Super moist and extra chocolatey, these chocolate fudge cupcakes are a chocolate lovers dream! Each cupcake is topped with a swirl of decadent chocolate ganache, crushed Oreo cookie "dirt" and a strawberry dipped "carrot" top.
These chocolate fudge cupcakes are made with rich devil's food cake and piped with a super easy dark chocolate ganache. The strawberries are dipped in orange candy melts which turns them into the sweetest little carrots you've ever had.
These cupcakes are a great way to bring the spring season into your home and onto your table for your family and friends to enjoy.
If you love chocolate as much as I do, try my 6 Inch Chocolate Cake Recipe and Black Forest Cake Ice Cream.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Super easy to make- These cupcakes do not require a mixer and can be easily mixed by hand or by using a hand mixer.
- Chocolate ganache- This two ingredient frosting tastes just like homemade fudge, but even better.
- Moist chocolate cupcakes- I use a traditional devil's food cake for these cupcakes. They are rich and extremely moist.
- Dipped strawberries- The strawberries are dipped in orange candy melts to make them look like carrots. They are so cute and kids will love them.
- Crushed Oreo cookies- I grind Oreo cookies to make them look like dirt for the strawberry carrots to sit in. They add an extra layer of chocolate and some texture to the cupcakes.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Dutch process cocoa powder- I use this one. Dutch process is more bold and robust and gives these cupcakes a rich, chocolatey flavor.
- Flour- Use all purpose flour and make sure to sift it.
- Oil- I use canola or vegetable oil for these cupcakes. It keeps them extra moist.
- Hot water- Make sure to boil your water on the stove or in a kettle. Do not use hot tap water, as it will not get hot enough.
- Sugar- I use white granulated sugar for this recipe.
- Chocolate- Use a a good quality chocolate. I use Ghirardelli since it's readily available in most stores and has a great chocolate flavor.
- Heavy cream- This is for the ganache and what gives it it's creamy consistency.
- Vanilla extract- Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Strawberries- Use bright red, ripe strawberries for the sweetest flavor. Try to pick strawberries that will fit nicely into your cupcakes without being too small or too big.
- Orange candy melts- You can find these at Michael's. I add 2 teaspoon of coconut oil which helps them melt nice and smooth.
- Oreo cookies- I use 9 cookies and grind them up inside a food processor.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Sift dry ingredients. In a large bowl, sift together, flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
STEP 2: Next, combine wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, and canola oil.
STEP 3: Combine wet and dry ingredients. Slowly whisk in wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
STEP 4: Add hot water. Once water comes to a boil, slowly add to the batter.
STEP 5: Scoop batter. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop batter ⅔ full into cupcake liners.
STEP 6: Bake cupcakes. Bake cupcakes at 325℉ for 15-17 minutes.
STEP 7: Make ganache. Meanwhile, heat heavy cream in saucepan over medium heat. Once it begins to scald, pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for 2 minutes. Then, stir together until smooth.
STEP 8: Chill the ganache. Place the bowl of ganache inside the refrigerator. Stir every 10 minutes until the ganache is thick, similar to peanut butter. This process will take about 30-40 minutes.
STEP 9: Crush Oreos. Place Oreo cookies inside food processor and pulse a couple of times until coarsely ground. You can also place the cookies inside a Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.
STEP 10: Dip strawberries. In a small bowl, melt coconut oil inside the microwave. Add orange candy melts and heat inside the microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Then, microwave in 30 second increments until melted and completely smooth.
Then take each strawberry by the stem and dip into the candy melts. Remove excess and place onto parchment paper to harden. Fill a piping bag or plastic ziplock bag with the remaining melted chocolate and drizzle over strawberries.
How To Decorate Carrot Patch Cupcakes
STEP 1: Hollow out cupcakes. Simply cut the center of your cupcake out by inserting your knife at a 45 degree angle. Make sure not to go all the way down to the bottom of the cupcakes.
STEP 2: Frost the cupcakes. Fill your piping bag with thickened ganache. Pipe a swirl of ganache along the outer edge of the cupcakes. Then, roll each cupcake inside the crushed Oreo cookie "dirt."
STEP 3: Add strawberries. Once the dipped strawberries have hardened, place one into the center of each cupcake. Place the cupcakes onto a serving platter or wooden board.
Expert Tips
Avoid over mixing the batter. This can lead to a tough and dense devil's food cake.
Remove your eggs and buttermilk from the refrigerator 2 hours before baking. They will mix into the batter more easily when they are at room temperature.
Make sure to sift all of your ingredients. This will help remove any clumps, especially in the cocoa powder.
Do not over chill your ganache. It will harden and be difficult to pipe. You want it to be the consistency of peanut butter. If you end up forgetting about the ganache inside the refrigerator, don't worry. Just pop it inside the microwave for a few seconds to loosen up into desired consistency.
FAQ
Devil's food cake is richer, darker and more fluffy than traditional chocolate cake. Also, this cake uses more baking soda, as well as Dutch process cocoa powder for a more bold chocolate taste.
Yes, the cake batter is very thin when mixed together. Once baked, it becomes super moist, fudgy, and full of chocolate flavor.
You can use a plain tip since the ganache is going to be covered with cookie crumbs. You can also use an offset spatula to spread the ganache onto the cupcakes as well.
Storing and Freezing
Store these chocolate fudge cupcakes inside an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. These cupcakes taste better at room temperature, so make sure to let them sit on the counter for an hour so the ganache has time to soften.
Freezing
Freeze these cupcakes before decorating. Store them inside an airtight container or Ziplock freezer bag.
Thaw them at room temperature before frosting.
More Chocolate Recipes To Try
If you decide to try this recipe, please make sure to leave a STAR RATING on the recipe card and leave a comment below. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Let's stay connected on social media. Tag me on Instagram @theepicureanmouse.com. Make sure to follow me Pinterest for more delicious family recipes.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes
Ingredients
Devil's Food Cupcakes
- 1 cup All purpose flour sifted
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder sifted
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda sifted
- ½ teaspoon Salt sifted
- 1 Egg room temperature
- ½ cup Buttermilk
- ½ cup Canola oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ cup Boiling water
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 oz Semi-sweet chocolate chips Ghirardelli
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp Heavy cream
Strawberry Dipped Carrots
- 12 Strawberries washed and dried
- 8 oz Orange candy melts
- 2 teaspoon Coconut oil
Oreo Cookie Dirt
- 9 Oreo cookies ground inside food processor
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° and line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and oil.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth and lump free.
- Slowly pour in boiling water and stir just until combined.
- Use an ice cream scoop to scoop batter into the cupcake liners. Fill ⅔ full. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick is inserted in the center and comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool inside the pan for 10 minutes. Next, remove cupcakes onto a cooling rack.
- For the ganache, add chocolate chips to a small bowl. Heat heavy cream in saucepan until it begins to scald. Pour hot cream over chocolate. Let stand without stirring for 2 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Place bowl inside the refrigerator to chill. Stir the chocolate every 10 minutes until the consistency is like peanut butter. This will take around 30-40 minutes.
- To make the "dirt", place the Oreos inside a food processor and pulse the cookies until they are ground. You can also place the cookies inside a Ziplock freezer bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.
- In a small bowl, melt coconut oil inside the microwave. Add orange candy melts and heat inside the microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Then, microwave in 30 second increments until melted and completely smooth.
- Then take each strawberry by the stem and dip into the candy melts. Remove excess and place onto parchment paper to harden. Fill a piping bag or plastic ziploc bag with the remaining melted chocolate and drizzle over strawberries.
Assembly and Decorate
- Simply cut the center of your cupcake out by inserting your knife at a 45 degree angle. Make sure not to go all the way down to the bottom of the cupcakes.
- Remove the centers of each cupcake. At this point, you can either eat them or crumble them onto your platter to make it look like dirt.
- Fill your piping bag with thickened ganache. Pipe a swirl of ganache along the outer edge of the cupcakes. Then, roll each cupcake inside the crushed Oreo cookie "dirt."
- Once the dipped strawberries have hardened, place one into the center of each cupcake. Place the cupcakes onto a serving platter or wooden board and serve at room temperature.
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