Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
These Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes have always felt like love cupcakes to me. Chocolate-covered strawberries are such a classic Valentine’s Day dessert, and I wanted to bring those same flavors into a cupcake with plenty of real strawberry flavor in every bite.
This version is a little different from the Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes I originally shared here years ago. I now fill my moist chocolate cupcakes with a thick homemade strawberry sauce, use that same sauce to make strawberry cream cheese frosting, then finish them with chocolate ganache, chocolate shavings, and a fresh strawberry on top. They still have that romantic Valentine’s Day feel I loved about the original recipe, but I think this version lets the chocolate and strawberry combination shine even more.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
There are a few things I especially love about this new version:
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- They have that classic chocolate-covered strawberry combination. Between the chocolate cake, strawberry filling, chocolate ganache, and fresh berry on top, you get both flavors throughout the cupcake.
- The strawberry flavor comes from real strawberries. There’s no strawberry extract needed—the homemade sauce gives both the filling and frosting their flavor.
- The chocolate cupcakes are incredibly moist. I use oil in the batter and hot coffee to keep the crumb soft while bringing out the cocoa.
- One strawberry sauce does two jobs. I make one batch and use it for both the cupcake centers and the strawberry cream cheese frosting.
- The cream cheese frosting balances the sweetness. I prefer the slight tang from cream cheese here, especially with the sweet strawberry sauce and chocolate ganache.
- They still feel special without being difficult to decorate. A ganache drizzle, a few chocolate shavings, and a fresh strawberry give them that Valentine’s Day look without requiring complicated piping or decorations.
Key Ingredients & Why I Use Them
Strawberries: I use fresh strawberries for the sauce when they’re available, but frozen strawberries work too. Since we’re cooking them down until thick and concentrated, the texture of the berries going into the pan doesn’t matter much.
Natural cocoa powder: I prefer natural unsweetened cocoa powder for these cupcakes because it works well with the leavening in this recipe and gives the cake a deep chocolate flavor.
Hot coffee: Coffee brings out the flavor of the cocoa without making the cupcakes taste like coffee. You can use hot water instead, but I personally prefer coffee for a deeper chocolate flavor.
Cream cheese: I always use full-fat, block-style cream cheese for the frosting. Spreadable cream cheese from a tub contains more moisture and can make the frosting too soft to pipe.
Semi-sweet chocolate: I like semi-sweet chocolate for the ganache because the strawberry frosting is already fairly sweet. I also use a little extra chocolate to make the shavings on top.
How to Make Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
The full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below, but here’s how I make each component and the details I pay the most attention to along the way.
Make the Strawberry Sauce
I start with the strawberry sauce because it needs to cool completely before we can use it in the frosting. So, add the strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice to a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the strawberries have broken down and the sauce becomes dark, thick, and jammy. If you’re using a thermometer, I look for a temperature between 200 and 220°F. This is a fairly small batch, so keep a close eye on it toward the end because it can reduce quickly.
As the sauce thickens, stir more frequently and make sure you’re scraping the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat further if necessary to keep it from sticking or scorching.
You don’t need a thermometer to make this successfully. I pay attention to the consistency too—the sauce should look noticeably reduced and thick rather than watery. Keep in mind that it will continue to thicken quite a bit as it cools.
Transfer the sauce to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface. Let it cool, then refrigerate for a couple of hours until completely cold. I also have a recipe for this Strawberry sauce here!
Start the Cupcake Batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Sift the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a separate medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
Combine
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
Add the Coffee
Add the hot brewed coffee and whisk until the batter is smooth. The batter will be quite thin at this point, and that’s exactly how it should look.
Divide and Bake
Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about halfway.
Bake for approximately 18 minutes, until the tops spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cupcakes cool briefly in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack. Make sure they’re completely cool before you core and fill them.
Make the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Before you start the frosting, make sure the strawberry sauce is completely cold. This is important because even slightly warm sauce can soften the frosting considerably.
Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a large bowl and a hand mixer.
Beat the butter on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until very creamy and smooth.
Add the softened cream cheese and beat just until smooth and combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. I don’t beat the mixture excessively once the cream cheese goes in. I’ve found that overbeating cream cheese frosting can make it softer rather than fluffier.
Add the Strawberry Sauce
Add ¼ cup of the cooled strawberry sauce and mix until completely incorporated.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed after each addition. Once all the powdered sugar has been incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat briefly until smooth and creamy.
If the frosting feels too soft to pipe, refrigerate it briefly before decorating the cupcakes.
Make the Chocolate Ganache
Place the finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until very hot and just beginning to steam, but don’t let it boil.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave it undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes. Then whisk slowly until the chocolate has completely melted and the ganache is smooth.
Let the ganache cool for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened but still fluid enough to drizzle.
I always check the temperature before adding it to the cupcakes. If the ganache still feels warm, give it a little more time. Warm ganache can quickly soften or melt the cream cheese frosting.
Fill the Cupcakes
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a cupcake corer or small knife to remove a small portion from the center of each cupcake. Don’t cut all the way through the bottom.
Spoon or pipe the remaining strawberry sauce into the center of each cupcake.
Frost & Decorate
Transfer the strawberry cream cheese frosting to a piping bag fitted with a 6B piping tip and pipe it generously over each cupcake.
Spoon a small amount of the cooled chocolate ganache over the frosting, allowing it to gently drip down the sides.
For the chocolate shavings, I use a vegetable peeler to shave thin curls or pieces directly from a semi-sweet chocolate bar over the cupcakes.
Finish each cupcake with a fresh strawberry. I like that the decoration tells you exactly what you’re getting before you even cut one open—chocolate, strawberry, and plenty of both.
My Top Tips for Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
None of the individual steps are particularly complicated, but these are the details I think make the biggest difference:
- Reduce the strawberry sauce enough. A watery sauce won’t give you the concentrated strawberry flavor we’re looking for, and it can also make the frosting too soft.
- Cool the sauce completely. This is especially important before adding it to the cream cheese frosting.
- Don’t worry about the thin cupcake batter. Once you add the hot coffee, the batter should be noticeably thin.
- Don’t overfill the cupcake liners. I fill them about halfway so there’s enough room for the cupcakes to rise.
- Use block-style cream cheese. This is one place where I don’t recommend substituting the spreadable kind.
- Don’t overbeat the frosting. Once the cream cheese has been added, I mix only as much as necessary.
- Let the ganache cool before decorating. If it’s warm, it can melt the frosting very quickly.
- Don’t overfill the centers. I love plenty of strawberry sauce inside, but you still need enough cake around the filling to hold everything together.
Storage & Make Ahead
I like making the strawberry sauce ahead because it needs time to chill anyway. You can make it a day or two in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
The chocolate cupcakes can also be baked a day ahead. Let them cool completely, then keep them tightly covered until you’re ready to assemble.
Once the cupcakes are filled and frosted, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days because of the cream cheese frosting.
I don’t love serving them straight from the refrigerator. Let them sit at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the cake softens and the frosting becomes creamier.
If you’re making these for Valentine’s Day or another event, I recommend adding the fresh strawberries fairly close to serving so they stay fresh and look their best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Use about ¾ cup strawberry jam or preserves in total. Measure ¼ cup for the frosting and use the remaining ½ cup to fill the cupcakes. I prefer the homemade sauce because I can control how sweet and concentrated it is, but jam is a great shortcut.
First, make sure the strawberry sauce was reduced until thick and then chilled completely before adding it. I also recommend using full-fat block-style cream cheese rather than spreadable cream cheese. If the finished frosting is still too soft, refrigerate it briefly before piping.
Absolutely. Replace the coffee with the same amount of hot water. You won’t actually taste coffee in the finished cupcakes—it simply helps bring out the cocoa flavor.
Yes. I like to make the strawberry sauce and bake the cupcakes a day ahead. The next day, make the frosting and ganache, then fill and decorate the cupcakes. Once assembled, they’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Making Jumbo Cupcakes
This recipe makes 12 regular cupcakes or 6 jumbo cupcakes. For the jumbo version, I use the Monfish jumbo muffin/cupcake pan and Caperci jumbo cupcake liners.
Because jumbo cupcakes are deeper than regular cupcakes, they’ll need additional baking time. I start checking once the tops look set and spring back when lightly pressed. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
More Chocolate and Strawberry Recipes
If you love chocolate and strawberries together as much as I do, try my Chocolate Strawberry Cake next. It’s where the original inspiration for these cupcakes came from, and it’s a great option when you want the same romantic chocolate-and-strawberry feel in a full-size cake.
If you make these Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes, be sure to leave a rating or comment below and let me know how they turned out. And if you share them on Instagram, tag me so I can see them!
More Strawberry Recipes
If you love the chocolate and strawberry combination in these cupcakes, try my Chocolate Strawberry Cake next. It has the same rich chocolate-and-berry feel in a layer cake. For something that really puts strawberries front and center, I also love my Strawberry Cake and Strawberry Chantilly Cake, especially when fresh strawberries are in season.
If you’d rather stick with cupcakes, my Strawberry Cupcakes are a classic place to start. The Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes are a little richer and creamier, while the Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes have a brighter, more citrusy flavor that I especially love for spring and summer.
If you make these Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes, be sure to leave a rating or comment below and let me know how they turned out. And if you share them on Instagram, tag me so I can see them!
Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
Strawberry Sauce
- 2 cups strawberries quartered (300g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Chocolate Cupcake Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 127g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- â…“ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 33g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk 120ml
- â…“ cup vegetable oil 80ml, such as canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup hot brewed coffee or hot water 120ml
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (226g)
- ½ cup cream cheese softened (113g)
- ¼ cup strawberry sauce cooled
- 4½ cups powdered sugar 540g
Chocolate Ganache
- 50 g heavy cream
- 75 g semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
To Assemble and Decorate
- Strawberry Sauce
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Froting
- Chocolate Ganache
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate for shaving
- 12 Fresh Strawberries
Instructions
Strawberry Sauce
- Add the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries have broken down and the sauce is dark, thick, and reduced. A thermometer should register between 200 and 220ºF. Since this is a relatively small batch, it may reduce quickly, so keep a close eye on it toward the end of cooking.
- Stir more frequently as the sauce thickens to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat further if necessary.
- If you don’t have a thermometer, remove the sauce from the heat once it looks thick and jammy. Keep in mind that it will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Transfer the strawberry sauce to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface and let it cool completely. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before using.
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
- Add the hot coffee and whisk until the batter is smooth. The batter will be quite thin.
- Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, filling each about halfway.
- Bake for about 18 minutes, or until the tops spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven. Allow them to cool in the pan briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and decorating.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer.
- Beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 2 to 3 minutes, until very creamy and smooth.
- Add the cream cheese and beat just until smooth and combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the cooled strawberry sauce and mix until completely incorporated.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually, mixing on low speed after each addition until incorporated.
- Once all the powdered sugar has been added, increase the speed to medium and beat briefly until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Avoid overbeating the frosting, especially after adding the cream cheese.
- If the frosting feels too soft to pipe, refrigerate it briefly before decorating the cupcakes.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the heavy cream until very hot and just beginning to steam, but do not let it boil.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Whisk slowly until the chocolate is completely melted and the ganache is smooth.
- Let the ganache cool for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened but still fluid enough to drizzle over the frosting. Make sure it isn’t hot when you add it to the cupcakes.
To Assemble and Decorate
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a cupcake corer or a small knife to remove a small portion from the center of each cupcake.
- Spoon or pipe strawberry sauce into the center of each cupcake.
- Transfer the strawberry cream cheese frosting to a piping bag fitted with a 6B piping tip. Pipe the frosting generously over each cupcake.
- Spoon a small amount of the cooled chocolate ganache over the top of each frosted cupcake, allowing it to gently drip down the sides of the frosting.
- Using a vegetable peeler, shave thin curls or pieces of semi-sweet chocolate directly over the cupcakes.
- Finish each cupcake with a fresh strawberry on top.
Your chocolate strawberry cupcakes look PHENOMENAL Camila! Just beautiful and so stunning.
Thank you SO much Christie!
Camila, nem tenho palavras pra essa gostosura!!!! Fantástica!!!!!!
Obrigada 🙂