These chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes feature moist chocolate cupcakes, strawberry frosting, and are topped with a chocolate covered strawberry. This is the ultimate Valentine's Day dessert!
These chocolate strawberry cupcakes are one of the best cupcakes! They're topped with a buttercream that's made from fresh strawberries, making it one of my favorite frostings.
The cupcakes themselves are super chocolatey, moist, and decadent. You can't get much better than the combination of chocolate and strawberries!
You can also check out this chocolate strawberry cake and mini chocolate strawberry cheesecakes that are also topped with chocolate covered strawberries.
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Why You'll Love These Cupcakes
- The cake is tender and soft.
- They're topped with a chocolate coated strawberry.
- The strawberry buttercream frosting is super smooth and creamy.
- They're extremely easy to make!
Real strawberries are used in the buttercream in order to bring out the strawberry flavor. It goes absolutely perfect with the chocolate cake.
As a self-taught baker, I've learned that using fresh fruit truly is best (and easy!) to transform any frosting recipe.
Ingredients Needed
Here are some notes on the ingredients we'll be using. For the full ingredients list, look at the recipe card below.
- Flour: I used all purpose flour.
- Cocoa Powder: I used dark chocolate cocoa powder but you could also use regular.
- Egg: Just one large egg is needed.
- Oil: Use either canola or vegetable oil.
- Chocolate: I used a bittersweet chocolate bar. Feel free to use white chocolate or milk chocolate if that's what you prefer.
- Strawberries: I used fresh strawberries.
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make these chocolate cupcakes.
Step 1: Dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, warm water, oil, and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Combine the ingredients. Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.
Step 4: Bake. Fill the cupcake liners ½ way full (2 tablespoons) and bake for 15-18 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them over to a wire rack.
Step 5: Chocolate covered strawberries. In a small bowl, melt the chocolate. Dip each strawberry into the chocolate and place onto a prepared baking sheet.
Place the pan into the refrigerator so the chocolate can harden.
Step 6: Cook down the strawberries. In a small saucepan over medium heat cook the strawberry puree until the consistency is like strawberry jam.
Once reduced, place into a small bowl and cool completely.
Step 7: Make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, strawberry reduction, and vanilla extract on low speed and mix until combined.
Then beat on high speed for another 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Storage Tips
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Do not leave at room temperature .
Expert Baking Tips
- Baking Pan: Prep a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- 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.
- Cupcake Batter: Evenly divide the batter amongst the cupcake liners, only filling them ½ way full (2 tablespoons). If you fill them any more than that the cupcakes will have large muffin tops and will risk sinking once cooled.
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Once assembled, place the strawberries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set it in the refrigerator to chill. This helps the chocolate to become firm.
Recipe FAQs
This could be because the strawberries are not 100% dry before dipping into the melted chocolate. If wet, the chocolate will not harden properly.
Yes they can. Simply make the cupcakes the night before and then make the frosting and chocolate covered strawberries the day of. Decorate and serve!
Yes! That batter is the key to super moist chocolate cupcakes.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.
It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂
Happy Baking!
More Cupcake Recipes
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-count muffin pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Electric or Handheld Mixer
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup warm water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (or canola)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped and melted
- 12 small-medium strawberries, washed and dried
Strawberry Frosting
- ¾ cup strawberries (chopped, pureed, and reduced) *see note below
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Chocolate Cupcakes
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, water, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined (the batter will be thin).
- Fill the cupcake liners ½ way full (about 2 tablespoons) and bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer them over to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- As the cupcakes bake, prepare the chocolate covered strawberries. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. Wash the strawberries and dry them off really well. The chocolate won't stick to the strawberries if they're wet.
- In a microwave-safe bowl melt the chopped chocolate in 20-second intervals, stirring well after every 20 seconds until melted and smooth.
- Dip each strawberry into the chocolate one at a time and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Then place the pan into the refrigerator so the chocolate can harden.
Strawberry Frosting
- Add the chopped strawberries to a food processor and puree for about 5-10 seconds, or until you have small bits of strawberries. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the strawberries until they have reduced to a thick, jam-like consistency (stirring occasionally). This should take about 10 minutes.
- Once reduced, transfer the strawberry reduction to a small heat-safe bowl and place it into the refrigerator. Cool completely before using it in the frosting.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until light and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, strawberry puree, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until combined (about 30 seconds). Then increase the speed to high and beat for another 1-2 minutes (frosting should be light and creamy).
Assemble
- Use a piping bag and your favorite frosting tip to frost the cupcakes. I used the Wilton 6M. Then top each cupcake with a chocolate covered strawberry.
- Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes:
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in February of 2021, but was updated on February 9, 2023 with newer content and fresh pictures.
Fresh strawberries are the best. Baked into a cupcake? Even better! Love these so much.