Moist strawberry chocolate cupcakes with sweet strawberry sauce filling and a light strawberry whipped cream frosting, indulgent in flavor yet light in texture!
Table of Contents
If you know me, you know I love strawberries, especially during the summertime when they’re extra sweet.
While I love snacking on them on their own, I can’t help but include them in all my favorite recipes, too. Whether you’re making a strawberry pear smoothie, easy strawberry jam, or mini strawberry pies, you can never go wrong!
Why you’ll love this cupcakes recipe:
These chocolate strawberry filled cupcakes are my go-to for graduation parties, summer cookouts, and holidays.
These cupcakes consist of 3 components that make these treats the best yet!
- Chococlate cupcakes have a rich, well-balanced chocolate flavor and soft and fluffy texture!
- Strawberry sauce filling adds a burst of freshness to every bite.
- Strawberry whipped cream icing is a light and fluffy frosting without making the cupcakes feel too heavy. Simply irresistible!
A strawberry lover’s dream, these chocolate cupcakes with strawberry filling will have all your friends and family begging for the recipe!
Chocolate Cupcakes Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour – Use a food scale to weigh your flour to ensure perfect cupcake texture. Or, use the spoon and level method instead. This helps ensure you don’t use too little or too much flour which would impact the texture of your strawberry chocolate cupcakes.
- Cocoa powder – Be sure to use natural cocoa powder and not Dutch-processed cocoa as it will affect the rise and flavor of the cupcakes.
- Milk – Any type of milk from whole milk, to 2%, and even skim can be used. Or, if needed, use a dairy-free option instead. Just make sure it’s unflavored and unsweetened!
- Vegetable oil – It’s a must for super moist cupcakes, because it stays solid at room temperature, keeping your dessert soft and delicious.
- Hot coffee – This doesn’t make your dessert taste like coffee! Instead, it enhances the flavor of the cocoa powder, making your cupcakes extra chocolatey.
How to make the strawberry chocolate cupcakes:
1. Make the strawberry sauce filling
First, make the strawberry sauce filling to give it plenty of time to cool completely. It can also be made couple days in advance.
I like to mash the berries well while cooking so it’s nice and smooth for filling the cupcakes.
2. Prepare the chocolate cupcakes
Preheat the oven, and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a small bowl until combined.
- In another medium bowl, whisk all of the wet ingredients except for the coffee, until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients, and fold the batter just until no streaks remain, scraping the sides of the bowl.
- Pour in the hot coffee and mix again just until the ingredients are combined.
- Divide the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cupcake liner halfway full.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 18 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove the muffin tin from the oven, and set the cupcakes aside to cool completely.
Tip
You should have exactly 12 cupcakes, any more or less, and you likely either over or underfilled the cupcake liners.
3. Make the strawberry whipped cream frosting
Make the strawberry frosting right before frosting the cupcakes! It takes literally 10 minutes to make it.
4. Fill the cupcakes
- Make a hole in the center of each cupcake. I like to use a small paring knife or a cupcake corer to make the process easy. Just be careful not to cut all the way down to the bottom, and don’t toss out the leftover pieces.
- Fill the center of each cupcake with the strawberry filling just until the sauce reaches the top of the cupcake. You don’t want it to overflow! Replace the reserved cupcake tops to close the hole of the filling.
5. Frost the cupcakes
- Transfer the prepared frosting into a piping bag with a star tip.
- Frost the filled cupcakes with the strawberry whipped cream frosting.
Tips for Success:
- The strawberry filling thickens as it cools. It will be a little runny at first. However, after it chills in the fridge, it because easier to work with and fill the strawberry chocolate cupcakes. Make it first or a day in advance!
- Use room-temperature eggs. This makes them easier to mix, helping you to avoid overmixing the batter while keeping your cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Don’t overmix. Be careful to combine the cupcake batter just until it is smooth. Continuing to mix will overwork the gluten, resulting in tense, tough cupcakes, which is not what we want.
- Avoid overbaking the cupcakes. An overbaked cupcake will be dry and a bit tough. Begin checking for doneness after 18 to 20 minutes, and add additional baking time as needed.
- Keep a close eye on the frosting as you beat it. If you beat it too long it will turn into sweet butter instead.
- Make sure the cupcakes are cool. If they’re even slightly warm, the strawberry filling and icing will melt and cause the cupcakes to fall apart.
Make-Ahead Tips:
- These strawberry chocolate cupcakes require multiple steps but are completely worth the wait! To make the process easier, prepare the strawberry sauce filling a day in advance.
- The strawberry whipped cream frosting can be made up to 2 to 3 days ahead of time as well. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to frost your cupcakes.
- Chocolate cupcakes are freezer-friendly! Bake the cupcakes according to the recipe instructions. Then, let them cool, and transfer them to a freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use them, let them thaw on the counter, fill, frost, and enjoy.
Storing Tips:
- Transfer your strawberry chocolate cupcakes to an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
- For a longer-lasting option, freeze leftover cupcakes! Once they have been filled and frosted, place them on a plate or small sheet pan, and freeze for at least 2 hours or until hard. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or sealable bag, and freeze them for up to 3 months.
- To eat, let the cupcakes thaw in the fridge or on the counter.
FAQs:
Can I use a different frosting?
I found that the strawberry whipped cream frosting works best for a light, summery flare. However, I also tested this recipe with strawberry buttercream frosting, too. The flavor was still really good, but the texture was a bit too heavy for me.
Can I use a different filling?
Sure! Feel free to use any type of flavored jam filling you like best.
What temperature do you bake cupcakes?
For these strawberry chocolate cupcakes, I recommend baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The hotter temperature will help them cook and rise quickly, keeping them moist and fluffy.
How long do you bake cupcakes?
Every oven bakes slightly differently. However, for this recipe, I found that between 18 and 20 minutes is usually the sweet spot. Just be sure to keep an eye on your cupcakes, and adjust the baking time as needed.
More Cupcake Recipes
Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes
Moist strawberry chocolate cupcakes with sweet strawberry sauce filling and a light strawberry whipped cream frosting, indulgent in flavor yet light in texture!
Ingredients
For the strawberry filling:
- 4 oz (115 g) strawberries fresh or frozen Note 1
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water if using frozen strawberries, use 1 tablespoon of water
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
For the chocolate cupcakes:
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (60 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder Note 2
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk Note 3
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) hot coffee
For the strawberry whipped cream frosting:
- 1 cup (15 g) freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream cold
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar
Equipment
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 Muffin pan
- 1 hand mixer or stand mixer
Instructions
To make strawberry sauce filling:
- In a medium saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, and water.
- Bring it to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix cornstarch and lemon juice until smooth.
- Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the strawberries while mixing continuously. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Smash the berries with a fork or potato masher for a smooth consistency. Transfer into a bowl, cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
To make chocolate cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175° C). Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold the batter until just combined.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl, add hot coffee, and mix again until just combined.
- Divide the batter into the prepared cupcake cups halfway full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
To make the strawberry whipped cream frosting:
- Place the freeze-dried strawberries in between 2 parchment paper sheets and roll with a rolling pin until a fine powder. Then sift it to remove any big chunks.
- In a large mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the heavy whipping cream on medium-low speed (speed 4 on a stand mixer) until it slightly thickens. (The consistency should be like melted ice cream.)
- Add the prepared strawberry powder and sugar. Mix on medium-low speed (speed 4) for 3 minutes or until the frosting is nice and thick. Keep a close eye on it, you don’t want to over-beat it, or it’ll turn into sweet butter.
To assemble the cupcakes:
- Make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled before filling them.
- Using a small paring knife, or a cupcake corer, make a hole in the center of each cupcake. Be careful not to cut to the bottom of the cupcake. (Reserve the cupcake pieces.)
- Pipe or spoon the strawberry sauce into the center. Fill it until the sauce just reaches the top of the cupcake. Replace the reserved cupcake pieces to close the filling.
- Finally, frost the cupcakes with the strawberry whipped cream frosting and garnish with chocolate-covered strawberries, if desired.
Tips & Notes
Note 1: Both fresh and frozen strawberries work wonderfully. No need to thaw frozen berries. If desired, you can half the berries. I usually leave them whole.
Note 2: Be sure to use natural cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa powder will affect the rise and flavor of the cupcakes.
Note 3: You may use any kind of milk, whole, 2% or even skim
Storing Tips:
– Store the frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator, as whipped cream frosting will spoil if not refrigerated.
– Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two to three days.
– You can freeze leftover strawberry chocolate cupcakes! Place the frosted cupcakes on a plate or quarter sheet pan, and freeze for at least 2 hours. Transfer the frozen cupcakes to a container or bag, and freeze for up to three months.
– Store the frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator, as whipped cream frosting will spoil if not refrigerated.
– Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two to three days.
– You can freeze leftover strawberry chocolate cupcakes! Place the frosted cupcakes on a plate or quarter sheet pan, and freeze for at least 2 hours. Transfer the frozen cupcakes to a container or bag, and freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 285kcal
Carbohydrates: 30g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 18g
Sugar: 18g
Sodium: 199mg
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