Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Filling

Total Time Prep: 30 min. Bake: 20 min.
Yield 1 dozen
Contest Winner
Test Kitchen Approved
My husband and I got engaged on Valentine’s Day, so the holiday is extra special in our house. Each year we go all out with fancy desserts. —Kristin Bowers, Gilbert, Arizona

Ingredients

  • 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup hot brewed coffee
  • STRAWBERRY FILLING:
  • 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • GANACHE:
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3 fresh strawberries, optional

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt together twice; place in a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla until smooth. Add to flour mixture. Drizzle in hot coffee, beating until smooth.
  3. Fill prepared cups three-fourths full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
  4. Place freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor; process until a fine powder. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla, salt and strawberry powder until smooth. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry bag; insert a very small tip. Fill with strawberry filling. Push the tip through the bottom of paper liner to fill each cupcake.
  5. Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand 2 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Dip tops of cupcakes in ganache, let stand until set. If desired, garnish tops with slices of fresh strawberries.

Nutrition Facts

1 cupcake: 336 calories, 16g fat (7g saturated fat), 39mg cholesterol, 206mg sodium, 49g carbohydrate (36g sugars, 2g fiber), 3g protein.

My husband and I got engaged on Valentine’s Day, so the holiday is extra special in our house. Each year we go all out with fancy desserts. —Kristin Bowers, Gilbert, Arizona
Recipe Creator

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