Chocolate Strawberry Dipped Cupcakes! Oh My!

     These cupcakes are so gorgeous!  Any Valentine would feel loved to receive one of these!  Don't worry, they are quite easy and not all that time consuming to make.  I have to apologize to cupcake fanatics everywhere when I say I just used a box mix but it had tons of chocolate flavor and was moist and rich.  I used a Betty Crocker Super Moist Triple Chocolate Fudge Mix.  It made 22 cupcakes.  Place liners in pan and make mix exactly as directed.  The real secret to making them look good is to use 3 Tablespoons of batter in each cup.  The trick to that is to get a large cookie dough scoop (mine is from Pampered Chef).  It is exactly 3 Tablespoons and makes it wonderfully easy to get the right amount in each cup without measuring or dripping batter across the pan.  Bake as directed until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and remove from oven to cool.   Recipe Source: Some what simple

Ganache

  The first thing to do is learn how to spell this word!  It helps to repeat it to several people throughout the day at random times.  They will think you are strange but on the other hand you will sound cool and most likely never forget how to spell it either!
This is also a fancy word for a decadent treat that is very easy to make.  Here's how:


18 ounces good quality semi sweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Recipe Source: My Baking Addiction

     Place chocolate in a heat safe bowl and set aside.  In a medium size, heavy saucepan heat cream until it just comes to a boil, watching constantly to prevent it from boiling over.

Pour hot cream over chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Use a wisk to combine the chocolate and cream.  Let this mixture cool until it is almost room temperature before dipping cupcakes. You want it to be still a little jell-like and not quite set up.   About 1 hour, less if you put it in the fridge. Dip cupcake tops in ganache and then put them on a cookie sheet and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before adding frosting.

 While they are chilling, prepare buttercream frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup salted butter (room temperature)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teas. real vanilla ( best quality you can get)
1-3 Tablespoons heavy cream, half and half, or milk
Pink food coloring
Recipe source:  Glorious Treats
     Use a wisk attachment to cream the butter on med. speed for about 1 minute until it is smooth and fluffy.  Turn mixer to slow speed to add 1 cup of powdered sugar.  Beat until combined then add another cup.  Add vanilla and 1 Tablespoon of cream and beat to combine.  Add remaining sugar 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition.  Add food coloring slowly until desired color is reached.
Because you are going to pipe the frosting it needs to be somewhat thick so don't add more cream unless it looks too stiff to use in a decorating bag.  Beat for about one minute more on med. speed.  It should be smooth and fluffy and ready to pipe!

     Remove cupcakes from fridge and fill decorating bag with icing.  This is easily done if you put your tip (I use the large 1M tip but you can also use a large round tip) in the end of a 14 inch decorating bag ( no coupler is needed) and set the bag in a large tall cup.  Pull the bag edges over the rim of the cup to make a support for the bag while you fill it.  Fill with frosting and then bring the edges back up and twist and you are ready to go!  Pipe a circle of icing around the outside of the cupcake and spiral in to the center. 

Now, wash and dry your strawberries. Add some ganache to the top of the cupcake.  Dip strawberry in chocolate then place on top.  Drizzle a little more chocolate around the strawberry and  admire your work!  It is beautiful!  You are now a cupcake chef!  P.S. Your friends/family will love you!
 Place cupcakes in fridge until ready to serve.

These can also be made without the buttercream icing.  Just fill the decorating bag with ganache after it has set up and pipe a spiral of it on top.  Then add a strawberry.