These Mascarpone Buttercream Topped Chocolate Cupcakes are utterly chocolatey and moist. Then topped off with a creamy frosting made from butter and mascarpone cheese for a decadent touch!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, why not make a batch of these delicious Mascarpone Buttercream Topped Chocolate Cupcakes. These cupcakes are the ultimate treat for the special day. They are great for parties, as a dessert to bring to a potluck or just to enjoy at home by yourself!

Check out these 10 Decadent Individual Desserts you might like to try for Valentine’s Day!

What Are These Cupcakes Like

• Difficulty – These are a two part cupcake consisting of the cupcakes and the frosting. They aren’t difficult, but they take time to make. If you are new to piping frosting, I recommend you do a little practice before frosting the cupcakes.
• Taste – The cupcake part is moist and chocolatey and the frosting is smooth and velvety.
• Serving – This recipes makes 12 regular sized cupcakes.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• Cocoa powder – I used natural cocoa powder.
• Boiling water – The water is used to mix with the cocoa powder to dissolve.
• Flour – I used all purpose flour wheat flour for this recipe.
• Baking powder – This is the rising agent in the cupcake.
• Salt – I used regular table salt, it helps enhance flavours in the cupcakes.
• Butter – I always use unsalted butter in baking. It’s important the butter is at room temperature for these cupcakes.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
• Eggs – I always use large eggs at room temperature in baking unless otherwise stated.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla helps enhance flavours in baking.

For the frosting:

• Butter – Butter is used as the base for this icing like a buttercream icing.
• Mascarpone cheese – Softened mascarpone cheese gives this icing a creamier texture.
• Icing sugar – This is the most common type of sugar used for making icing and frosting. It’s superfine like powder and creams smoothly easily.
• Heavy cream – Cream is used to help thin out the icing and make it creamier.
• Vanilla – Vanilla extract enhances the flavours in the icing.
• Food colouring – I used about 5 drops of red food colouring to turn the icing pink.
• Raspberries – I used fresh raspberries to decorate the cupcakes.

NOTE, The full recipe and ingredient list can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line or grease 12 muffin tins. Set aside.
2. Combine cocoa powder with boiling water – In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder with the boiling water. Stir until the cocoa powder dissolves. Leave to cool.
3. Combine dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine the flour ,baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
4. Mix butter, sugar and eggs – In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter on high for about a minute. add the sugar and beat on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
5. Finish batter – Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined, about one minute. Pour in the cocoa powder mixture and mix on low for about 30 – 60 seconds until combined.
6. Bake cupcakes – Divide the batter among the 12 prepared cupcake tins. Bake between 18 – 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Make frosting – While your cupcakes are cooling make your frosting. In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the butter on high speed until smooth. Mix in the Mascarpone cheese on high speed for about 1-2 minutes until completely combined and smooth. Sift in the icing sugar, mixing as you go. Add the cream and vanilla and mix until you have a smooth consistency. Mix in food colouring if you are using.
8. Frost cupcakes – Put the frosting in a piping bag with a star attachment. Pipe the frosting by swirling the pastry in a circular motion from the outside working inwards. Top with a raspberry. Store in an airtight container up to three days.

Recipe Notes

• Cool cupcakes completely – Make sure the cupcakes have cooled down completely before frosting. Otherwise you risk the frosting melting off the cupcakes.
• Make ahead – The frosting can be made in advance up to one week. Just store it in the fridge in an airtight container up to one week.
• Frosting tips – If the frosting is too thick, just add a little more cream. If the frosting starts to curdle while mixing, add a little more icing sugar.

Substitutions

• Cocoa powder – I used natural cocoa powder. You can easily use Dutch processed cocoa powder for these cupcakes.
• Frosting – You can make Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or Chocolate Creamcheese Frosting.
• Raspberries – You can use any fresh berries to top the cupcakes. Alternately, you can use sprinkles, chocolate shavings or other decorations that you might like.

Serving and Storage

• Serving – Serve these cupcakes at a Valentine’s party, at a birthday celebration or for any other special day throughout the year. They would go great on a buffet dessert table with the Very Pink Sweetheart Cookies and the Nutella Puff Pastry Hearts!
• Storage – Store these in an airtight container on the counter for about 3 days. In the fridge up to 4 days. You can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes up to two months.

Frequently Asked Questions

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US CustomaryMetric

Mascarpone Buttercream Topped Chocolate Cupcakes

These Mascarpone Buttercream Topped Chocolate Cupcakes are utterly chocolatey and moist. Then topped off with a creamy frosting made from butter and mascarpone cheese for a decadent touch!

Prep Time50 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: chocolate, cupcakes, mascarpone cheese

Servings: 12 cupcakes

Calories: 308kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• 1/2 Cup butter at room temperature
• 1/3 Cup Mascarpone cheese
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cream
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• Food colouring optional
• Fresh raspberries for decorating

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line or grease 12 muffin tins. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder with the boiling water. Stir until the cocoa powder dissolves. Leave to cool.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour ,baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter on high for about a minute. add the sugar and beat on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined, about one minute. Pour in the cocoa powder mixture and mix on low for about 30 – 60 seconds until combined.
• Divide the batter among the 12 prepared cupcake tins. Bake between 18 – 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• While your cupcakes are cooling make your frosting. In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the butter on high speed until smooth. Mix in the Mascarpone cheese on high speed for about 1-2 minutes until completely combined and smooth. Sift in the icing sugar, mixing as you go. Add the cream and vanilla and mix until you have a smooth consistency. Mix in food colouring if you are using.
• Put the frosting in a piping bag with a star attachment. Pipe the frosting by swirling the pastry in a circular motion from the outside working inwards. Top with a raspberry. Store in an airtight container up to three days.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Mascarpone Buttercream Topped Chocolate Cupcakes

Amount Per Serving (1 cupcake)

Calories 308 Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Cholesterol 93mg31%

Sodium 296mg13%

Potassium 129mg4%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 683IU14%

Calcium 66mg7%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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