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These Cupid Cupcakes have three flavors packed into one amazing dessert: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry! Garnish the cupcakes with a chocolate heart to make an even more festive Valentine's Day treat!
These Valentine's cupcakes feature a moist and tender vanilla cake that's filled with chocolate ganache. Then, they're topped with a creamy strawberry swirled frosting and a cute individual chocolate heart.
Whether you love chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry best, you don't have to choose anymore because you get all three flavors within these cupcakes!
Looking for even more cupcake recipes? Then check out these: chocolate Oreo cupcakes, carrot cake cupcakes, and red velvet cupcakes.
Why You'll Love These Cupcakes:
- They're filled with a rich chocolate ganache.
- You can taste all three flavors.
- The strawberry buttercream is smooth and creamy.
- The vanilla cake is perfectly moist and fluffy.
- They'd be amazing for Valentine's Day!
I wanted to create a perfect vanilla cupcake that was both flavorful while also being moist (not dry). I used my basic vanilla cupcake recipe as an inspiration, knowing I wanted the same texture.
The biggest difference I made, though, was adding both vegetable oil and butter to the batter. Not only did the moisture increase but so did the flavor! These vanilla cupcakes are simply the best!
Baking Tips:
- Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: If an ingredient calls to be at room temperature before baking, do it. This helps to ensure the best quality in both flavor and texture.
- Strawberries: I used freeze dried strawberries for the frosting in order to get an intense strawberry flavor and it is so good! If you'd rather use fresh strawberries, check out this recipe here.
- Cupcake Batter: Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full, which is about 2 1/2 tablespoons of batter.
Ingredients Needed:
Let's take a look at some of the ingredients we'll need:
- Baking Powder: Just baking powder is needed, no baking soda.
- Butter: Adds incredible flavor to the cupcakes. Be sure to use unsalted, melted butter.
- Oil: You can use either vegetable or canola oil.
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Chocolate: I used semi-sweet chocolate chips but you could also use dark, milk chocolate, or even a 4-ounce chocolate bar.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Used in both the ganache filling and the frosting.
- Freeze Dried Strawberries: Be sure to pulse the strawberries in a blender or food processor to create powdery crumbs.
How To Make This Recipe:
Here are the step by step instructions:
- Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, vegetable oil, and sugar until combined. Then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined. Then mix in the vanilla extract and milk.
- Combine Ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined.
- Bake: Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full and bake for 14-16 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them over to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Chocolate Filling: In a microwaveable-safe bowl, heat the heavy whipping cream until bubbling (30-45 seconds). Pour the heavy cream into the chocolate chips and allow it to sit for 3 minutes, then whisk together until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
- Strawberry Frosting: In a blender or food processor, pulse the freeze dried strawberries until powdery crumbs. Cream together the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, freeze dried strawberries, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Then increase the speed to high and mix for another 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble: Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a piping tip (or a small sharp knife) to carefully cut out the centers. Fill each cupcake with the chocolate filling and cover the holes with the pieces of cake you removed. Then pipe on the strawberry frosting and top with a chocolate heart.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How Long Will Vanilla Cupcakes Last?
Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
What Kind Of Chocolate Is Best For The Filling?
You can use either a 1/2 cup of semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate or a 4-ounce chocolate bar.
Can I Use Fresh Strawberries?
This specific strawberry frosting uses freeze dried strawberries, but if you want to use fresh, follow my frosting recipe for fresh strawberry cupcakes instead!
Happy baking!
More Valentine's Day Recipes:
Cupid Cupcakes
These Cupid Cupcakes have three flavors packed into one amazing dessert: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry! Garnish the cupcakes with a chocolate heart to make an even more festive Valentine's Day treat!
Equipment
- 12-count muffin pan
- Cupcake Liners
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Stand Mixer
Ingredients:
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup milk, room temperature
Chocolate Filling
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Strawberry Frosting
- 1 cup freeze dried strawberries
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- chocolate heart candies (optional for decorating)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Vanilla Cupcakes
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, vegetable oil, and sugar until combined. Then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined. Then mix in the vanilla extract and milk.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined (do not overmix!).
- Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full (about 2 1/2 tablespoons of batter) and bake for 14-16 minutes. Use a toothpick to check the centers for doneness. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them over to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Filling
- In a small bowl, add the chocolate chips. Set aside. In a microwaveable-safe bowl, heat the heavy whipping cream until bubbling (30-45 seconds). Pour the heavy cream into the chocolate chips and allow it to sit for 3 minutes, then whisk together until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Strawberry Frosting
- In a blender or food processor, pulse the freeze dried strawberries until powdery crumbs. You'll have about 1/2 cup.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, freeze dried strawberries, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Then increase the speed to high and mix for another 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Assemble
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a piping tip (or a small sharp knife) to carefully cut out the centers. Be careful not to go through the bottom of the cupcake (only go about halfway down). Fill each cupcake with the chocolate filling (I placed mine in a piping bag) and cover the holes with the pieces of cake you removed.
- Frost the cupcakes. I placed the strawberry frosting in a piping bag and used the Wilton 1M piping tip. Top each frosted cupcake with a chocolate heart. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Notes:
Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
Room Temperature Ingredients: If an ingredient calls to be at room temperature before baking, do it. This helps to ensure the best quality in both flavor and texture.
Strawberries: I used freeze dried strawberries for the frosting in order to get an intense strawberry flavor and it is so good!
Cupcake Batter: Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full, which is about 2 1/2 tablespoons of batter.
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