Chocolate Chestnut Cupcakes
Step into the festive season with these rich and decadent chocolate chestnut cupcakes. A moist chocolate and chestnut base is topped with a rich chocolate and chestnut ganache. They’re very good and the recipe is an easy one.
Yesterday afternoon we visited friends for tea. Thus it was, I had yet another opportunity to make something chocolatey. I was rather inspired by the white chocolate cupcakes at Chocolate Teapot and thought I would make these.
However, I was also inspired by the chestnut and chocolate combination over at Mainly Baking. And I remembered I had some leftover chestnut puree that needed using up. The white chocolate cupcakes would have to wait for another day.
Chocolate Chestnut Cupcakes
As I had cupcakes in mind, it was a no brainer to go for chocolate chestnut cupcakes. Chestnuts have such a lovely subtle but distinctive flavour and they pair very well with chocolate.
However, just because the chestnut flavour is quite delicate, I opted to use just a small amount of cocoa powder in the actual cakes and milk chocolate in the ganache topping. The combination works perfectly.
Try to use milk chocolate with a high cacao content though. I used a 35% chocolate bar at the time, but anywhere between that and 40% is best.
The cakes are easy to make and, if like me, piping is a step too far, you don’t need to go there. For the ganache topping, all you need to do is stir and pour.
We ended up having a veritable feast of cake as our friends made a carrot cake and a lemon cake. CT is fast regaining the weight he lost over the last couple of months.
The cupcakes are divine. They have a lovely moist consistency with a clearly discernible chestnut flavour and the ganache topping is totally gorgeous. Yum, yum, I’ll be making these again.
They’re ideal, in fact, for festive gatherings and potlucks around the Christmas and holiday season.
Other Recipes For Sweet Chestnut Bakes You Might Like
- Chestnut biscuits with chocolate cream filling
- Chestnut brownies
- Chestnut cream meringue cake
- Chilli chocolate chestnut cake
- Chocolate chestnut yule log
- Italian chestnut cake (castagnaccio)
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these chocolate chestnut cupcakes, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for making cupcakes?
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Choclette x
Chocolate Chestnut Cupcakes. PIN IT.
Chocolate Chestnut Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cakes
- 120 g soft brown sugar (4oz) – I used Rapadura
- 120 g unsalted butter (4oz) – softened
- 4 tbsp sweetened chestnut puree
- 2 eggs
- 150 g wholemeal flour (whole wheat) (5oz) – I used wholemeal spelt flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp natural yoghurt
Ganache
- 100 g milk chocolate chopped (I used a 35% bar)
- 2 tbsp chestnut puree
- 2 tbsp double cream (heavy cream)
- 15 g flaked almonds toasted
Instructions
Cakes
- Place 12 cupcake cases in 12 muffin holes.
- Set the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4).
- Cream the sugar and butter together until light in colour and fluffy in texture.120 g soft brown sugar, 120 g unsalted butter
- Stir in the chestnut puree.4 tbsp sweetened chestnut puree
- Beat in the eggs, one by one.2 eggs
- Sieve in the dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated.150 g wholemeal flour (whole wheat), 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- Stir in the yoghurt until the mix is just combined.2 tbsp natural yoghurt
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases and bake for 20 minutes when the cakes should be well risen and firm to the touch.
- Leave to cool for five minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Ganache
- Melt the chocolate, chestnut puree and double cream in a pan set over a gentle heat.100 g milk chocolate, 2 tbsp chestnut puree, 2 tbsp double cream (heavy cream)
- Stir until smooth, then spoon over the cooled cupcakes.
- Scatter the almond flakes over the top and leave to cool before serving.15 g flaked almonds
Goodness, these sound so good!
These look lovely – I love chestnuts and chestnut puree is delicious!
I’ve just given an old packet of chestnuts to the birds (they were over a year past their best date!). Now I know what to do with them in future.
Cottage Garden – I wonder if you have used that rapadura yet?
Aino – it’s soon coming to that time of year where it’s almost obligatory to have chestnuts. I do remember these as being very good.
Looks delicious! I will have to try these. I’ve been trying to come up with ways to use chestnuts.
These sound delish, and a good way for me to use up my Brazilain rapadura that’s still sitting in the pantry.
Hi Kristen
Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a nice comment – hope to see you again.
I just stumbled upon your blog and I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or bad thing!!! Everything looks UNBELIEVABLE. I’m so excited to see what you post next 🙂
They most certainly did Foodycat – will try and make them sometime.
Cute! Those biscuits on Mainly Baking looked so good, didn’t they?
Thanks for all the nice comments – have to say these were particularly delicious cupcakes and I will be making these again.
Hi Mangocheeks
I actually got them in a cookshop in Truro – it was a tub of 100 in 4 colours, purple, green, orange and red. On the container it says: Easybake 100 Muffin cases – N J Products Ltd, Birstall WF17 9LU I’m sure any good cookshop would sell these or something similar or they could be found on the internet. I’m just wishing I’d bought more when I saw them as nearly run out now and I don’t go to Truro very often.
Hey Choclette,
If you don’t mind me asking ‘Where did you get your muffin cases from?’ as I’m interested in getting some.
I’ve never thought of adding chestnuts to cupcakes – they look really delicious.
oh wow, those look amazing!
Sounds yummy, with the chestnuts and the wholegrains….fantastic
Tough choice but using up leftovers totally takes priority lol. I’m going to have to get me some chestnut puree so i can try these, they look fantastic!
Those look so wonderful my oldest daughter will love these!! The black-peas can be made without meat. Just cook in vegetable broth and enjoy!
Oooh these look wonderful. I am impressed by how much baking you get done, I must get back in the kitchen next week! Lucie
These are lovely looking cupcakes, Choclette. I think chestnut is quite a subtle flavour, so you did well not to overwhelm it with the chocolate.
Thanks Kath
I’m still on my Christmas hols so doing a bit of catching up. Haven’t got around to the bread yet, but will definitely be doing so before the week is out.
These look really delicious, you have been busy this week. Have you had chance to try out your bread making skills over Christmas?