Tasty Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe : Savor a homemade take on the traditional packaged delicacy! Beginning with a moist and intensely chocolaty cupcake, these lovely cream-filled chocolate cupcakes are filled with a light and airy vanilla buttercream and finished with a decadent two-ingredient chocolate ganache. Taste testers have raved about these pastries, which are honestly among the greatest I’ve ever prepared.
Tasty Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (42g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) hot coffee or hot water
Chocolate Ganache Topping
- 6 ounces (170g)semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2/3 cup (160ml or 5.3 ounces) heavy cream
Whipped Vanilla Buttercream Filling
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
Instructions
Prepare the cupcakes: Set oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Make sure to use cupcake liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. There will be roughly 15 cupcakes from this recipe, so either bake in batches or line a second muffin pan with 3 cupcake liners.
In a large basin, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Put aside. Combine the buttermilk, sugar, egg, vanilla, and oil and whisk until well blended. After adding the hot coffee or water and pouring the wet components into the dry ingredients, mix the batter until all of the ingredients are integrated. Thin batter.
Only fill the liners to two thirds full to prevent spills over the sides when you pour or spoon the batter into them. There should be enough batter to make fifteen cupcakes.
When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, bake for 20 to 22 minutes.
After letting the cupcakes cool in the pan for ten minutes, move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Before assembling, cupcakes need to be fully cooled—you may even refrigerate them for 20 to 30 minutes if the tops of them are too sticky.
Prepare the ganache de chocolate: Finely chop the chocolate and put it in a medium-sized heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until it starts to simmer softly. (Remember not to let it boil quickly—that’s too hot!) To gently soften the chocolate, pour over and let settle for two to three minutes. Stir the ingredients very slowly until the chocolate has melted and it is smooth, using a metal spoon or small rubber spatula. Ganache has a thin texture. The chocolate will melt with the cream more quickly if it is chopped finely. Never microwave something if it’s not melting. See Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache if necessary. After the ganache mixture is smooth, place it in the fridge to cool for at least half an hour. thicken before spreading on cooled and filled cupcakes.
Make the whipped vanilla buttercream filling: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add up to 1/4 cup (30g) more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or another 1 Tablespoon (15ml) of cream if frosting is too thick. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. (I add a very tiny pinch of salt.) Frosting should be extra fluffy.
Fill the cupcakes: Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the center of the cooled cupcakes to create a little pocket about 1 inch deep. The piece you removed will be sort of cone-shaped. Spoon or pipe whipped buttercream inside each carved-out cupcake—use however much frosting will fit. (I use either a teaspoon measuring spoon or Wilton piping tip #12 to fill cupcakes. Usually you can fit between 1–2 teaspoons of frosting in each.) Slice/tear off the pointy end of the “cone” piece of cupcake you removed, and gently press the round piece back on top of the filling.
Top with ganache: With a knife or small icing spatula, spread the thickened chocolate ganache on top of each cupcake. Spread on a thick layer, so it sets as a thick fudge-like topping.
(Details optional) Pipe loops or swirls of frosting on top: Spoon leftover vanilla buttercream into a piping bag. Cover the cupcake with ganache and pipe a swirling pattern on top, or any other design you like. (There’s no need to chill the cupcakes with ganache before doing this.) For piping, I use the Wilton piping tip #6.
Before serving, serve right away or store covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to one day. Cupcake crumbs can be covered and refrigerated for up to five days. For storing and transferring decorated cupcakes, I suggest using a cupcake container.
