Sometimes it is just fun to create cupcakes, so why not make dark chocolate cakes with sunflowers. Of course I had to have a tablescape to go with the dessert. These cupcakes are dark chocolate cakes filled with a creamy coconut cream cheese chocolate chip filling. What????
As you know cupcakes had a big explosion of popularity a few years ago, but that is not to say they are not still popular today. Get out your hand mixer and cake mix, package of cream cheese, chips and create some great cupcakes.
How to Make Dark Chocolate Sunflower Cupcakes
Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. I used dark liners for baking, and not the decorative liners, as the decorative liners turn color during baking. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Place oven rack in center of oven.
Make the cupcake batter. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add cake mix, water, oil, egg, vanilla and beat until smooth about 2 minutes. If you want to add mini chocolate chips add them now but hand stir as not to break the chips to blend. Set aside.
Make Cupcake Filling
In small mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese, one egg, coconut flakes and mix to combine. If mixture is too wet, add additional coconut. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Set aside.
Scoop 1 tablespoon into bottom of each cupcake liner, then 1 teaspoon of coconut filling, top with 1 tablespoon of cupcake batter or enough batter to cover filling up to 3/4 full in cupcake liner.
Bake cupcakes at 350 for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven after baking and cool before frosting. Place in refrigerator to create firm piping surface. I like to chill the cupcakes at least 30 minutes. At this point if you want to freeze the unfrosted cupcakes place in freezer zip lock baggie and freeze until ready to frost and serve.
Making the Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting for Sunflower Design
In medium mixing bowl, add softened butter, sifted confectioners sugar and whip until smooth. Add whole milk and vanilla, whipping until smooth and creamy. Tint frosting with golden yellow food coloring gel to desired sunflower color. If you decide you want to add green leaves, tint 1/4 of the vanilla frosting with green food gel. I did not add green leaves.
Double recipe for 24 cupcakes. You will need this much frosting to create the sunflower design.
How to Decorate Sunflower Cupcakes
You will need 12 -24 baked cupcakes, cooled and ready to frost, tinted butter cream frosting, ganache, piping tip, ganache and chocolate jimmies.
I used my favorite buttercream frosting recipe and tinted with 3 drops of golden yellow food coloring gel. (Be sure to use color gel and not liquid food coloring for the gel will color the frosting without making it thin in consistency.)
Because the sunflower decor needs a medium density frosting this buttercream recipe will do the trick. Also, you will need a piping tip # 366 to pipe the individual sunflower petals. For the center of the sunflower, chocolate ganache was spooned into the center and sprinkled with chocolate small jimmies.
Lets Make Some Cupcakes
PrintHow to Make Dark Chocolate Sunflower Cupcakes
Sunny sunflower is piped on top of dark chocolate coconut cream cheese filled cupcakes.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 60 + minutes
- Yield: 24 cupcakes 1x
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
1– 18.25 ounce package dark chocolate fudge cake mix
1–1/3 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1/2 cup mini chocolate morsels-optional
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cupcake Filling
1–8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or standard size
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting -Double recipe to frost 24 cupcakes
12 tablespoons room temperature real salted butter
2–3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1–1/2 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
food coloring gel- golden yellow
Ganache
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line standard cupcake pan with cupcake liners, lightly spray liners with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix all Cupcake ingredients in mixing bowl and beat 2 minutes until combined.
- Mix all Filling ingredients in small bowl, set aside.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon into bottom of each cupcake liner, then 1 teaspoon of coconut filling, top with 1 tablespoon of cupcake batter or enough batter to cover filling up to 3/4 full in cupcake liner.
- Bake cupcakes at 350 for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven after baking and cool before frosting. Place in refrigerator to create firm piping surface
Ganache
In small mixing bowl, heat whipping cream in microwave for 30 seconds or until warm but not boiling. Remove from microwave and add chocolate morsels. Do not stir, wait 5 minutes then stir until chocolate is melted and ganache is formed. Set aside.
Buttercream Frosting
- While cupcakes are baking, make your frosting. Place all ingredients into mixing bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle. Beat until creamy smooth.
- Remove from mixing bowl and place in smaller bowl, tint frosting with golden yellow gel until your desired color is created.
- Place golden yellow frosting in piping bag fitted with tip # 366 large leaf tip.
- With small offset spatula spread buttercream around the perimeter of cupcake and leave the center open. Buttercream should be welled up on the sides to create depth of sunflower and a well to hold the ganache center.
- Holding piping tip with the V tip sideways so the depth of the V is horizontal, place tip into frosting on the outer edge of cupcake and pipe a single petal. Repeat piping to create an edge of petals, Repeat with second row but this time start piping from the inner edge of well of buttercream and pulling tip to cover edge of already piped petals.
- With small spoon or piping tip # 5, fill center of cupcake with ganache. Sprinkle with chocolate jimmies.
- Cupcakes are ready to serve. Keep refrigerated for 1-2 days. Best eaten day you make.
Notes
Cupcakes can be baked ahead and frozen until ready to frost.
Recipe makes 24 standard cupcakes or 48 mini’s.
You will need to double the frosting recipe if you plan to frost all 24 cupcakes at one time. Recipe given is for 12 cupcakes.
If you want to make chocolate cupcakes from scratch check out this recipe Mocha Chocolate Cupcakes. It is delicious.
Have a fun time baking and creating these cute sunflower cupcakes!
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