DESSERT RECIPES

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Updated

Moist chocolate sour cream cupcakes filled with silky ganache, piped with rich cocoa frosting and finished with a ganache drizzle and chopped chocolate.

Prep
45 min
Cook
20 min
Total
2 hr 20 min
Yield
15 cupcakes
Illustration of Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes are a classic from the KitchenSimplicity archive, made for anyone who wants chocolate in every bite. The base is a tender cupcake made with melted bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, sour cream and buttermilk. Each one gets a small hollow filled with ganache, a tall swirl of fudgy cocoa buttercream, another thread of ganache and a sprinkle of chopped chocolate.

They are a natural for Valentine’s Day, birthdays or any chocolate lover’s celebration. After a little time in the fridge, the frosting firms up to an almost truffle-like texture, so they hold their shape well for transporting and serving.

Tips

  • Once the frosting has set, the cupcakes can be loosely covered with plastic wrap without smudging the swirls; store them in the fridge for up to 3 days and let them stand 15 minutes before serving.
  • No buttermilk? Stir 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar into 1/2 cup milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  • A large open star piping tip gives a tall, bakery-style swirl.
  • The unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to a month; thaw before filling and frosting.

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Prep
45 min
Cook
20 min
Total
2 hr 20 min
Yield
15 cupcakes

Ingredients

  • For the chocolate cupcakes:
  • 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (110 g) packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 oz (57 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • For the ganache:
  • 4 oz (113 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
  • For the chocolate frosting:
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pound (454 g) powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
  • For the garnish:
  • 1 oz (28 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line 15 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
  2. Sift the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and salt into a bowl and set aside.
  3. Put the chopped bittersweet chocolate, butter and cocoa in a large bowl, pour the boiling water over them and wait 2 minutes. Stir until smooth.
  4. Whisk in the vanilla, sour cream, buttermilk and eggs until evenly blended, then add the dry ingredients and whisk just until the batter is smooth.
  5. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter into each liner. Bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Let the cupcakes sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
  7. Meanwhile, make the ganache: put the chopped semisweet chocolate in a bowl, heat the cream until steaming, pour it over and let stand 2 minutes. Stir until glossy and let cool to room temperature.
  8. For the frosting, place the butter, cream and salt in a stand mixer bowl and sift the cocoa over the top. Beat on medium until creamy, then add the vanilla.
  9. Sift in the powdered sugar, mix on low until combined, then beat on medium for about 6 minutes, until fluffy. The frosting will be quite stiff.
  10. With a small paring knife, cut a cone-shaped hollow from the top center of each cooled cupcake.
  11. Spoon ganache into each hollow and smooth a thin layer over the top of the cupcake.
  12. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes right away, since it firms up quickly. Drizzle with the remaining ganache, warming it briefly if it has thickened, and sprinkle with the chopped chocolate.

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