Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
When birthdays roll around at our house, it’s almost a given that some sort of chocolate dessert is needed for the celebration. These rich Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Cupcakes, each with a swirl of ganache, are a perennial favorite for any special occasion!
This Chocolate Cupcake Recipe is always a hit. The cupcakes are moist and tender plus the ganache-based Chocolate Frosting Recipe is to die for!
Why You Must Make
- This is my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe. The cupcakes are bakery-worthy and the frosting, made with melted chocolate, is rich, glossy, and delectable!
- You need portion control since they’re so tasty! One cupcake is perfect for dessert.
- These are much easier to make than a chocolate layer cake and they’re portable!
- No mixer is needed!
One of my favorite souvenirs from a glorious summer vacation to San Francisco was (affiliate link) The Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook. I wanted to bake my way through all the recipes but got stalled on a couple of delectable cupcakes, which I’ve now made numerous times. These dark chocolate cupcakes have never disappointed! I’m also partial to their Vanilla Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream.
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Salt, All-Purpose Flour, Baking Soda
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Not Hot Cocoa Mix; I use Ghirardelli brand.
- Salt – Use table salt, not Kosher salt as it is finer and will incorporate more easily.
- Egg – All my recipes use large eggs unless otherwise noted. The size is important. Eggs provide structure and help to leaven the cake.
- Brown Sugar – Pack (press) into the measuring cup for accuracy. If you just scoop, your measurement will be off.
- Whole Milk – 3½% Butterfat
- Strong Coffee or Espresso – Helps enhance the chocolate flavor without making the cupcakes taste like coffee.
- Butter – Melted. I use salted butter, but if you use unsalted, add a touch more salt to the recipe.
- Semi-sweet Chocolate – Chop for easier melting. I use Ghirardelli bars, not chocolate chips which have additives to help them keep their shape.
- Heavy Cream – 36% Butterfat
- Milk or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – An optional garnish.
How to Make
Expert Tips
There are a few tricks for making perfect dark chocolate cupcakes, starting with measuring and ending with making sure they are not over bakes. Here are some of my tips.
- Baking is a science so make sure you measure each ingredient properly. Use dry measuring cups for dry ingredients and liquid measuring cups for liquid ingredients.
- PRO-Tip: Have your refrigerated ingredients at room temperature for the best incorporation. If you need to hurry along your eggs, place them in a bowl of very warm, but not boiling water.
- Many times, a mixer is not used so the gluten is not over-activated. Just a whisk is used in this recipe. Dried ingredients should be mixed in just until combined. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl so everything is incorporated.
- PRO-Tip: Fill the cupcake liners only ¾ full so they don’t overflow. I like using a large scoop to evenly distribute the batter.
- All ovens bake a little differently. Start checking your cupcakes for doneness a couple of minutes early. I like using a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake to check. If it comes out clean or with just a moist crumb or two, they’re done.
- Once you start smelling the aroma of the cupcakes, you’ll know you’re getting close. I also will tap my finger on top of one cupcake. If the indentation remains, they’ll need a few more minutes. If the indentation springs back up, they’re done.
- Use a 1M piping tip to swirl the frosting on these cupcakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically cupcakes take about 15-25 minutes to cook depending on the recipe. But every oven bakes differently, so it’s best to use the toothpick test or bounce back test with your fingertip to check that they’re baked thoroughly.
Insert a toothpick into the middle of a couple of the cupcakes to see if any batter is coating the toothpick when it’s removed. If you see batter, they’re not done baking. Leave them in a few minutes longer, then check again.
Another method, the bounce method, is using your finger to tap the middle of the cupcake. If the cake bounces back up, the cupcakes are done. If an indentation remains, they will need a few more minutes to bake.
We love a chocolate buttercream frosting or this chocolate ganache frosting paired with chocolate cupcakes. But vanilla buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or even peanut butter frosting all taste amazing with chocolate.
This chocolate frosting recipe is super easy. A ganache is made by melting chocolate with butter and cream and mixing until smooth. This ganache needs to cool until it’s spreading or piping consistency before frosting. I like using an open star tip to make swirls of frosting (see the link below in the recipe card).
You May Also Like:
- 10 Tips for the Best Cupcakes from Sally’s Baking Addiction
- Cocoa Cupcakes with Ganache Filling
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
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- More of the Best Cupcake Recipes
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Sublime Cocoa cupcakes with a chocolate ganache frosting!
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ⅓ cup strong coffee or espresso
- ½ cup butter, melted
Frosting:
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips, to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, brown sugar, and white sugar. Whisk in the milk, coffee, and melted butter. Whisk in the dry ingredients.
- Divide batter into 12 spots in the muffin tins (fill about ¾ full).
- Bake for 15 minutes (mine took 21 minutes) or till a tester inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and continue cooling on wire rack.
- For the frosting, melt the chocolate gently in the microwave, stirring at 15-30 second intervals till smooth.
- Heat the cream till hot, then mix it with the chocolate. Let cool till just warm. Whisk in butter till smooth.
- Let sit till it reaches spreading consistency. Pipe or spread the frosting on the cupcakes and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Notes
Adapted from The Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 cupcakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 320Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 285mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 3g
20 Comments on “Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Cupcakes”
Wow! Just cooled these and tried one for our dinner later. Delish! For my daughter’s birthday, she requested pink frosting so I’m doing buttercream, but the cupcakes turned out perfect
So glad these worked well for you! I bet they’ll be pretty and festive with pink frosting. Happy birthday to your daughter!
Can these be stored on the counter top, or do they need to be refrigerated?
They can be stored at room temperature, Patricia. If it’s hot in your kitchen or you won’t eat them all within 3-4 days, you may want to refrigerate them. Hope you enjoy!
Your decadent dark chocolate cupcakes are simply dreamy. So rich and delicious with towers of frosting. Have this recipe bookmarked!
well they look so good and make them later but the only thing I would do is omit the coffee cuz I don’t put coffee in anything I bake. don’t drink the stuff
Coffee only brings put the chocolate flavor, you don’t actually taste it. You would be surprised how many chocolate recipes have this.
So pretty! And SO chocolaty — my kind of cupcake. Terrific recipe — thanks so much.
Liz, your cupcakes look divine! The Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory is so cool; I’ve only been there once, way back in the early 80’s! Such a great foodie town! I’ve got to find that cookbook from Ghiradelli’s. I remember having a huge hot fudge sundae in the ice cream shop. The ganache on your cupcakes has got to be delectable!
Yep, I’d say these cupcakes scream party! No humidity today… I can’t wait to start baking again-enjoy:@)
They are absolutely gorgeous! What a great way to celebrate! Your tips are always wonderful, and so helpful. My new oven bakes a little faster than my old one, so checking a few minutes early is essential!
These chocolate cupcakes are a pure heaven. That shiny rich chocolate icing looks perfect.
Your family is absolutely beautiful, such great looking kids and of course since they have great genes! this look delicious and Happy Mothers Day Liz!
This is my kind of food! 😉 perfect chocolate cupcake! ♥
A whole another blog could be born out of baking adventures through the Ghirardelli cookbook! I love anything Ghirardelli (probably due to great memories starting with my Great-Uncle as as child.) I’m very happy you shared this delectable keeper dark chocolate cupcake recipe – which of course – do look delectable!
Linda, I really don’t eat too much of what I make…just a sliver here and there. There are a few favorites that I have trouble resisting: the strawberry pie dessert, and the icing on the white chocolate cupcakes.
That’s why I keep my appointments with the treadmill and hot yoga!
And yet another yummy looking recipe! Cupcakes are always on top of my list for desserts for around here, much easier with the little girls.
I love your icing technique 😉
Happy Baking!
P.S. Thanks for letting me know I need ANOTHER cookbook!
Those are just gorgeous Lizzie!
What I want to know is how you stay a skinny chick with all those fabulous desserts in your house everyday!
You are a lucky girl!
L~xo
Wow Liz, these and the white chocolate cupcakes look so good. I would have a hard time picking which one I’d want to sample. Maybe both!
These look fabulous!!! Cute kids 🙂
Thanks for sharing your pics and recipe.