Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

America's chocolate covered bacon concoction is an indication of intense chocolate love.  But the U.S. does not come close to matching Japan’s love affair with the cacao bean.

In Japan, chocolate fans enjoy chocolate with:

  • Azuki red beans
  • Chestnuts
  • Green tea / Matcha
  • Mocha
  • Sour plum soda
  • Sweet potato
  • Soy beans (Edamame)
  • Shrimp chips coated in chocolate.
  • An array of fruits including strawberries.



Japanese Strawberry Chocolate Kit Kats


Japan is in fact the world’s greatest consumer of dessert strawberries. Not only do the ruby gems make a regular appearance on cakes and pastries, many Japanese chocolate bars incorporate strawberry flavors. (Allowance - as a child growing up in Tokyo - was frequently spent at train kiosk stands selling  pandas etched on strawberry chocolate lollipops.)  After spending the first 18 years of my life in Japan, you can bet a combo of strawberry and chocolate still tickles my palate. (Do you have a favorite companion to chocolate? Love to hear!)



Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes


When Trisha Yearwood – the famous country songstress and wife of Garth Brooks – shared her grandmother’s strawberry cupcake recipe on Trisha’s Southern Kitchen (on Food Network TV), my first thought was to bake up a batch and drizzle chocolate over the pink treasures.

Serendipitously,  I was asked to review silicone baking cups by Rizzi from The New York Baking Company. I agreed with a tad of trepidation. But the rainbow of colors, my curiosity and the possibility of acquiring a useful baking tool swayed me.  



New York (BPA Free) Baking Cups 


Here's the review: My experiences with silicone baking equipment have left me feeling lukewarm about the stuff. The first time I used silicone only half of the cakes fell out of their flower silicone molds despite the generous dosage of cooking spray. The second silicone experience was better. Perhaps it was the coconut oil that did the trick on vegan chocolate brownie balls I made from the Baby Cakes cookbook. On my newly acquired silicone cups, I again employed cooking spray. After cooling the cupcakes for about 7 minutes, my strawberry wonders slipped out of the cups like a dream. (A good dream!) Maybe the third time for anything really is a charm!



Strawberry frosting flower garnishes are as easy to make
as the cake and chocolate ganache. 


The other bit of good news: Instead of hiding the pink hue in a cupcake case,  I was able to display the pretty cake. (Of course, you can always spray a muffin pan like crazy and get the same results. But, frankly, I'm not keen on scrubbing crumb and grease encrusted pans.) 

Note: The baking cups were complimentary. However, no compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

Here are the recipes to create Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes:

Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes


Japanese combine chocolate with everything from edamame soy beans to sweet potatoes. And strawberries, of course, as Japan is the world's greatest consumer of the ruby gem sweets.

  • The strawberry cupcake recipe is adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood.
  • Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson inspired the chocolate ganache. 
  • Strawberry frosting is the creation of yours truly, The Ninja Baker.
Ingredients: 


For the strawberry cupcakes:

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 1 box (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh strawberries
  • 4 large eggs

Tip: Dab the strawberries with a paper towel to avoid excess moisture.

For the chocolate ganache:

  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup heavy cream

For the strawberry frosting:

  • 1 tub (8 ounces) of whipped cream cheese
  • 5 tablespoons strawberry gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Directions: 


For the strawberry cupcakes:

  1. Combine all ingredients with an electric mixer. 
  2. Divide into silicone baking cups or into cupcake cases in a muffin tin
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
  4. Cool


For the chocolate ganache:

  1. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over a medium-low flame. 
  2. Stir occasionally and watch for small boil bubbles.
  3. Remove from the stove and swirl the cream over the chocolate.
  4. (Make sure all the bits of chocolate have been touched by the cream.)
  5. Cover for 5 minutes. 
  6. Stir vigorously from the inside of the melted chocolate until a smooth blanket of chocolate appears.
  7. Let the ganache rest for 3 hours. Go ahead and give the bowl a stir once every hour.
  8. (No worries if you don't. I've let it go without a single stir and the ganache is still great.)
  9. Frost the cooled cupcakes.


For the strawberry frosting:

  1. Whip up all the ingredients with an electric mixer.
  2. Fill a piping bag with a star tip and garnish the cupcakes.

 

Wishing you days filled with lovely surprises. 

The Ninja Baker

© ™ Watkinson 2012

The Ninja Baker has guest blogged and contributed recipes to numerous food sites. These additional recipes can be found here.

 

 

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#Easy #Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
#Recipe
Silicone Baking Cups