Description
These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes feature ultra-moist chocolate cupcakes made with Dutch-process cocoa, fluffy strawberry buttercream using real freeze-dried strawberries, and a glossy chocolate ganache shell. They taste exactly like biting into a chocolate-covered strawberry—but in cupcake form! Perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or any romantic celebration. Ready in 90 minutes with bakery-quality results.
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 cup hot coffee (or hot water)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (for frosting)
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberry powder (from about 1.2 oz freeze-dried strawberries)
3–4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (for frosting)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
Pinch of salt (for frosting)
2–3 drops pink gel food coloring (optional)
8 ounces dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), finely chopped (for ganache)
3/4 cup heavy cream (for ganache)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional, for ganache)
12–18 fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. Make strawberry powder: Process freeze-dried strawberries in food processor until fine powder. Sift through strainer. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined and lump-free.
4. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil, and 2 tsp vanilla until smooth.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir just until combined—batter will be thick.
6. Slowly pour in hot coffee while stirring gently. Batter will become very thin—this is correct!
7. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Use ice cream scoop for uniformity.
8. Bake 18-22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
9. Cool in pans 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
10. Make buttercream: Beat 1 cup room-temperature butter 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
11. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition.
12. Add 1/3 cup strawberry powder, 1 tsp vanilla, and pinch salt. Beat on low until combined.
13. Add 3 tbsp heavy cream. Beat on medium-high 3-4 minutes until light, fluffy, and smooth. Add food coloring if using.
14. Make ganache: Place 8 oz finely chopped chocolate in heatproof bowl.
15. Heat 3/4 cup cream in saucepan over medium heat just until simmering (don’t boil).
16. Pour hot cream over chocolate. Let sit undisturbed 2 minutes.
17. Whisk from center outward until completely smooth and glossy. Whisk in 1 tbsp butter if using.
18. Let ganache cool 15-20 minutes until slightly thickened but still pourable (about 90-95°F).
19. Transfer buttercream to piping bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe generous swirl on each cooled cupcake.
20. Dip each frosted cupcake upside-down into ganache, twisting gently to coat completely.
21. Lift and let excess drip off. Turn right-side up.
22. Immediately top each with fresh strawberry while ganache is wet.
23. Let ganache set at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Don’t skip the hot coffee—it blooms cocoa powder for intense chocolate flavor. Cupcakes won’t taste like coffee.
Room temperature ingredients create smoother batter and lighter cupcakes. Set out 1-2 hours before baking.
Use Dutch-process cocoa for deepest, richest chocolate flavor and darkest color.
Freeze-dried strawberries provide intense flavor without moisture that makes frosting runny. Don’t use fresh strawberries in frosting.
Ganache temperature is critical! Wait until it reaches 90-95°F before dipping—too hot melts frosting, too cool is too thick.
Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting or buttercream will melt and slide off.
For make-ahead, bake cupcakes up to 2 days ahead. Make buttercream up to 3 days ahead (refrigerate, then rewhip). Assemble day-of.
Store frosted cupcakes in single layer at room temperature up to 2 days, refrigerated up to 5 days.
Freeze unfrosted cupcakes only (up to 3 months). Buttercream and ganache don’t freeze well.
Wipe knife between cuts if slicing cupcakes for easier eating.
For gluten-free, use 1-to-1 GF baking flour. Results are nearly identical.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 42g
- Sodium: 245mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes, Valentine's cupcakes, chocolate strawberry cupcakes, strawberry buttercream, ganache cupcakes