Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Swiss Meringue

I’ve been procrastinating about writing this post. Sometimes I find it difficult to write about certain holidays (Valentines, in particular, I guess).  It’s hard not to be repetitive or say the exact same thing as every post out there.

Don’t get me wrong, the baking part is easy; making the rich, moist, dark chocolate cupcakes and topping it with fresh strawberry swiss meringue icing and having fun creating chocolate heart arrows to top each pillow of sweet meringue, is not stressful for me.

Valentines is about love and when you’re single, as I am, it can be difficult to have something to talk about or to share. This day can be a reminder of the loss or loneliness that we feel at this particular time of year. It’s hard not to think that Valentine’s Day has become a commercial jackpot for flower shops, retailers, and restaurants. It can cause pressure or stress on individuals to make sure they buy the most expensive gifts to show their love.

Yes, it is only another day, but I do believe it’s an important day (even being single) to remind us to cherish the people we love and to take some time out of our busy schedules to spend with our loved ones.

For me, the easiest way to show my love is to cook and to bake. It’s my time; planning the meal, buying the ingredients, setting the table, and the care that goes into it. Every detail, every touch, it’s prepared with love, with my love!

I chose these chocolate cupcakes with strawberry swiss meringue because dark chocolate and valentines go hand in hand and the soft, pillowy meringue icing made with strawberry puree is a little bit different than the usual buttercream. The handmade chocolate arrows add a cute and playful touch to your Valentine’s cupcakes.

You’d be surprised how sharing food can warm your heart and others around you, at least it does for me. It shows the time you took and the care you put into it.

This Valentine if you’re single try and share the love with others around you instead of worrying about not being in love at this moment. I’m sharing these cupcakes with my brother so he can bring them into his office at work. I know he sometimes brings Timbits in the lunchroom to share, so maybe these chocolate cupcakes with strawberry swiss meringue icing will be extra special and brighten someone’s Valentine’s Day.

And if you’re spending the day with your lover, a homemade dessert or meal is one of the simplest ways of saying I love you.

Happy Valentines Friends ♥

“I’ll eat you up, I love you so.” ~ maurice sendak

Chocolate Cupcakes

Print Recipe

These cupcakes are a perfect Valentine’s treat for your someone special. They are rich, moist and chocolatey – topped with fresh strawberry Swiss meringue icing and cute chocolate heart arrows.

• Author: Alie Romano
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Yield: 36 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup good cocoa powder (dark)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee

Instructions

1. Line 2 – 3 muffin tins with cupcake liners, set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 350˚F.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time and vanilla, beat well.
5. In a separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt, mix well. Set aside.
6. In a small bowl (or a measuring cup) mix together brewed coffee and buttermilk.
7. With the mixer on low speed, add your dry ingredients and coffee mixture to your butter mixture, alternating dry and wet 2 to 3 times.
8. Pour the batter into your prepared muffin cups. Note these cupcakes do not rise very much so you can be a little more generous in filling each cup. For better consistency use an ice-cream scoop to scoop batter into each muffin cup.
9. Bake for approx. 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.
10. Ice with Strawberry Swiss Meringue Icing (recipe below).

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 97
• Sugar: 11.5g
• Sodium: 167mg
• Fat: 3.2g
• Saturated Fat: 1.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 17.2g
• Fiber: 0.8g
• Protein: 1.6g
• Cholesterol: 16mg

Keywords: Chocolate Cupcakes, Cupcakes, Valentines, Swiss Meringue Icing, Chocolate, Strawberry

Strawberry Swiss Meringue Icing

Print Recipe

This icing is a soft, pillowy meringue icing made with strawberry puree and is a little different than the usual buttercream.

• Author: Alie Romano
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 8 mins
• Total Time: 28 mins
• Yield: approx. 3 cups
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: Swiss

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup pureed fresh strawberries – pureed in a food processor

Instructions

1. In a heatproof bowl (preferably your mixing bowl of your electric mixer) set over a saucepan of simmering water (making sure the water doesn’t hit the bowl), combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (approx. 160˚F degrees if you have a candy thermometer).
2. Place the bowl back to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6-8 minutes.
3. Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Beat in vanilla. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in strawberry puree with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon
• Calories: 97
• Sugar: 7.1g
• Sodium: 58mg
• Fat: 7.7g
• Saturated Fat: 4.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 7.1g
• Fiber: 0
• Protein: 0.5g
• Cholesterol: 20mg

Keywords: Swiss Meringue, Icing

Chocolate Heart Arrows

Print Recipe

Cute homemade chocolate arrows for decorating cupcakes tops, especially for Valentine’s Day.

• Author: Alie Romano
• Prep Time: 3 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 8 mins
• Yield: 20–30 1x
• Category: Candy
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) melted dark chocolate

Instructions

1. Melt dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl either using a double boiler or in the microwave. Make sure to slowly melt chocolate on low heat.
2. Transfer melted chocolate to a piping bag (I make mine out of parchment paper when I need a really small tip, here’s a quick video on how to make your own).
3. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe arrowheads, and hearts. Make sure you extend the sticks of the arrows and hearts longer than normal; so you have room to stick them into the icing without losing the length on the arrow.
4. Transfer the baking sheet with all your chocolate arrows and hearts to the fridge for 10 minutes to set.
5. Carefully peel them off the parchment paper and place them into your Valentine cupcakes.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 arrow
• Calories: 10
• Sugar: 1g
• Sodium: 1mg
• Fat: 0.6g
• Saturated Fat: 0.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 1.1g
• Fiber: 0.1g
• Protein: 0.1g
• Cholesterol: 0

Keywords: Chocolate, Cake Decorating, Valentine’s Day

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