These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes are made with the most rich and fudgy chocolate cupcake, the best fresh strawberry frosting and topped with a chocolate covered strawberry. These delicious chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes are great for Valentine’s day and any other day of the year!
If you love chocolate and easy dessert recipes, check out the best one-bowl Homemade Chocolate Cake with chocolate buttercream frosting!
These cupcakes are mouthwatering delicious and oh so pretty! I like serving them as a dessert, snack or a special treat for different occasions like birthdays, bridal parties, school functions and of course Valentine’s day! You can use any kind of sprinkles and decorate them in any way you want.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
Chocolate and strawberries are the perfect pair! The combination of flavors are classic. Sweet and rich chocolate and tart and juicy strawberries mixed together into one delicious cupcake.
This easy to make chocolate cupcake recipe makes moist, light and tender cupcakes that are absolutely delicious. They are fluffy, not dense and a great chocolate cupcake recipe to have handy. You can make them and top them with vanilla buttercream or your favorite frosting and serve them for any other celebration, like birthdays or school events.
The Strawberry Buttercream is made with fresh strawberries. The creamy strawberry buttercream is light, fluffy and super flavorful.
Now the cupcake topping – and one of my favorite sweet treats – chocolate covered strawberries! Chocolate covered strawberries are easy to make and always look beautiful. The chocolate covered strawberry on the creamy buttercream gives these chocolate cupcakes an impressive bakery style look.
Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Cocoa powder (I prefer Dutch processed cocoa powder like Callebaut or Nu Naturals as it has a deeper rich flavor)
- Egg
- Milk
- Vegetable oil
- Baking soda, salt and vanilla extract.
Fresh Strawberry Buttercream
- Fresh strawberries
- Salted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Pink/red gel icing color, optional
Chocolate Covered Strawberries Ingredients
- Dark or milk chocolate chips or wafers, use good quality chocolate for best flavor.
- Large strawberries
- Sparkling sugar or sprinkles
How To Make The Chocolate Cupcakes
For detailed instructions and timing, check the printable recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2-4 liners – this recipe makes about 14 to 16 cupcakes. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, combine the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Pour the water into the batter and mix until well combined.
- Pour or spoon the batter into the cupcake liners. Fill only halfway to prevent spilling or sinking.
- Bake and cool before frosting.
How To Make Strawberry Frosting
- Place the strawberries in a food processor and puree until smooth. Strain.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix. Add 2 tablespoons of the strawberry puree and mix to combine.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until combined and smooth.
- Add the remaining strawberry puree as needed to reach the right frosting consistency. Mix until well combined and smooth.
- If desired, add gel icing color until you reach the desired shade of pink.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and top each with a chocolate covered strawberry and sprinkles (if desired).
How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Place the nonparelis (sparkling sugar or sprinkles) in a bowl or on a plate.
- Place the chocolate chips or wafers in a small microwave safe bowl. Melt in 20 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth.
- Dip each strawberry into the chocolate, lift and allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl.
- Gently, dip them or roll them into the sprinkles. Place the strawberries on the prepared sheet pan.
Can I Make These Cupcakes Ahead Of Time?
You can make the chocolate cupcakes a day in advance. Store the cupcakes at room temperature covered or in an airtight container. Pipe the frosting the day you will be serving them.
Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before frosting and serving.
The strawberry frosting can be made a day ahead. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Chocolate Covered Cupcake Recipe Tips
- To make the chocolate cupcakes, use room temperature ingredients so the batter mixes evenly.
- Strain the strawberry puree before making the buttercream. You want a smooth frosting without any seeds.
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries can be refrigerated for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chocolate sets. Don’t refrigerate for any longer than 1 hour to prevent condensation.
- I used Wilton 2D tip to pipe the buttercream.
Other Valentine’s Day Treats:
- Valentine’s White Chocolate Bark
- Double Chocolate Waffles
- Berry Bread Pudding
- Fresh Fruit Tart
- Red Velvet Cake
- Lemon Drop Martini
Chocolate Cupcake recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- 8 ounces dark or milk chocolate chips or wafers
- 16 large strawberries cleaned
- Any pink/white/red nonpareil, sprinkles or sparkling sugar (Valentine’s theme)
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp cocoa powder (I prefer Dutch processed cocoa powder)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup hot water
For the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 3/4 cup chopped strawberries
- 1 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- Pink or red gel icing color optional
Instructions
To Make the Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Place the nonparelis (sparkling sugar or sprinkles) in a bowl or on a plate.
- Place the chocolate chips or wafers in a small microwave safe bowl. Melt in 20 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth.
- Dip each strawberry into the chocolate, lift and allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. I suggest dipping the strawberry ½ to ¾ the way up, leaving some strawberry uncovered.
- Gently, dip them or roll them into the sprinkles. Place the strawberries on the prepared sheet pan. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chocolate set. Don’t refrigerate for any longer than 1 hour to prevent condensation.
To Make the Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2-4 liners – this recipe makes about 14 to 16 cupcakes. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until well combined.
- Pour the water into the batter and mix until well combined. The batter will be thin.
- Pour or spoon the batter into the cupcake liners. Fill only halfway to prevent spilling or sinking. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean or just with a few crumbs.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
TO make the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Place the strawberries in a food processor and puree until smooth. Strain the pureed strawberries through a fine mesh sieve. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
- With the mixer on low, add about half of the powdered sugar then, mix on medium-high speed until well combined. Add 2 tablespoons of the strawberry puree and mix to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed add the remaining powdered sugar then mix on medium-high speed until combined and smooth.
- Add the remaining strawberry puree as needed to reach the right frosting consistency. Mix until well combined and smooth.
- If desired, add gel icing color until you reach the desired shade of pink.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and top each with a chocolate covered strawberry and sprinkles (if desired).
Recipe Notes
- I used Wilton 2D tip to pipe the buttercream.
- Fill the cupcake liners only halfway full. More batter will cause the cupcakes to overflow.
- All refrigerated ingredients should be at room temperature for even mixing.
- This recipe makes 14 to 16 cupcakes.
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