Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting are the perfect dessert! They are rich, sweet, and absolutely delicious. A moist chocolate cake is topped with homemade strawberry frosting made with fresh strawberries.

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There’s nothing like a rich chocolate cupcake. They are moist, chocolatey, and versatile because they can be topped with anything!

I love using my simple chocolate cupcake recipe as the base to make these strawberry chocolate treats. The combination of strawberry and chocolate is perfect because it provides a complementary flavor profile that is sure to please.

These chocolate cupcakes are topped with a homemade strawberry buttercream frosting that is thick and creamy. It’s made with classic buttercream ingredients along with marshmallow fluff and a strawberry puree made out of freshly chopped and strained strawberries. This gives them a light and fresh flavor that perfectly complements the chocolate cupcakes.

Make them for Valentine’s Day or for a baby shower, birthday party, or any other special event!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The combination of fresh strawberries and rich chocolate is decadent and divine.
• These chocolate cupcakes are easy to make and only require simple baking ingredients you may already have on hand.
• The buttercream frosting is made with marshmallow fluff to give it extra light and fluffy taste and texture.
• A great way to use up an abundance of fresh strawberries.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• All-Purpose Flour – Gives the cupcakes structure and helps them to rise and give them texture.
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder – Helps the cupcakes to rise and gives them a light and fluffy texture.
• Salt – Balances out the rich flavor of the chocolate and sugar.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Provides the chocolate flavor for the cupcakes and gives them a chocolatey brown color.
• Hot Water – Adds moisture to the cupcakes and helps the cocoa powder dissolve.
• Unsalted Butter – Adds flavor and moist buttery richness to the cupcakes.
• Sugar -Sweetens the base layer of the cupcakes.
• Eggs – Helps bind the cupcakes together and keeps them set while baking and cooling.
• Vanilla Extract – Adds a hint of vanilla flavor to the base of the cupcakes.
• Sour Cream – Used to add a moist and dense texture to the cupcakes with a hint of tangy flavor.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

• Fresh Strawberries – These get chopped, pureed, and strained to add a fresh strawberry flavor to the buttercream frosting.
• Unsalted Butter – Makes the buttercream part of the frosting by adding a rich thickness and buttery flavor.
• Confectioners Sugar – This fine sugar sweetens the sugar and absorbs into the other ingredients properly.
• Marshmallow Fluff – Adds additional sweetness, a marshmallow flavor, and a thick texture to the buttercream.
• Salt – Balances out the sweet flavors in the frosting.

How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

1. Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.
2. Combine the dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium-sized bowl and whisk together until fully combined.
3. Dissolve the chocolate: Add the cocoa powder and hot water into a small bowl and whisk until smooth and no lumps remain. Set aside.
4. Mix the wet ingredients: Start by melting the butter together with the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, add the mixture to a stand mixer bowl and beat the mixture with the paddle attachment until smooth. Then, add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla and cocoa mixture until smooth being sure to scrape the sides down when needed.
5. Add the dry ingredients: To the wet ingredients, add the dry ingredients in batches at low speed alternating with the sour cream. Mix until just incorporated being sure not to overmix.
6. Bake the cupcakes: Pour the prepared batter into the muffin tins making sure each is only 3/4 full. Bake in the oven for about 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pans halfway through the cooking time. Once finished baking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Puree the strawberries: While the cupcakes are cooling, puree the chopped strawberries in a food processor. Strain through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds and pulp. Set aside.
8. Mix the frosting: To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds, then add the sugar and mix until a fluffy mixture is formed. Add in the marshmallow fluff until combined, then add the strawberry puree one tablespoon at a time until desired color and flavor is reached. Beat on high for 30 seconds to make the mixture even more fluffy.
9. Assemble the cupcakes: Remove the cooled cupcakes from the muffin tin. Add the frosting to a piping bag and pipe the frosting evenly onto each cupcake before serving.

Expert Tips

1. When making the cupcake batter, be sure not to overwork the mixture as it can result in tough cupcakes.
2. When pureeing the strawberries for the frosting, make sure to strain them through a mesh strainer to remove any seeds or pulp that may remain. This will ensure a smooth and consistent frosting.
3. Only fill the muffin tins 3/4 full to prevent the cupcakes from overflowing while baking.
4. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also use a quart-size Ziploc bag and cut off one of the corners to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. This will help achieve an even coating of frosting on each cupcake.

Variations

• Try a different type of fruit puree in place of the strawberries such as raspberries or blackberries for a different flavor profile.
• If you’re looking for a chocolate cupcake that is a little less sweet, try using dark chocolate cocoa powder instead of regular cocoa powder. This will give the cupcakes a slightly more bitter flavor.
• If you’re not a fan of marshmallow fluff, you can replace it with an equal amount of whipped cream. This will give the frosting a lighter and fluffier texture.

FAQs

Did you make these Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting? If so, leave a recipe rating and review below.

5 from 3 votes

Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Marshmallow Frosting

By Spoonful of Flavor

Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Marshmallow Frosting are a classic recipe that everyone will love! Made with fresh strawberries, whipped marshmallow buttercream and delectable chocolate cake.

Prep: 25 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 30 cupcakes

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Ingredients 

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For the cupcakes:

• ▢ 3 cups flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• ▢ ¾ cup hot water
• ▢ 1 ½ cups unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 ¼ cups sugar
• ▢ 4 eggs
• ▢ 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup sour cream

For the frosting:

• ▢ 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh strawberries
• ▢ 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter,, at room temperature
• ▢ 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• ▢ 7 ounce jar Marshmallow fluff
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt

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Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

To make the cupcakes:

• Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth.
• Melt the butter with the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is completely melted. Remove from heat, and transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed until the mixture is cooled, about 4-5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture until smooth. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three additions alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing each addition just until incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about ¾-full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Let cool in the pan about 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream frosting:

• Puree the strawberries in a food processor. Strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve placed over a bowl to remove the seeds. Add butter to the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add marshmallow fluff and salt; beat for an additional minute. Add strawberry puree, a tablespoon at a time, until desired color and flavor is reached. Beat on high for about 30 seconds to lighten the frosting.
• Pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Enjoy!

Notes

*Cake is from Martha Stewart, frosting is from Spoonful of Flavor.

Storing: Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Freezing: Cupcakes can be frozen for up to two months. Before freezing, wrap each cupcake in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container in a single layer so they don’t get flattened. Thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g, Calories: 337kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 160mg, Potassium: 90mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 31g, Vitamin A: 550IU, Vitamin C: 2.9mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @spoonfulflavor or tag #spoonfulflavor!

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