Dark Chocolate Ganache Cupcake Recipe

In this latest collaboration with New Zealand Whittaker 76% Nicaragua Rich Dark Chocolate, for me, the most apt recipe that can bring out the silky melty dark chocolate aspect is the dark chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache that flows like a lava out of the cupcake, piped with rich and creamy chocolate buttercream on the top. To complete the chocolatey experience, top it with a small slab of dark chocolate or a pretty little strawberry for that complementary contrast in flavour.

The Whittaker dark chocolate uses the unique, heirloom cocoa grown in Nicaragua’s ancient volcanic soils, resulting in a bright flavour with a rich aroma. The best part of me is that it’s dairy free, and doesn’t contain any gluten, GMOs, palm oil, making it a much healthier snack. I really do not have to worry about running tummy from taking even a drop of dairy product!

Making this dark chocolate ganache cupcake is really simple, although the many steps can make it intimidating for some of you. The steps broken down into simpler terms are:

• Prepare the dark chocolate by chopping and melting in advance.
• Make the chocolate butter cream in advance and chill in the fridge until ready to use.
• Make the chocolate ganache in advance and chill in the fridge until ready to use.
• Make the chocolate cake. Let it cool until you are ready to fill the cupcake with the chocolate ganache and top with the chocolate buttercream.
• Lastly, garnish with a small slab of the dark chocolate or strawberry and enjoy!

Some tips in making the dark chocolate ganache cupcake

• Make the dark chocolate ganache and buttercream first and chill in the fridge before making the cake. This allows time for the buttercream to firm up before piping. However take note that the ganache will turn more solid after few hours in the fridge so I’ll make it about 30 minutes to an hour in advance.
• Vanilla extract complements the dark chocolate very well so I would use it in the buttercream and the cake batter. I will also always use vanilla extract instead of vanilla essence as the former has a more natural aroma.
• I’ve used Stevia sweetener to replace sugar in the cake batter so the cake can be enjoyed by my health-conscious parent and calorie-counting siblings. However for the buttercream, confectionary sugar is essential to produce a firm texture to be able to pipe.

Watch how to make dark chocolate ganache cupcake recipe on YouTube

Pin now, bake later

More baking ideas with chocolate

Try out the duo-layer basque burnt cheesecake with a chocolate layer and a vanilla layer.

Or something cheeky, like my Easter egg chick cakes, even though it’s not easter now, there’s no stopping you to try something fun in baking.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Cupcake Recipe

This dark chocolate ganache cupcake is absolutely the creamiest, richest, indulging chocolate cupcake with flowy dark chocolate ganache lava in the centre, and piped with chocolate buttercream

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine Western

Servings 4 persons

Calories 286 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Chocolate cake

• ▢ 4 large eggs about 50g each without shell
• ▢ 100 g cake flour
• ▢ ½ tsp baking powder
• ▢ ⅛ tsp fine salt
• ▢ 60 g Stevia sweetener or sugar, divided into 2 equal portions
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 45 ml fresh milk I used lactose-free milk
• ▢ 30 g dark chocolate chopped and melted

Dark Chocolate Ganache

• ▢ 100 ml whipping cream
• ▢ 100 g dark chocolate chopped

Dark Chocolate Buttercream

• ▢ 230 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• ▢ 500 g confectioners' sugar sifted
• ▢ 50 g dark chocolate chopped and melted
• ▢ 50 ml fresh milk I used lactose-free
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ ⅛ tsp fine salt

Instructions

 

Prepare the dark chocolate

• ▢
  Chop 180g dark chocolate into fine pieces.
  
• ▢
  Melt 80g chocolate in a double boiler (heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, bowl not touching the water). Remove and set aside.

  Note: 100g chopped dark chocolate to be used for ganache, 30g melted for chocolate cake, 50g melted for buttercream.
  

Make the chocolate cake

• ▢
  Pre-heat oven with top and bottom heating and fan setting at 170C / 338F.
• ▢
  Sift 100g cake flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/8 tsp fine salt. This forms the dry ingredients.
  
• ▢
  Separate 4 egg yolks and whites into two bowls.

  Chill the egg whites in the fridge, and the egg yolk at room temperature.

  Note: separate the eggs one by one and transfer the egg white into a separate bowl, do it this way so that if any of the egg yolks broke into the egg white, it'll only affect one egg white and not the others.
  
• ▢
  In a large bowl, add the 4 egg yolks and break them with a whisk. Add half of the Stevia sweetener (30g) and whisk in high speed until the egg mixture doubles in volume and reaches ribbon stage (egg mixture turns thick, pale and foam like, and falls slowly forming a trail).

  Note: I used an electric whisk, you can also use a stand mixer with whisk attachment.  
  
• ▢
  Add 1 tsp vanilla extract, 30g melted dark chocolate and 45ml fresh milk and mix until incorporated.
  
• ▢
  Add the dry ingredients in two parts. Using the whisk, fold in half of the dry ingredients into the egg yolk mixture until well-mixed, before adding the other half.
  
• ▢
  Remove the 4 cold egg whites from the fridge. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat the cold egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy.

  Once the egg whites turn foamy, gradually add the remaining Stevia sweetener (30g) over 3 separate times into the egg white mixture, and beat until stiff peaks form and egg whites turn glossy.

  Note: do not overbeat as the egg white mixture will turn hard and cake becomes stiff.
  
• ▢
  Using a silicon spatula, gently fold ⅓ of the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture until incorporated, before adding the next 1/3, until the batter is well-mixed.

  Note: hold the mixing bowl and rotate counterclockwise while you scrape the mixture and fold in clockwise.
  
• ▢
  Scoop equal amount of the cake batter into paper baking cups until about 80% full.
  
• ▢
  Bake in pre-heat oven at 170C / 338F for 12-15 minutes.

  To test for doneness, insert a chopstick or skewer and if it comes out clean, and the cake springs back to your touch, it's ready to be removed from the oven.

  Let it cool before assembling the cupcake with the chocolate ganache.
  

Make the dark chocolate ganache

• ▢
  In a pot over medium-low heat, add 100ml whipping cream and warm it until just simmering (not boiling).
  
• ▢
  Turn off heat. Add the chopped 100g dark chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
  
• ▢
  Stir with a spatula until the mixture turns smooth.
  
• ▢
  Chill in the fridge covered until ready to use.
  

Make the dark chocolate buttercream

• ▢
  Remove 230g unsalted butter from the fridge and bring to room temperature.

  In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat 230g unsalted butter until smooth.
  
• ▢
  Add 500g confectioners' sugar (icing sugar), 50g melted dark chocolate, 50ml fresh milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/8 tsp fine salt. Mix on low speed for 30 second. then mix on high until well-mixed.
  
• ▢
  Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag. Chill in the fridge covered until ready to use.
  

Assemble the cupcake

• ▢
  Make a hole in the cupcake with a small spoon.
  
• ▢
  Scoop in dark chocolate ganache into the hole until fully filled up.
  
• ▢
  Pipe the dark chocolate buttercream over the cupcake.
  
• ▢
  Garnish with dark chocolate pieces or strawberries. Enjoy!
  

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 286kcal

Keyword baked cheesecake, cake, chocolate, chocolate ganache, dark chocolate

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This recipe is shared with Fiesta Friday.