CHOCOLATE FLOWER CUPCAKES

Looking for a cute spring dessert? These Easy Chocolate Flower Cupcakes are simple, fun, and perfect for birthdays and showers! They feature a delicious lemon cupcake, fluffy coconut frosting, and simple, beautiful chocolate flowers on top.

EASY CHOCOLATE FLOWER CUPCAKES

If you can’t find International Delight Almond Joy coffee creamer, you can substitute another flavor of creamer, or an equal amount of milk. If you use milk, make sure to add a flavoring extract of your choice to make up for losing the coconut flavor of the creamer.

The cupcake wrappers I used were a “tulip” shape and held slightly more batter than regular wrappers. If you use standard wrappers, you’ll get closer to 24 cupcakes from this recipe.

prep time2 HRS

cook time20 MINS

total time2 HRS 20 MINS

SERVINGS: cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CUPCAKES:

1 lemon cake mix (approx. 16 oz) can substitute other flavors if desired
1 lemon pudding mix (approx 5 oz) can substitute vanilla
½ cup International Delight Almond Joy coffee creamer
½ cup milk
6 oz melted butter (3/4 cup)
4 whole eggs
1 tsp lemon extract

FOR THE FROSTING:

8 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
16 oz powdered sugar (4 cups)
6-8 TBSP International Delight Almond Joy coffee creamer
¼ tsp salt

FOR THE CHOCOLATE FLOWERS:

10 oz assorted colors candy coating I used 2 oz each of pink, purple, blue, green, and yellow
Sixlets and/or candy pearls

US CUSTOMARY - METRIC

INSTRUCTIONS

TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES:

Line 20 cupcake cavities with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Combine all the ingredients for the cupcakes and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, then scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl well. Divide the batter between the cupcake cavities, filling them about 2/3 full.
Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, until golden around the edges and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool completely before decorating.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:

Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, until creamy and light in color. Add the powdered sugar, 6 TBSP of creamer, and salt, and mix well for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too stiff for your liking, slowly stream in the remaining 2 TBSP creamer, a bit at a time, until you get a texture you like.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE FLOWERS:

Cut strips of parchment or waxed paper, approximately 2 inches high and 10-12 inches long. You’ll need 1 strip for each cupcake. You will also need something slightly concave to place the petals in while they dry. I used a rolling pin holder, but you can use a cardboard tube cut in half, baguette pans, a fondant flower former, or anything with a similar round shape. Finally, you will need a clean food-safe paintbrush.
Melt each of the candy coatings in a separate bowl in the microwave. Stir until melted and smooth. Dip the paintbrush in the coating and brush a petal shape onto a strip of parchment, about 1.5 inches long and less than 1 inch wide. (Thinner is better, the petals will look more natural that way.) Try to have the bottom taper and the top fan out a bit. Go over the petal a second time if the layer of coating seems thin. Repeat this process until you’ve made about 9 petals. I used 7-8 petals per cupcake, but always like to have an extra in case of breakage. Place the parchment strip in your concave petal former and let them dry.
Once dry, brush a second contrasting color onto the base of the petals. Repeat until you’ve made enough petals for all of your cupcakes.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a coupler. Pipe a single swirl onto each cupcake, then pipe a horseshoe shape around one edge—this will form a ledge and help your flowers angle slightly to the side, instead of just straight up. Place the petals around the edge of the cupcake, overlapping them slightly and leaving a little blank space in the middle. Add a small star tip onto the piping bag, and pipe a star of frosting in the center of each cupcake. Place a Sixlet or sugar pearls onto the frosting.
These cupcakes are best served within 1-2 days of assembly. Enjoy!

NUTRITION