These Chocolate Strawberry Valentine’s Day Cupcakes with Ganache Drizzle are basically a love letter in dessert form: rich chocolate cupcakes, a strawberry-kissed frosting, and a glossy ganache finish that makes them look straight-up bakery-worthy.
They’re sweet without being too sweet, festive without being fussy, and perfect for Valentine’s Day parties, date night at home, or a “me, myself, and I” treat moment.
Why You’ll Love This
You get the best of both worlds—deep chocolate and bright strawberry—plus a dramatic ganache drizzle that makes every cupcake look like it tried (in the best way). They’re easy enough for a weeknight bake, but cute enough for gifting.
Ingredients
- For the chocolate cupcakes: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs (room temp)
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (canola/vegetable)
- 1 cup buttermilk (room temp)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup hot coffee or hot water (coffee makes it extra chocolatey)
- For the strawberry frosting: 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 to 4 tbsp heavy cream or milk (as needed)
- For the ganache drizzle: 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Optional garnish: fresh strawberry slices, sprinkles, or chocolate curls (add right before serving)
How to Make It
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners (or make 18 with slightly smaller scoops).
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in the hot coffee (or hot water). The batter will be thin—this is normal and makes the cupcakes super moist.
- Fill liners about 2/3 full. Bake 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the strawberry frosting: blend freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder (a blender or food processor works best). In a mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy, then add powdered sugar, strawberry powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy, adding cream 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s smooth, pipeable, and not stiff.
- Pipe or spread frosting onto fully cooled cupcakes. If you’re piping, a large star tip gives that classic Valentine’s swirl.
- Make ganache: heat heavy cream until steaming (microwave 30–60 seconds or on the stovetop—don’t boil). Pour over chopped chocolate and let sit 2 minutes, then stir until glossy and smooth.
- Let ganache cool 5–10 minutes so it thickens slightly, then drizzle over frosted cupcakes using a spoon or a small zip-top bag with the corner snipped. Add garnish if using and let set for about 10 minutes before serving.
Tips for the Best Results
- Cool completely before frosting: warm cupcakes will melt buttercream and slide right off.
- Use freeze-dried strawberries for flavor: they give big strawberry energy without making the frosting watery.
- Don’t overbake: pull them when a toothpick has moist crumbs—dry cupcakes are not the vibe.
- Ganache texture trick: if it’s too thin, let it sit longer; if it’s too thick, warm it in 5-second bursts and stir.
- Make it neat: chill frosted cupcakes for 10 minutes before drizzling so the ganache sets faster and stays pretty.
- Buttermilk swap: no buttermilk? Mix 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar; rest 5 minutes.
Variations
- Chocolate-covered strawberry vibe: add a fresh strawberry slice on top right after drizzling ganache.
- Strawberry-filled center: core the cupcakes and spoon in strawberry jam, then frost as usual.
- Dark chocolate ganache: use bittersweet chocolate for a less-sweet, more intense drizzle.
- Pink chocolate drizzle: swap ganache for melted white chocolate tinted with oil-based pink coloring.
- Mini cupcakes: bake 10–12 minutes and top with a smaller swirl—perfect for parties and gifting boxes.
Storage & Reheating
Store cupcakes in an airtight container. If your kitchen is cool, they’re fine at room temp for up to 1 day; otherwise refrigerate up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving for the best flavor and texture. (No reheating needed—these are a chill-and-serve situation.)
FAQ
Can I use fresh strawberries in the frosting instead of freeze-dried?
Fresh strawberries add too much moisture and can make buttercream loose or grainy. If you really want to use them, cook chopped strawberries with a little sugar into a thick reduction, cool completely, then beat in 2–3 tablespoons max.
Why does the cupcake batter look so thin?
Totally normal—hot coffee/water thins the batter, which helps bloom the cocoa and keeps the crumb extra moist. Just fill the liners carefully and you’ll be good.
How do I keep the ganache from melting the frosting?
Let the ganache cool until it’s slightly thick and barely warm, then drizzle. Also, make sure the cupcakes are cooled and consider chilling the frosted cupcakes for 10 minutes before adding ganache.
Can I make these cupcakes ahead for Valentine’s Day?
Yes. Bake cupcakes 1 day ahead and store airtight at room temp. Make frosting and ganache the day-of (or make frosting ahead and refrigerate; re-whip to fluff). Assemble and drizzle within a few hours of serving for the prettiest finish.
What’s the best way to pipe the frosting for that Valentine’s look?
Use a large star tip (like 1M) and pipe a tall swirl starting from the outside edge moving inward. If the frosting feels too soft, chill it for 10–15 minutes, then pipe again for cleaner definition.