Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

Cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups sifted Swans Down® Cake Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup hot coffee (we used French Market® Coffee)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sprinkles (optional)

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

• 18 fresh strawberries, cleaned, with stem and leaves
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

Whipped Cream

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Make Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 325℉ and line 2 regular (12-cupcake) pans with 18 tulip-style paper liners. (The second pan will have 6 empty wells.)
2. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and sugar in a large bowl. Add oil and coffee and whisk until combined. Add buttermilk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined. (Batter will be thin.)
3. Divide batter evenly in the 18 paper-lined wells in the cupcake pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Make Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries: Line a 13×18-inch sheet pan with parchment. Melt chocolate in microwave until smooth, stopping to stir every 30 seconds. Hold the stem of each strawberry and dip into melted chocolate; drip off excess and place on prepared sheet pan. Cover and chill in refrigerator until chocolate is set.
5. Make Whipped Cream: Place heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high speed until it starts to thicken. Raise speed to high until stiff peaks form.
6. Assemble Cupcakes: Place Whipped Cream in a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto each cupcake. Top with Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries and decorate with sprinkles, if desired.