Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
This is one of the best cupcake recipes created in KICA academy. It consists of a moist chocolate sponge, luscious chocolate caramel cream and a chocolate cupcake frosting with ground cocoa nibs. As usual, everything is made from scratch.
This recipe makes 10 cupcakes
each is 100 grams approximately
each is 100 grams approximately
Table of Contents
Tools
You will find the list of recommended instruments below:
- Paper cupcake liners bottom diameter=5 cm, top diameter = 6 cm, height =4 cm, V=100 ml -10 pcs
- A stand mixer/hand mixer
- A whisk
- A silicone spatula
- Scales
- A strainer/sifter
- A piping bag – 3 pcs
- A knife
- A probe thermometer
- A hand blender
- A thick-bottomed saucepan
- A melon baller
- A closed star piping tip d=11 mm with 9 prongs
- A food processor
- A microwave oven
Chocolate cupcake frosting with cocoa nibs
- 300 g of whipping cream 35%
- 66 g of cocoa nibs
- 15 g of sugar
- 150 g of mascarpone cheese
- 2 g of gelatine powder 200 Bloom
- 12 g of wate
55%
13%
3%
27%
<1%
2%
13%
3%
27%
<1%
2%
100%
Total weight: ~545 g
1. Pour the gelatine powder into a bowl and soak it in cold water for 10 minutes.
TIP: If you prefer to use gelatine sheets, opt for Gold ones and use the same amount – 2 grams. Soak them in large quantity of ice-cold water for 10 minutes, then drain them and use as indicated in the recipe.
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2. Then pour the whipping cream into a saucepan, heat it up to 60 °C / 140 °F and then dissolve the bloomed gelatine and sugar in it.
3. Transfer the mixture into a measuring cup. After that add the cocoa nibs and the mascarpone cheese. Process everything with a hand blender for about 30 seconds. Cocoa nibs have to be crushed into fine particles during blending.
3. Transfer the mixture into a measuring cup. After that add the cocoa nibs and the mascarpone cheese. Process everything with a hand blender for about 30 seconds. Cocoa nibs have to be crushed into fine particles during blending.
TIP: You may use other types of cream cheese in this recipe. We recommend using full-fat ones, containing at least 30% fat.
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4. Pour the mixture into a clean bowl, cover it with plastic wrap touching the surface and put it in the fridge for at least 6 hours. This time is necessary for cocoa nibs to infuse the cream and also the dairy fat crystals to stabilize. This will allow to produce a better texture of the frosting when whipped.
Chocolate caramel cream
- 42 g of glucose syrup (1)
- 37 g of sugar
- 100 g of whipping cream 35%
- 20 g of glucose syrup (2)
- 1 g of sea salt
- 35 g of whole milk (1)
- 35 g of dark chocolate Valrhona Coeur de Guanaja 80%
- 30 g of butter 82%
- 60 g of whole milk 3.2% (2)
12%
10%
28%
6%
<1%
10%
10%
8%
16%
10%
28%
6%
<1%
10%
10%
8%
16%
100%
Total weight: ~ 360 g
1. Warm up the whipping cream, glucose syrup (2), salt and milk (1) to the boiling point. This can be done either in a saucepan or in a microwave oven. It is important to have this mixture hot, when the caramel is ready.
2. Meanwhile, put the glucose syrup (1) and the sugar in a saucepan and cook them to 180 °C / 356 °F or to an amber colour.
3. When the caramel is ready, remove the saucepan from the stove and slowly pour the hot mixture from step 1 into it, whisking it constantly to avoid the formation of clumps.
4. Return the saucepan back on the heat and cook the caramel to 105 °C / 221 °F. Check the temperature using a probe thermometer, but make sure not to touch the bottom of the saucepan with it, otherwise, the reading won't be accurate.
5. Let the caramel cool down to 70 °C / 158 °F. Then blend in the chocolate and the butter. Process everything with a hand blender for 1 minute until you a get a smooth and shiny emulsion.
6. Lastly, add the cold milk (2) and blend the mixture for another minute.
7. Cover the chocolate caramel cream with plastic wrap touching the surface and put it in the fridge for 6 hours to stabilize.
2. Meanwhile, put the glucose syrup (1) and the sugar in a saucepan and cook them to 180 °C / 356 °F or to an amber colour.
3. When the caramel is ready, remove the saucepan from the stove and slowly pour the hot mixture from step 1 into it, whisking it constantly to avoid the formation of clumps.
4. Return the saucepan back on the heat and cook the caramel to 105 °C / 221 °F. Check the temperature using a probe thermometer, but make sure not to touch the bottom of the saucepan with it, otherwise, the reading won't be accurate.
5. Let the caramel cool down to 70 °C / 158 °F. Then blend in the chocolate and the butter. Process everything with a hand blender for 1 minute until you a get a smooth and shiny emulsion.
6. Lastly, add the cold milk (2) and blend the mixture for another minute.
7. Cover the chocolate caramel cream with plastic wrap touching the surface and put it in the fridge for 6 hours to stabilize.
TIP: This chocolate caramel cream can be stored in the fridge for 1 week in a sealed container. Alternatively, you may freeze it and keep for 1 month at -18 °C / -0,4 °F. When needed, put it in the fridge overnight to defrost and then use as desired.
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Moist chocolate cupcakes
- 44 g of marzipan 60%
- 72 g of egg yolks
- 17 g of banana puree
- 16 g of cocoa powder
- 23 g of dark chocolate Valrhona Guanaja 70% 50 g of butter 82%
- 105 g of egg whites
- 23 g of sugar
- 0.7 g of sea salt
- 100 g of chopped dark chocolate Valrhona Guanaja 70%
10%
16%
4%
4%
5%
11%
23%
5%
<1%
22%
16%
4%
4%
5%
11%
23%
5%
<1%
22%
100%
Total weight: ~ 450 g
1. Preheat the oven to 165 °C / 329 °F. Prepare a baking tray and paper cups for cupcakes.
2. Mix the marzipan, egg yolks and banana puree in a food processor until smooth.
2. Mix the marzipan, egg yolks and banana puree in a food processor until smooth.
TIP: If you don't have a food processor, blend the marzipan with the egg yolks and the banana puree using a hand blender.
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3. Melt the chocolate with butter to 45-50 °C / 113-122 °F in a microwave oven or in a double boiler. Add this mixture to the marzipan and the egg yolks and process until you get a smooth texture.
4. Combine the egg whites, sugar and sea salt in a mixer bowl and whip them on medium speed until medium-stiff peaks using a whisk attachment. Remember that the egg whites should be at room temperature. And also, be careful not to overwhip the meringue, otherwise the cupcakes won't rise properly during baking.
5. Sift the cocoa powder and add it to the chocolate mixture. Mix until combined. Then transfer the mixture into a clean mixing bowl.
4. Combine the egg whites, sugar and sea salt in a mixer bowl and whip them on medium speed until medium-stiff peaks using a whisk attachment. Remember that the egg whites should be at room temperature. And also, be careful not to overwhip the meringue, otherwise the cupcakes won't rise properly during baking.
5. Sift the cocoa powder and add it to the chocolate mixture. Mix until combined. Then transfer the mixture into a clean mixing bowl.
TIP: Opt for an alkalized cocoa powder (dutched) in this recipe so that the cupcakes obtain a better chocolate flavour and colour.
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6. Fold the meringue into the chocolate mixture in 3 steps using a spatula, taking care not to beat the air out of the meringue.
7. Lastly, add the chopped dark chocolate (or small chocolate chips) to the batter and mix it gently.
7. Lastly, add the chopped dark chocolate (or small chocolate chips) to the batter and mix it gently.
TIP: The chocolate should be chopped to a size of a pea.
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8. Fill the piping bag with the chocolate batter and pipe 40 grams of it into each paper cup, filling the paper cup not more than by 3/4.
9. Bake the cupcakes for 10-12 minutes until they rise. When ready, the toothpick, inserted in the centre of the baked cupcake, should come out clean and dry.
10. Transfer the cupcakes on a wire rack and leave them for some time to cool down at room temperature.
9. Bake the cupcakes for 10-12 minutes until they rise. When ready, the toothpick, inserted in the centre of the baked cupcake, should come out clean and dry.
10. Transfer the cupcakes on a wire rack and leave them for some time to cool down at room temperature.
TIP: You may freeze the baked chocolate cupcakes for up to 1 month. Store them at -18 °C / -0,4 °F in a sealed container. When needed, defrost them at room temperature.
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Assembling and decoration of the chocolate cupcakes
1. Using a melon baller 3 cm in diameter, make a hole in the centre of each chocolate cupcake.
2. Transfer the chocolate caramel cream to a piping bag. Fill each cavity with it, applying about 10 grams of the caramel cream per cupcake. Keep the leftover caramel: you will need it for decoration.
3. Strain the chocolate frosting to remove cocoa nib particles. Press on it well to collect maximum cream possible.
4. Put the strained frosting in a bowl of a stand mixer and whip it to a creamy and pipeable texture. It should resemble a soft-serve ice-cream. Be careful not to overwhip the frosting, otherwise it will turn grainy and will have an unpleasant greasy mouthfeel.
5. Transfer the whipped frosting into a piping bag fitted with a closed star tip 11 mm in diameter. Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake. You will need about 30-35 grams of frosting per cupcake.
6. Use the leftover caramel cream to pipe lines on top of the frosting.
2. Transfer the chocolate caramel cream to a piping bag. Fill each cavity with it, applying about 10 grams of the caramel cream per cupcake. Keep the leftover caramel: you will need it for decoration.
3. Strain the chocolate frosting to remove cocoa nib particles. Press on it well to collect maximum cream possible.
4. Put the strained frosting in a bowl of a stand mixer and whip it to a creamy and pipeable texture. It should resemble a soft-serve ice-cream. Be careful not to overwhip the frosting, otherwise it will turn grainy and will have an unpleasant greasy mouthfeel.
5. Transfer the whipped frosting into a piping bag fitted with a closed star tip 11 mm in diameter. Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake. You will need about 30-35 grams of frosting per cupcake.
6. Use the leftover caramel cream to pipe lines on top of the frosting.
TIP: You may slightly warm up the caramel cream in a microwave oven to liquefy it and make it easier to pipe thin lines on top of the frosting.
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7. Leave the assembled and decorated cupcakes in the fridge for 30 minutes to stabilize. The finished cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator for 72 hours at 3-5 °C / 37-41 °F. Alternatively, you may freeze them and store in a sealed container for up to 1 month at -18 °C / -0,4 °F.
