My favorite holiday of the year is quickly approaching friends! I can feel it already. Can you? Love is in the air! It’s time to start planning that special day, so you can impress your Valentine and these Valentine Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream will totally do the trick!
I ♥ everything about Valentine’s Day! I hope you do too because I may go a little crazy over the next few weeks! Forgive me! I can’t help myself. I’m a romantic at heart!
There is nothing better than making something special for your Valentine. Don’t you agree? Whether it’s a homemade card or a delicious sweet treat, you can count me in. Since chocolate covered strawberries seem to be hugely popular on this romantic holiday, I decided to create a cupcake along the same lines.
These Valentine Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream are decadently delicious! The cake is incredibly moist and oh so chocolatey and the strawberry buttercream is creamy and fluffy with the perfect amount of sweet strawberry flavor! I guarantee your special sweetheart will ♥ these!
- Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee freshly brewed
- Strawberry Buttercream:
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup strawberry preserves
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 6 cups confectioner's sugar sifted
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3-4 Tbsp. milk
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.
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In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla.
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Slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients just until incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee until incorporated.
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Divide batter among the prepared pans, filling each 3/4's full.
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Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Let cool on wire rack before frosting.
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For the Strawberry Buttercream:
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the butter, strawberry preserves and the vanilla.
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Whisk for 3 minutes on medium high until well combined.
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Turn the mixer down to low and slowly add the confectioner's sugar and salt.
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Add the milk one tablespoon at a time and increase the speed to high.
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Beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
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Add more milk, if necessary, for good spreading consistency.
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Add the buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 2D tip.
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Pipe a rose on top of each cooled cupcake. (see tutorial link below for piping roses)
Cake adapted from Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake
Valentine’s Day is my husband’s favorite holiday, so I think I better make him these cupcakes from a true Valentine’s Day lover! They look delectable – especially that FROSTING!!
You can’t go wrong with this chocolate cupcake recipe! I use Ina Garten’s recipe all the time and it’s a hit with everyone. The strawberry buttercream is delish too! Hope your husband loves it!
I also love Valentines day… all the pink, flowers and sparkly things just makes me a very happy girl. LOVE that you turned cocolate covered strawberries into cupcakes!! SO fun!! These look absolutely delicious, Mary Ann, and I could eat that buttercream straight from the bowl! Pinned! Cheers, friend!
Me too Cheyanne! I don’t like to rush the holidays, but as soon as Christmas is over I totally focus on Valentine’s Day! Strawberry buttercream is a favorite of mine! Hope you enjoy it too! Have a great week!
I love all things pink, Mary Ann, so Valentine’s Day is a favorite for me too! Also, by the time we get to Valentine’s Day here in NC, we are on the homestretch to spring and that is always something to look forward to! :) I love your conversion of the chocolate covered strawberry to a delicious chocolate cupcake with strawberry buttercream! They sound delicious and look so pretty!
Yes! Spring! I cannot wait because then summer will not be far behind!
So sweet, Mary Ann. Bring on as many treats as you can over the next couple of weeks! I just love chocolate cupcakes and your icing is so pretty – I’m going to have to try and make a rose (thanks for the tutorial link)!
Absolutely Geraldine! That tutorial will have you make icing roses in no time! Natasha is great!
These are so beautifully frosted and that pale pink is so classy! And I love putting coffee in my chocolate baked goods- it adds such an unbeatable depth and flavor. Thanks for getting me in the mood for Valentine’s Day. :)
Thank you so much Emily! I LOVE the pink frosting too!
I’m actually not a huge Valentines Day person, but these cupcakes would melt anyones’s jaded heart..haha
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to get you in the spirit!
Nothing more romantic than strawberries and chocolate. Love the addition of coffee to the batter. These sound so rich and delicious, a perfect Valentine’s dessert!
I agree Cathy! Now if I could only get my husband to make these for me!
SO pretty, Mary Ann! Nothing beats a chocolate cupcake. I love Valentine’s too, if for no other reason that it’s a killer excuse to eat chocolate ;)
Thanks Jennifer! Any day is a good day to eat chocolate in my book! Probably why I need to go on a diet right about now! Ha!
Love these. They aren’t in-your-face hearts and flowers, which is totally up my street. You’re so right – home-made Valentines treats are so much more thoughtful than a purchased gift.
Thank you so much Charlotte for commenting! I LOVE making homemade treats! I think friends and family would be disappointed if I did something store-bought!
I want THESE for Valentine’s Day, how gorgeous! Loving those toppers! Pinned!
I love the toppers too Jess! I got them from Craft & Honey located in Charleston, South Carolina! Kimberly has a shop on Etsy and her picks and cake toppers are totally adorable!
These cupcakes are perfect Mary Ann! That icing … perfection! I, too, am a romantic at heart. Not sure what we’re doing for Valentine’s Day this year but I can’t wait! Cheers!
Valentine’s Day is so much fun! I have loved it since I was in grammar school with the old Valentine’s box!! Do you remember that? or am I dating myself? It was such fun getting Valentine’s from all my friends in class!
These cupcakes are gorgeous, Mary Ann! I won’t ever tire of Valentine’s Day food so bring it on, I look forward to all of it! :)
Thank you so much Nicole! It’s always been my favorite holiday!
These cupcakes are adorable!! The classic combination but with a fun twist. I love it! I can’t wait to see what else you come up with for Valentin’s Day! <3
Thanks so much Jessica! I’m working on some stuff! After Valentine’s Day I’ll need to go on a diet for sure!!
These are absolutely gorgeous my friend. So so beautiful.
Thanks so much Jocelyn!
I LOVE these cupcakes! They are just too adorable. I love Valentine’s day too and the excuse for all things chocolate and strawberries.
Thanks Zainab! Every day is a good day for chocolate! Hope all is well with little Elliott! Bet he is so much fun now!
Mary Ann, please don’t do this to me, these cupcakes look so delicious and I’m trying to loose some weight!?Chocolate and Strawberry cream, what a great combo. My honey would love them and so would I !
I’m sorry Gerlinde! Valentine’s Day is a holiday, and on all holidays we deserve sweets! You can diet the day after, deal?!
Oh my! You might have just converted me. I am not hugely into Valentine’s day but these look so so good! And that buttercream… wow!
I’m so glad Rakhee! They’re a special treat for any Valentine!
What a beautiful cupcake! I need to try your strawberry buttercream! It sounds perfectly delicious.
Thanks Kathy! I really love the strawberry buttercream!
A perfect cupcake for the perfect loves in our lives! Love that swirl Mary Ann! Beautiful piping and that love stick is adorable! Delicious!
Thanks so much! I know, those cupcake picks are my favorite! They make the cupcake!