Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Not really sure what urged me to make these...hmmm...

I suppose the devil made me do it!

They were very good, the cake turned out a little too moist...kinda reminded me of a huge cake ball with a strawberry on top.  The original recipe used a chocolate cake instead of strawberry...I just thought strawberry would be good so I went with it!  I filled them with something that I normally don't use... that whipped frosting in the can.  

It was actually good.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cakes

Recipe from Recipe.com 

Servings: 12

Yield: Makes 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 50 mins

ingredients

1/2   cup   butter

1    cup   sugar

1/3   cup   unsweetened cocoa powder

1      egg

1    teaspoon   vanilla

1    cup   all-purpose flour

1/2   teaspoon   baking powder

1/4   teaspoon   baking soda

1/8   teaspoon   salt

3/4   cup   milk

1/4   cup   strawberry jam

1    recipe  Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache

12      medium strawberries

3    ounces   bittersweet and/or milk chocolate curls

Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache

1    cup   whipping cream

10    ounces   bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3    tablespoons   butter

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour or line with paper bake cups twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups; set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar and cocoa powder until combined. Add egg and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, beat lightly just until combined.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to chocolate mixture, beating by hand after each addition. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the edges; carefully remove cupcakes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

If cupcakes don't have paper liners, trim a thin slice from top of each cupcake so they will sit flat. Turn bottom side up. Place cupcakes 2 inches apart on wire rack set over waxed paper. (For cupcakes in liners, peel liners down but do not remove.) Spread 1 teaspoon of the strawberry jam over each cupcake.

Prepare Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache. (below) Spoon ganache over cupcakes, making sure to coat all sides. Place a strawberry on top of each cake. Drizzle each strawberry lightly with ganache, letting the strawberry show through. Top cupcakes with chocolate curls. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache

In a medium saucepan, bring the whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add the bittersweet chocolate, chopped (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until ganache is smooth.

Make Ahead Tip

To Bake Ahead: Prepare as directed through step 4. Place cooled cupcakes in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw cupcakes, if frozen. Continue as directed in step 5.

The cake recipe I used...

Southern Strawberry Cake

from Nothing But Delicious