Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

5 from 53 votes

These gluten and dairy-free chocolate strawberry cupcakes are moist and tender, with decadent strawberry buttercream frosting and chocolate-covered strawberries to complete the look.

Prep Time10

Cook Time18

Chilling Tim25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Buttercream, chocolate, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate strawberry cupcakes, strawberry, strawberry buttercream, strawberry cupcakes

Servings:

Calories: 344kcal

Author: Nicole Kendrick

Equipment

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 ⅓ cups sugar
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon Singing Dog Vanilla vanilla extract
½ cup brown sugar
4 eggs
⅔ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups boiling water
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup OliveNation 22/24 Fat Dutched cocoa powder
1 ¾ cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

1 cup Country Crock Avocado Oil plant-based butter
1 oz Great Value Freeze Dried Strawberry Fruit Crisps
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoon Singing Dog Vanilla vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
¼ cup dairy-free heavy cream plus 2 to 3 tablespoons if necessary

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

1 cup Nestle's allergen-friendly, dairy-free chocolate chips
½ tablespoon coconut oil
1 pint fresh strawberries

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and add cupcake liners to a 24-count muffin tin.
Whisk the baking powder, cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt in a stand mixer.
Add the oil and eggs and mix on medium speed until completely incorporated.
Add the sugar, vanilla, and boiling water, and mix on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until completely combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for 14 to 18 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Transfer the cupcakes to a wire cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Blend the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until powdery. Then, sift through a fine mesh sieve to remove any remaining thick pieces.
Beat the butter on high for 2 minutes in a stand mixer until creamy.
Add the powdered strawberries, vanilla extract, half the powdered sugar, and half the heavy cream. Mix for 1 minute until fully combined. Add the other half of the heavy cream and powdered sugar and mix on high for 2 to 4 minutes until creamy.
Adjust the frosting as necessary with more heavy cream to reach your desired consistency.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Wash and pat the strawberries dry.
Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth.
Place a toothpick into the top of each strawberry and dip them in the melted chocolate, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper as you go.
Chill the chocolate-covered strawberries for 15 minutes to allow the coating to harden.
Drizzle the chocolate-covered strawberries with any remaining chocolate and chill for another 10 minutes.

Decorate

Using a piping bag with a star tip, frost the tops of the cupcakes.
Top each frosted cupcake with a chocolate-covered strawberry.

Video

Notes

Storage

Store at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Chill cupcakes without the strawberry decoration, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to a month.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Refrigerating the cupcakes isn't recommended, as it can dry them out.

Tips

Bring your water to a rolling boil before adding it to the batter ingredients to ensure the best mixing and texture.
Mix your batter until just combined. Don't overdo it, or the cupcakes will be tough.
If measuring your flour by weight, check the package for how much a cup weighs. Different 1:1 gluten-free flours can have different weights per cup.

Nutrition