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Easy Heart Cupcakes Recipe

Heart-Shaped Chocolate Cupcakes
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Whip up these easy, adorable Heart-Shaped Chocolate Cupcakes! Perfect for sharing love. Bake yours today!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup hot water or coffee
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 8 ounces good quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to a cozy 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. To create the heart shape, gently fold a small piece of aluminum foil to create a V-shape and place it between the liner and the muffin tin wall, pushing it in to indent the liner at one side. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and a generous pinch of salt. Ensure there are no lumps.
  • In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: large eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Once combined, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer or by hand with a whisk until just barely combined. Do not overmix; just a few strokes until no pockets of dry flour remain. The batter will be thick at this stage.
  • Dissolve the espresso powder (if using) into the hot water or hot coffee. Pour this hot liquid directly into your cupcake batter. With a whisk, mix until the batter is smooth and a beautiful consistency – it should be fairly thin and almost pourable. This hot liquid ‘blooms’ the cocoa, intensifying the chocolate flavor and contributing to moisture. Divide the batter evenly among your prepared heart-shaped muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
  • Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. The tops should spring back gently when lightly touched. Be careful not to overbake. Once baked, remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the tin for about 5-10 minutes. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  • While your cupcakes are cooling, finely chop the good quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate and place it into a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, gently heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Remove the hot cream from the heat and immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, using a whisk, start stirring gently from the center outwards until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and fully combined into a beautiful ganache. Whisk in the softened unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a tiny pinch of salt until everything is perfectly incorporated and the ganache is wonderfully silky and spreadable. If it’s too warm to pipe, let it cool for a short while at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a thick but still pipe-able consistency.
  • Once your heart-shaped chocolate cupcakes are completely cool, use a piping bag fitted with your favorite large tip (a star tip or a round tip, or a simple Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off) to pipe generous swirls of the silky chocolate ganache onto each cupcake. Start on the outer edge of the cupcake and spiral inward, lifting the bag as you reach the center to create a lovely peak. Alternatively, use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to create a lovely, swoopy layer of frosting on top.

Notes

These Heart-Shaped Chocolate Cupcakes are little declarations of love, baked into every moist, decadent bite. Imagine a rich, deeply chocolatey sponge, so tender it practically melts on your tongue, crowned with a swirl of velvety smooth chocolate ganache frosting. Each cupcake is baked with a special touch to reveal its adorable heart shape, making them absolutely perfect for spreading joy and sweetness on any occasion, especially when love is in the air. Their irresistible charm lies in their delicate balance of intense chocolate flavor and their utterly heartwarming presentation.

Find it online: https://thecozycuppa.com/heart-cupcakes/