Happy Valentines Day! Today I baked these stunning chocolate strawberry hi-hat cupcakes. Not only are these fun to make, but they will surely impress everyone!
This frosting isn't your overly sweet American buttercream. I made a Swiss meringue buttercream which is much lighter and less sweet than American buttercream. The strawberries and chocolate work perfectly!
I know Swiss meringue buttercream seems a bit daunting, but it's super simple once you break it down. There are a few things to watch out for when making a meringue-based buttercream.
First off, make sure to cook your eggs and sugar until the sugar granules have disappeared. If you dip your fingers in the egg/sugar mixture, you shouldn't feel anything coarse. Cook this until your candy thermometer reads 160 degrees F, this is when the egg is cook and safe to eat.
If your frosting is looking slightly curdled, you can still save it! I found that if you keep beating your Swiss meringue buttercream will eventually become silky again. The important thing is patience.
If your frosting is soupy, chill it in the fridge for about 30 minutes and whip it again on high speed until you get a smooth buttercream.
Butter is extremely important in this Swiss meringue buttercream. You need the butter to be softened to room temperature. It shouldn't be so soft that when you press your finger in, it leaves a huge imprint. The butter should still be pretty solid. Leave it on your counter in cubes for about 30 minutes to get warm.
For the cupcakes, use an ice cream scoop to fill these. You don't want to overfill your cupcakes because you'll probably end up with a crater carved into your cupcakes. If you don't want to use chocolate cupcakes, vanilla will work as well. I recommend using chocolate because it makes the strawberry flavor shine well. To make this extra special, fill the cupcakes with a bit of strawberry jam!
Don't be afraid to dip your cupcakes into the chocolate. If you have chilled your frosting for the required time, the frosting should hold well.
Just look at these cupcakes. The frosting is almost as much as the cupcake itself! These hi-hat cupcakes are perfect for Valentine's Day, and though it may take a few hours, definitely worth all the work. I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much I do!
|Level:👩🏽🍳👩🏽🍳|Time: 2 hours|Serves: 12|
RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
Chocolate Cupcakes:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup hot water
Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup cubed butter, room temperature
3/4 cup freeze-dried strawberries, blended to a fine powder in a food processor
Chocolate:
1 cup melted chocolate
STEPS:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and line two muffin tins with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, mix all your cupcake ingredients. The batter will be thin. Fill your prepared cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full with an ice cream scoop. Bake the cupcakes for 30 minutes, and cool for 15 minutes.
Heat a pot over medium heat. Fill the pot 1/4 of the way full with water and place a heat-safe bowl over the top. This will be your double boiler. Lower the heat so it's at low, and mix the granulated sugar and egg whites until your candy thermometer reaches 160 degrees F. There should be no sugar granules left. Take the bowl off the heat and into a clean stand mixer. Whip the egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form and the bowl is cool. Add in your butter one cube at a time. If your frosting is either clumpy and curdled or soupy, check my tips above. Add the freeze-dried strawberries with a spatula and transfer into a piping bag. Pipe a tall swirl over the cupcakes and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl, microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals. Pour into a large mug. Dip your chilled cupcakes into the chocolate and set in the freezer until harden. Serve!
Enjoy!
- The Bored Baker 👩🏽🍳
Adapted: butternutbakeryblog.com