Individual roasted strawberry chocolate cupcakes flavoured with intense roasted strawberry purée. Icing is optional, but fresh cream mixed with roasted strawberry purée is fantastic.
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When Kerry announced the theme for this month’s We Should Cocoa was going to be cupcakes, I was initially a little stumped. After all I’ve made many chocolate cupcakes in my time and I was wondering what I could do that would be a little different.
Roasted Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes
A trip to our local co-op sorted me out. I spotted some British strawberries that were going at half price as they were a little past their best. And the seed was sown. June is strawberry season after all. Initially, I thought I’d have to pair them with white chocolate as the flavour might be lost in dark chocolate, but then I remembered the roasted strawberry ice-cream I made a couple of years ago.
Roasted strawberries have a really intense flavour. So I reckoned they could easily stand up to the robust earthy notes of dark chocolate. How right I was.
As you will know if you’ve made my easy strawberry ice cream, strawberries and balsamic make a very good match indeed. So these strawberries are coated in balsamic vinegar before roasting.
I’ve made white chocolate strawberry cupcakes too and they are also delicious. But they are sweeter. Just swap the dark chocolate for white chocolate.
Roasted Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes: Step-byStep
These roasted strawberry chocolate cupcakes are made with real chocolate rather than cocoa powder. But the ingredient that makes them extra special is the roasted strawberries.
The strawberries take about forty minutes to roast in the oven. So you will need to plan a bit of extra time for making these little cakes.
1. Roast strawberries
Set the oven to 150℃ (130℃ fan, 300℉, Gas).
Wash and hull the strawberries, then place them in a single layer in roasting tin. Pour balsamic vinegar over the top and give the tin a good shake so that all of the strawberries are coated.
Place the roasting tin in the oven and roast for forty minutes. Take a look after twenty minutes and give the pan another shake. The longer the strawberries roast, the more intense their flavour will be. But be careful not to burn them.
2. Blitz strawberries
Transfer the strawberries to a jug and blitz them into a purée with a stick blender*.
3. Grate chocolate
You can either buy ground chocolate for these cakes or grate your own. If you use drinking chocolate, make sure it’s 100% pure chocolate. I’ve used 70% Mortimer chocolate* in the past and it’s fantastic for baking. This time, however, I grated my own 70% chocolate.
Ground chocolate produces a smoother more rounded smoother flavour, but grated gives bursts of chocolatey flavour in each mouthful. Both are good, but subtly different.
4. Cream butter and sugar
It’s important that your butter is already soft before you start mixing it into the sugar. Too many times I’ve had to contend with cold, hard butter and it’s no fun. So make sure you take the butter out of the fridge at least thirty minutes before you need it.
Beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until it’s really soft, pale in colour and fluffy in texture. This is known as creaming. If you don’t fancy doing this by hand, by all means use electric hand beaters* or a stand mixer.
5. Add remaining ingredients
Beat in the eggs, one by one. The last time I made these, I used a turkey egg instead of hens eggs. If I can get them, I use duck eggs, which are excellent for baking.
Sift in the flour along with baking powder and gently stir in along with the chocolate.
Finally, stir in the roasted strawberry purée.
6. Bake the cakes
Line twelve muffin holes with paper cases, then divide the cake batter between them.
Place in the middle of a hot oven and bake for twenty to twenty five minutes. See recipe card below for details.
Turn the cakes out of the moulds and onto a wire rack. Leave to cool whilst you get on with making the icing.
Roasted Strawberry Cream Icing
I’m made many attempt at strawberry buttercream and it’s failed every time. I’ve tried Italian buttercream, ordinary buttercream and cream cheese buttercream. I think these roasted strawberry chocolate cupcakes would taste fantastic with a cream cheese icing.
However, I reckon the only way it will ever work is to mix in colossal amounts of icing sugar. I’m not prepared to do that, so I now stick to a whipped fresh cream icing instead. It’s really delicious and not sickly sweet. The only trouble is, it doesn’t keep very well. This means, once you’ve iced the cakes, they need to be consumed within twenty four hours. This may not, of course, be a problem.
You could keep the iced cakes in the fridge, but I find the cold of the fridge usually spoils the texture of cakes.
The roasted strawberry cream icing is ever so easy to make. Just whip up double cream with some icing sugar until soft peaks form. Then fold in some of the fabulous roasted strawberry purée.
Don’t worry about getting your electric whisk out. It’s easy to whip the cream by hand as the icing sugar hugely speeds up the process.
Use a small palette knife or the back of a spoon to swirl the cream over the tops of the cakes. Do make sure they’re cool before doing this or the heat might cause the cream to collapse.
Other Fruit Cupcake Recipes You Might Like
- Apple crumble & custard cakes
- Blueberry cupcakes (sugar-free)
- Lemon & white chocolate cupcakes
- Mini orange cakes
- Raspberry & white chocolate cupcakes
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these roasted strawberry chocolate cupcakes, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like more strawberry recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Roasted Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes. PIN IT.
Roasted Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes – The Recipe
Roasted Strawberry Chocolate Cakes
Ingredients
Strawberry Purée
- 300 g ripe strawberries
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Cakes
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 125 g light muscovado sugar
- 2 large eggs (I've used duck eggs and on another occassion a turkey egg)
- 150 g wholemeal spelt flour
- 50 g 70% chocolate – finely grated (I've grated my own and also used Mortimer pure dark ground chocolate from Ecuador*)
- 1 ½ baking powder
- 4 tbsp strawberry purée
Strawberry Cream Icing
- 150 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 2 tbsp strawberry purée
Instructions
Strawberry Purée
- Wash and hull the strawberries.
- Place in a single layer in roasting dish with the vinegar and roast at 150℃ (130℃ fan, 300℉, Gas ) in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes.
- Allow to cool then blitz with a stick blender.
Cakes
- Cream the butter and sugar together until pale in colour and fluffy in texture.
- Beat in the eggs, one by one, adding a little of the flour if the mixture curdles.
- Sieve in the dry ingredients, along with the chocolate and gently stir until just combined.
- Fold in the strawberry purée.
- Divide the mixture between 12 muffin moulds lined with paper cases.
- Bake at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4) for 20-25 minutes, when the cakes should be well risen and firm to the touch.
- Leave to cool for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Strawberry Cream Icing (optional)
- Pour the cream into a large bowl.
- Sieve the icing sugar into the cream and hand whisk until soft peaks form. Because of the sugar, it doesn't take long to do.
- Gently stir the strawberry purée into the cream, then using a palette knife or piping bag, swirl over the tops of the cooled cakes.
- Decorate with a strawberry slice, if wished.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
Thanks to Kerry over at Kerry Cooks for hosting We Should Cocoa. She chose cupcakes, which enabled me to come up with these very tasty cakes. I may have to work on the icing, but the roasted strawberry cake itself needs no improvement.
Muffins, fairy cakes and cupcakes are the theme for Tea Time Treats this month over at Lavender and Lovage. So I’m sending these strawberry cakes off to Karen’s ever groaning tea table.
Anything goes for Simply Eggcellent with the Dashing Dom over at Belleau Kitchen this month. So he’s getting these roasted strawberry cakes with defunct icing.
Midsummer Madness is the theme for Love Cake over at Jibber Jabber UK this month. Well I certainly got mad when I couldn’t get my Italian buttercream to work. And as it was posted on Midsummer’s day and features midsummer roasted strawberries, I reckon this recipe is eminently eligible.
And last but not least, these delicious little cakes go off to Helen at Casa Costello for Bake of the Week.
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Krystle says
Love chocolate and strawberries together. These look amazing!
Choclette says
Thank you Krystie. I agree, chocolate and strawberries together are gorgeous.
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
I love roasted strawberries….. Every year I make and freeze plenty to get me through the winter.
Your cupcakes sound delicious! Nice use for them……
I managed to run out of time for We Should Cocoa this month! Never mind….. there is always July!
Choclette says
Oh yes Kate, what a good idea to roast strawberries and freeze them for the winter months. Next batch is going in the freezer. And I look forward to your July We Should Cocoa entry, although I still haven’t decided what it’s going to be!
Ness says
I often wonder what to do over ripe strawberries. I have a lot in the garden at the moment so we just pick and eat them but the shop bought ones turn so quickly. Strawberries and chocolate is always a great combination.
Choclette says
Ooh I am so envious of your lots in the garden Ness. I had 8 this year! And you’re right, the best thing to do with homegrown strawberries is to just eat them 🙂
Kerry @ Kerry Cooks says
Ooh roasted strawberries – how interesting! Will definitely have to give this a go! Thanks for entering #weshouldcocoa 🙂
Choclette says
Roasted strawberries must be tried at least once and then of course you’ll want to do it again Kerry 😉
Jo says
Roasted strawberries and chocolate – yummy!!
Sorry to hear about the italian buttercream though. If it makes you feel any better, the last (and only) time I made italian buttercream I accidently used salted butter instead of unsalted and it tasted VILE! So oily and salty. Glad to hear you managed to rescue your icing!
Choclette says
Hmm, maybe we both need to try it again Jo. Not sure I like the idea of oily, but I keep hearing such good things about it.
Helen at Casa Costello says
Oh wow, I’m drooling at the mere thought of roasted strawberries! They disappear quickly enough in this house – I’m going to have to but triple the amount! Sorry your frosting didn’t work – happens to us all. Thanks once again for joining in with #Bakeoftheweek x
Choclette says
Roasting strawberries is quite a revelation Helen. I think I only ever had them cooked in jam before. As for the icing, I will just have to pick my spoon up and try again.
Janie says
Sad for you that the buttercream split, although I’d never heard of the Italian variety before. Do give me a shout next time you give it a go 😉
Janie x
Choclette says
Haha Janie, I can see you dashing towards me on your white charger, whisk in hand – great pic 🙂
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Oh yes do pass me one Choclette. Chocolate and strawberries are great together. Stumbled, tweeted and pinned.
Choclette says
Thank you Jac. I would if I could, but they are long gone 😉
Vicki Montague - The Free From Fairy says
I’ve never roasted strawberries before so this is certainly something I am going to try! They look delicious…icing and all!!
Choclette says
I found it quite an exciting concept when I first came across it Vicki. And thank you for being kind about my icing 😉
Camilla says
Love these cupcakes they look utterly divine and I bet they taste out of this world too:-)
Choclette says
Thank you Camilla, that’s very kind of you. They may not have looked quite as I’d imagined, but they tasted great.
Claire @foodiequine says
Fab recipe but I’m more excited by your RED Kitchen Aid. So please that you got to choose the colour after all.
Choclette says
Thanks Claire. Yes it was a complete surprise when a RED one arrived – love it 😀
Emma @ That Healthy Kitchen says
I love pairing berries and chocolate! I recently made some cherry-chocolate muffins and they were AWESOME too.
Choclette says
Ah yes Emma, cherries and chocolate are a classic that I’ve rather surprisingly not dipped into much.
Dom says
oh I adore roasted strawberries! There’s something about that gentle roasting that brings out the strawberry flavour even more. These cupcakes are just too cute and a lovely and a fab entry for Simply Eggcellent for which I thank you!
Choclette says
Things like roasted strawberries is what makes this blogging malarkey so worthwhile Dom.
Sus @ roughmeasures.com says
These look lovely! What a delicious summery treat! Have yummed 🙂
Choclette says
Thanks Sus, I do love the strawberry season 🙂
Sarah Maison Cupcake says
These look so perky in their little square pic on Yummly – I hope you get lots of yums for them!
Choclette says
Thanks Sarah. I hope you started the yumming process for me 🙂
Nayna Kanabar says
I have never thought to roast strawberries, a totally new concept. I may try it as it sounds unusual.
Choclette says
It really brings out the flavour Nayna and is especially good for those that don’t have a great deal. You can always add a little sweetener to it too.
Kath says
Ooh roasted strawberries and chocolate. How lovely. I have always avoided Italian meringue fearing it might be a step too far. Maybe I am right. x
Choclette says
The trick Kath, is not to follow in my footsteps and actually stick to a trusted recipe. Or at least that’s what I’m hoping for next time I try.
Keep Calm and Fanny On says
I have a red kitchenaid too! Love the sound of roasted strawberries, haven’t tried that, thanks…
Choclette says
Well that’s three of us. Maybe we should form the red KA club. Roasting the strawberries, really brings out their flavour and is particularly good for those that are a bit insipid.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I love the combo of chocolate and roasted berries. Beautiful and very delicious!
Choclette says
Thank you Angie, raspberries and white chocolate make for a good combination to be sure, but possibly not one to be indulged in too often 🙂
the caked crusader says
Your kitchenaid is the same as mine!
I am not a huge fan of fruit and chocolate together BUT, my fave pairing is either pear or strawberry with chocolate, so these would hit the spot with me!
Choclette says
Hey CC, you’re back. Lovely to hear from you. I’m glad you approve of the cakes AND the KitchenAid 🙂
Johanna @ Green Gourmet Giraffe says
roast strawberries and chocolate sounds great – I feel a bit the same about cupcakes – esp as I am more into muffins than cupcakes – have made a few muffins lately but am struggling to find some cupcake space in my life (despite good intentions with the WSC theme). Shame your kitchen aid couldn’t help with the frosting but it does look beautiful in the photos
Choclette says
I don’t think I can blame the KitchenAid for my buttercream fail Johanna, it was me being too impatient – hey ho! You’ve still got a few days left for WSC, so you never know, you might find inspiration from somewhere.