Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

These cupcakes are my idea of a cupcake twist of the classic chocolate covered strawberries. I've had this idea to make these cupcakes for a long time now and I finally made them. I was so excited to see how they would turn out. They were just as delicious as I imagined, if not better!

After the chocolate cupcakes cooled I made an cheater's ganache and topped the cupcakes with it. Once it sets it's time for the delicious strawberry buttercream frosting!

I couldn't find a good strawberry buttercream frosting so I made up my own recipe and it turned out to be one of the best frostings I've ever tasted!  I made a classic buttercream frosting and added fresh strawberries to it. Oh my goodness! Delicious! I didn't realize that buttercream and strawberries are a match made in heaven!

Then I piped it on the cupcakes in a heart shape. Absolutley adorable!  When you bite into it you will be transformed! I had never had anything like this before. It did remind me of eating chocolate covered strawberries just everything was presented differently. You get a lovely taste of chocolate cupcake along with delicious chocolate from the ganache, then a burst of flavor from the strawberry buttercream. It is heavenly!

These cupcakes are sure to make that special someone feel loved!

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream
Love to be in the Kitchen Original Recipe
Ingredients:
24-27 Chocolate Cupcakes (from a box mix or your favorite recipe)

Cheater's Chocolate Ganache
(Adapted from One Lovely Life)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-5 medium fresh strawberries, *pureed (4 tablespoons of puree)

Directions:
Once cupcakes are cool, prepare the chocolate ganache by placing all ingredients in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir.  Microwave for about 15 more seconds or until chocolate chips are melted and stir until smooth. Using the back of a spoon, lightly frost each cupcake with a smooth layer of ganche.  Wait until the chocolate is set before topping with the frosting.

To make the frosting: 
In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter at medium-high speed for about 3-5 minutes.

Turn the mixer down to low speed and gradually add powdered sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully incorporated, about 30 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and strawberry puree, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 20 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

To frost the cupcakes use either a piping bag fitted with Wilton tip 2A or a zip-lock bag with a small corner snipped. Pipe hearts on each cupcake.

(I pureed my strawberries by first washing them and slicing them, then covering them with a generous pinch of sugar and letting them sit for about 10 minutes. Then I pureed them in my food processor but of course a blender works great! You could probably even mash them yourself using a fork.)