Call us old-fashioned, but Valentine’s Day just isn’t as romantic without chocolate. It doesn’t matter if you’re celebrating with a date night or a kids’ classroom party, fudgy treats are essential to the holiday vibes. Bonus points if those treats are homemade, because nothing shows love like a confection that comes from the heart.
These cupcakes are an elegant way to say “be mine” with baked goods. They let the cocoa really shine with their flourless cake base and melted chocolate ganache frosting on top, so you’ll wanna use the good stuff here. Give them a few decorative flourishes like heart candy sprinkles and pink liners to really stay to theme. Whether you share them with your valentine or just a pal-entine, they’ll definitely get the message of affection across.
This recipe makes about a dozen cupcakes. If you happen to have any leftover frosting, don’t toss it! Serve the luscious spread with pretzel sticks, berries, or banana slices for a decadent snack.
Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting Recipe
What You’ll Need:
1 (3.5 oz) bar 70% chocolate
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
Red heart candies (optional)
What To Do:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Chop the chocolate bar into small pieces. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a microwave in 30-second bursts until smooth, stirring in between.
In a large bowl, whisk together melted chocolate mixture with the brown sugar, eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
Sift in the cocoa powder and salt. Stir until combined. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and divide batter among cups. Bake 12-14 min., until tops have just set. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Meanwhile, place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium-high heat until just steaming. Pour hot cream over chips and let stand 10 min. (be sure cream is covering chips). Add remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla and stir until smooth. Place bowl in the refrigerator to cool and thicken. Once chilled, in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, whip chocolate until stiff peaks form and ganache is fluffy and lighter in color.
Place ganache in a piping bag, fit with a star tip, and frost the cupcakes. Decorate tops with candy hearts.
Tip: Don’t have a piping bag? Add ganache to a sealed plastic bag and snip off one corner.