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Sweetheart Chocolate Cupcakes

Details

Timing
Timing
Total:
Bake:
24 Min.
Prep:
40 Min.
Skill Level:
Beginner
Yields:
30 cupcakes

Looking for a sweet treat to impress your friends and family? Pull out all the stops with this Valentine's Chocolate Cupcakes recipe! Perfect for beginners, these decadent cupcakes are made with HERSHEY'S Cocoa and topped with a pink frosting that will make everyone swoon. Add a touch of holiday elegance with open chocolate hearts created with melted and piped HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips. This Valentine's Chocolate Cupcakes recipe is ideal for Valentine's Day, anniversaries, bridal showers or any occasion that celebrates love.

If you're searching for more Valentine's Day Dessert Recipes to Adore, we have an abundance of delectable desserts that will make their hearts — and taste buds — flutter!

Ingredients & Directions

Prep Time
40 minutes
Bake Time
24 minutes
Cool Time
45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups
    sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups
    all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup
    HERSHEY'S Cocoa
  • 1-1/2 tsps
    baking powder
  • 1-1/2 tsps
    baking soda
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 2
    eggs
  • 1 cup
    milk
  • 1/2 cup
    vegetable oil
  • 2 tsps
    vanilla extract
  • 1 cup
    boiling water
  • 1 container
    vanilla frosting (homemade or ready-to-spread) (16 oz.)
  • red food color few drops (optional)
  • 1/4 cup
    maraschino cherries (optional) chopped
  • Decorative themed candies, colored sprinkles or sugars (optional)

Step-By-Step Directions

Equipment Needed 
oven oven
mixer mixer
wire rack wire rack
cookie sheet cookie sheet
microwave-safe bowls microwave-safe bowls
microwave microwave
refrigerator refrigerator
muffin cup pan muffin cup pan
1

Heat oven to 350°F. Line about 30 muffin cups (2-1/2 inch in diameter) with paper or foil baking cups.

2

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Fill cups 2/3 full with batter.

3

Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely in pans on wire rack.

4

Frost with vanilla frosting or tint all or part of frosting with a few drops of red food color to get pink. Stir in chopped maraschino cherries, if desired. (For best results, dry cherries thoroughly on paper towels.) Garnish with decorative candies, sprinkles and Open Chocolate Hearts, if desired.

Tip

Plastic food storage bags can be used without the writing tip. Simply fill bag and then snip off a very small section of one bag corner.

Open Chocolate Hearts:

Cover tray or cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place 1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and smooth when stirred. Spoon melted chocolate into small squeeze bottle, pastry bag or strong resealable plastic food storage bag fitted with writing tip*. Pipe freehand hearts or follow patterns by drawing heart shapes on paper that is slipped under the waxed paper. Refrigerate hearts about 30 minutes or until firm.

Additional questions?