These super moist chocolate hi-hat cupcakes are topped with a creamy strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream and dunked in a shell of chocolate. Just like a chocolate covered strawberry in cupcake form!
WHAT YOU NEED vegetable oil granulated sugar egg vanilla extract all purpose flour unsweetened cocoa powder baking soda salt boiling water freeze dried strawberries egg whites unsalted butter bittersweet chocolate
1. Bake the chocolate cupcakes for 15-17 minutes or until the centers have puffed up and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then remove and transfer to a cooling rack.
2. Measure out 1 cup of freeze dried strawberries and run them through a food processor to make about 1/2 cup of powder. Set aside.
3. Fill a pot about 1/3 full of water and bring it to a simmer. Place a heat safe bowl on top of the pot, ensuring it doesn’t touch the water. 4. Whisk together the egg whites and sugar. Keep whisking occasionally and heat until it reaches 160F. 5. Pour the mixture into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Run the mixer on high to cool down the mixture and create that meringue texture.
6. Turn the mixer down to medium speed. Drop in your room temperature butter, one cube at a time, only adding the next when the cube prior is mixed in. 7. Mix in the freeze dried strawberry powder, vanilla, and salt.
8. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Make tall swirls that are larger at the bottom and smaller at the top by applying even pressure to the piping bag. 9. Once all the cupcakes are frosted, transfer them to the freezer for 20 minutes.
10. Right before you’re ready to pull the cupcakes out of the freezer, mix together the chocolate and oil. Pop it in the microwave in 30 second increments until it’s completely smooth. Pour it into a tall glass for dunking. 11. Invert your cupcakes and dunk the frosting swirls right into the chocolate. Allow some of the chocolate to drip off by holding it over the chocolate for a couple seconds, then quickly flip it back over. Chill to harden the shells.