“Is it Balemtime’s yet?! Can we make chocolate tweats?”

I didn’t think a 4-year-old could get more excited about something that wasn’t Christmas- or dinosaur-related. But I was wrong. It’s because there’s chocolate.

And Master Yoda.

She is my kid, after all. Although only one of us would choose broccoli & ranch over chocolate. Spoiler: IT’S NOT ME.

She picked out “chocolate writing cupcakes” to make for our friends after seeing a picture over my shoulder. And heart-shaped pancakes for Balemtime’s Dinner at home.

Solid choices.

The one-bowl, deep, dark chocolate cupcakes are coated with an insanely messy chocolate glaze. Then decorated with melted white chocolate. Perfect for you and about 20 of your other favorite Valentines. I mean Balemtimes.

Print

Chocolate Valentine's Cupcakes

Rich chocolatey cupcakes, perfect for your Valentine.

Ingredients

• For the cupcakes:
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (I used nonfat Greek yogurt)
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• For the glaze:
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp corn syrup
• For writing:
• 1-2 oz white chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners (I got 21 cupcakes).
3. Whisk the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until mixed well.
4. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
5. Scoop batter into the liners, filling ~2/3 full.
6. Bake ~18 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched.
7. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
8. Microwave the heavy cream until hot, 1 minute.
9. Add the chopped chocolate and corn syrup and let sit for 3 minutes.
10. Stir until smooth. If there larger chunks remain, let the chocolate sit another minute or two.
11. Let the glaze sit about 5 minutes and then dip the cooled cupcakes into the chocolate glaze, returning to the rack to set. You'll have leftover glaze.
12. Microwave the white chocolate in a small bowl until melted and smooth.
13. Transfer to a sandwich bag, twist the bag closed, and snip a very tiny corner off the bag.
14. Decorate as desired.

Notes

Yields: ~21 cupcakes

Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

Estimated time: 60 minutes