I’m not what you’d call a hopeless romantic—I don’t swoon over bouquets or candlelit dinners—though I won’t refuse chocolate-covered strawberries. What I am hopelessly devoted to is food.
I enjoy celebrating holidays by finding fresh, creative ways to showcase seasonal flavors. Since February is the month of love and chocolate, I wanted a sensual dessert that was both elegant and irresistibly delicious. With a free morning to experiment, I set out to create my idea of the perfect treat: moist chocolate cupcakes topped with strawberry-infused buttercream and finished with a luscious chocolate-covered strawberry. Tempting, right?
When planning these cupcakes, I knew chocolate-covered strawberries had to be the centerpiece—they’re the classic Valentine’s indulgence. As I began, I discovered I was out of cocoa powder. It was early, I was in comfy clothes, and makeup was nowhere to be found, so I improvised with what I already had.
Scanning my pantry, I found everything needed for my favorite doctored cake mix, so I went with that. I made my go-to buttercream and folded in fresh strawberry purée; the result tasted like strawberry ice cream—light, bright, and creamy.
To elevate the cupcakes, I finished each one with a decadent chocolate-covered strawberry for both flair and flavor. If you’re deciding what to make for your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day, these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes could be the perfect choice. Enjoy a delicious Valentine’s Day!
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil’s food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup warm water
For the Buttercream Frosting
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
pinch of fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6 ounces strawberries, puréed
4–6 tablespoons heavy cream
Directions:
For the Cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 24-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the wells.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer in a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, and warm water. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes until the batter is smooth and well combined.
3. Using a large cookie scoop, portion the batter into the 24 muffin wells—about three tablespoons per well.
4. Bake 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for about 10 minutes.
5. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
For the Buttercream Frosting
1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, cream the softened butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce to low and gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar until incorporated.
2. Add the pinch of salt, vanilla, three tablespoons of heavy cream, and the strawberry purée. Mix on low until moistened, then add additional heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Beat on high until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
3. Pipe or spread the strawberry buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a chocolate-covered strawberry for a beautiful finishing touch.
Notes:
– The frosting in the original recipe was piped with a large round tip.
– For chocolate-covered strawberries, melt high-quality chocolate and dip washed, dried berries; allow to set on parchment.
– Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
All images and text © for My Baking Addiction
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