Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a nice and relaxing weekend. My boyfriend and I spent most of the weekend dog-sitting at my parents' house. Luckily Remy was pretty well-behaved and did not spend the night barking as she has during previous stays. Side note- Remy always hides behind the toilet whenever my boyfriend is around. It is pretty hilarious, especially since my boyfriend really likes Remy. Anyways, being at my parents' house was also the perfect excuse to make a mess in a kitchen other than my own. I am really good at making messes when I bake. 

The idea of make these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes has been in my head for a really long time now. I could not stop thinking about them so this past weekend I  finally made them happen.  The cupcakes themselves have fresh strawberries in the batter, are dipped in rich chocolate ganache and   are  topped with a silky smooth strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream. Sounds pretty amazing right? If the frosting does not come together right away, just be patient. It might take quite a bit of time for the frosting to become thick and smooth. Do not give up! Finally, I topped these cupcakes with more fresh strawberries dipped in the extra chocolate ganache. Enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
Cupcake and frosting recipes from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes, Ganache recipe from Georgetown Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs + 1 large egg white
1 cup milk
2 1/2 fresh strawberries, finely chopped

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and coarsely chopped
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Ganache:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream

Fresh strawberries, halved, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. With the mixer on medium-high speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and egg white, one at at time, beating until well incorporated after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients in two additions alternating with the milk, mixing until just incorporated after each addition. Turn off the mixer and gently fold in the strawberries with a rubber spatula.

Divide the cupcake batter between the paper liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for about 25-28 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out lean. Rotate the pans halfway through baking. Allow to cool for a few minutes in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, place the strawberries in a blender and puree until completely smooth. In a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, combine the egg whites and sugar. Heat the mixture until it reaches 160 degrees F, whisking frequently. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until it has cooled completely and stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition. If the frosting is curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth, about 3-5 minutes more. Add the strawberry puree and mix until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

To make the ganache, combine the chocolate chips and heavy creamy in a large heat-proof bowl set above a pot of simmering water. Allow the chocolate chips to melt completely, whisking constantly as they melt. Once melted and completely smooth, remove the bowl from the heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes.

To assemble, take cooled cupcakes and dip into the bowl of chocolate ganache one at a time, allowing any excess to drip off. Return the cupcakes to the wire rack and allow the ganache to set. Once the glaze is set, frost the cupcakes as desired. Garnish with fresh strawberries dipped in any extra ganache.