Over the past weekend, I made these cuties for one of my special friends who’s expecting her first child. The idea came up pretty quickly because I’ve made these before for one of my clients. Nothing brand-new, but this is one of the recipes that I would love to revisit over and over again. These cupcakes look chic on the outside and adorable inside. They aren’t only great for revealing baby gender, they can be customized for any party celebrations or holiday events. I made a couple extra for my kids who were fighting to eat all so they could see the colour inside.
The cupcakes taste incredibly chocolate-y with the moist chocolate cake and the decadent ganache. The inside can be filled with buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or mostly used marshmallow frosting for fauxstess cupcakes. Again, I used my beloved one-bowl chocolate cake recipe which is unbelievably easy that a mind-blowing result.
Ingredients (12 regular sized cupcakes):
Chocolate Cake
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 or 2 drops of blue or pink food coloring paste
Chocolate Ganache
100 grams dark chocolate, cut into small chunks
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon corn syrup
Directions:
To prepare cupcake, preheat oven to 350F. Grease muffin tin or line with muffin liners.
In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Crack in the egg, spoon in the sour cream, and pour in the oil and the vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Pour in the boiling water, and slowly mix until smooth and liquidy.
Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, about halfway full. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely.
To prepare buttercream, beat butter for a few minutes in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add powdered sugar and turn your mixer on low, beat until the sugar incorporates with the butter. Add vanilla and heavy cream, beat on medium speed for another 3 minutes, or until buttercream becomes light and fluffy.
Transfer 1/3 of the buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain pastry tip. Set aside.
Add coloring paste, one drop at a time, to the rest of the buttercream, continue beating until the color is nicely blended.
Using a small pairing knife, cut off the top of the cupcake in the shape of a cone. Flip the top over and cut off the cone. Fill the cavity with a teaspoon or two of frosting. Replace top.
To prepare ganache, place the chocolate, heavy cream and corn syrup in a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.
Grab each cupcake with its bottom, dip cupcake in the ganache to coat the top, let excess drip off. Place cupcakes in refrigerator for 10 minutes to set the ganache.
Pipe a question mark with the reserved buttercream on each cupcake.
23 comments
Hi Fanny,
I’m going to make these cuties this weekend and in preparation I was reading the directions. There is one part I don’t really understand. You have to cut of the top in the shape of a cone, then fill the muffin with buttercream and replace the top. I don’t understand how it looks like to cut in the shape of a cone and wonder how you can dip the muffin in the ganache if you have to separate parts on top of each other. Can you help me out with this one?
Hi Mia, you can refer to the tutorial link here. :)
Hi Fanny, thanks for your quick respond! Am I missing a link or something? I only see a written tutorial of which a part (as written above) I don’t understand. Maybe my English isn’t good enough… Although translation can’t help me with this part either.
Sorry Mia! Here you go: https://www.craftybaking.com/howto/cupcakes-fill-using-cone-method
Ahhh thank you! Is it that simple . Curious how my muffins will be…
Hallo,
Ich verstehe nicht was mit der Butter gemeint ist.
Was bedeutet eine Stange Butter?
Ich würde gerne deine Cupcakes heute noch backen
Just want to let you know thatch is recipe is amazing! Loved the cupcake as well as the frosting and ganache. I used this for my gender reveal and it was an absolute hit! I now make these cupcakes for fun just bec they are so delicious.
Thank you!!
Any idea how I can convert this into a cake recipe? Can I use the batter as per this recipe for a cake instead?
I am so happy to hear that, Elsa! You can totally use this recipe to make a cake. Probably 2-layer 8-inch cake. Of course you have to adjust the baking time. You might want to go for 18 to 20 minutes for each layer. Hope it helps. :)
Wow, they taste amazing! Can’t wait to serve these at Christmas. Thanks voor the recipe!
Lovely idea and lovely cupcakes!
Thanks, Michelle.
Very cute! I wonder how it taste if you used berries or jam as a filling!
Thanks, Mary Frances. I think it would be great to go with berries or jam, especially jam. Sounds really delicious!
My sister is expecting her first child. We will know about the gender very soon. I think I will share with her these adorable cupcakes. Gonna be a very fun and exciting way to tell the family! :D
Hi Anna, congratulations to your sister. Let me know how it goes. :)
Thank you so much, Fanny. Everyone LOVED the cupcakes.
I am so happy to hear that, Sylvia! :)
Would love to have these to celebrate my upcoming baby. Thanks for the idea!
You are very welcome, Patty!
What cute cupcakes!
Thanks, Patricia. :)
Great idea to reveal baby’s gender! Such an exiciting and fun way to celebrate a new life!
Thanks, Juliet. :)