureed
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
(Recipe by My Baking Addiction)
(Makes ≈ 5 cups)
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
A pinch of fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6 ounces strawberries, pureed
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
The Instructions…*
‘One Bowl’ Chocolate Cupcakes
(1) Preheat oven to 350°F and line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside
(2) Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl
(3) Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes; scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed
(4) Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, only until about 2/3 full
(5) Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed; transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely
‘One Bowl’ Chocolate Cupcakes
(1) Preheat oven to 350°F and line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside
(2) Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl
(3) Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes; scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed
(4) Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, only until about 2/3 full
(5) Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed; transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely
Strawberry Buttercream
(1) In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream butter on medium speed until fluffy
(2) Turn your mixer down to low speed and slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, and continue mixing until well blended
(3) Add salt, vanilla, 3 tablespoons of heavy cream and strawberry puree; Blend on low speed until moistened
(4) Add an additional 1 to 3 tablespoons of heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency; Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy
(5) Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and finish with a chocolate covered strawberry
(1) In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream butter on medium speed until fluffy
(2) Turn your mixer down to low speed and slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, and continue mixing until well blended
(3) Add salt, vanilla, 3 tablespoons of heavy cream and strawberry puree; Blend on low speed until moistened
(4) Add an additional 1 to 3 tablespoons of heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency; Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy
(5) Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and finish with a chocolate covered strawberry
Elegant. Beautiful. Incredibly delicious.
Holy cannoli, that was good!