Floral Chocolate Cupcakes For Spring

I think that’s a pretty laughable sentiment since we have a winter storm watch in effect for tomorrow that may dump anywhere between one to 11 inches, BUT, it’s spring! We’re still going with it. The kids have their spring concert at school, and this is the first year in which I’m watching TWO kids sing. At 2:00pm they do a Vernal Equinox celebration at the school with “sugar on snow” – maple syrup on shaved ice. Or maybe snow. We certainly have plenty of that to spare for syrup.

These Floral Chocolate Cupcakes don’t need a lot of preamble. All you have to do is look at them. And I’m pretty picture happy today so I’ll show you everything you need to do from start to finish. I think you will love these cupcakes!

Floral Chocolate Cupcakes:

1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water

For the decorations:
2 cups chocolate buttercream
3 tbsp graham cracker crumbs
1 cup yellow candy melts OR 1 cup white chocolate (and yellow food coloring)
1 tbsp coconut oil (not necessary if opting for white chocolate)

1 – First, preheat your oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with muffin cups. And then set your pan aside.

2 – In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3 – Then, in a stand mixer, mix sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Add vegetable oil.

4 – In small amounts, add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternatively into your wet ingredients.

5 – Once your cupcake batter is completely combined, pour hot water. Fill each section of your muffin pan halfway with cupcake batter. Bake for 12-15 min.

6 – Then, cool cupcakes on cooling rack.

7 – Using a piping bag, pipe on a large amount of chocolate buttercream on each cupcake. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top.

8 – Line a baking sheet with wax paper. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt candy melts and coconut oil. Place in a piping bag and pipe out flower shapes on baking sheet. Let set in the refrigerator. If you decide to go with white chocolate, place a dab of yellow food coloring on white chocolate chips. Melt using the double boiler method.

9 – Lastly, remove from wax paper and place on top of cupcake.

Photo Tutorial:

A strange thing about my kids is that they don’t like chocolate cupcakes or chocolate cake at all. That’s why I was impressed that they ate these. I think it’s something about the buttercream or the toppings but also the batter itself is delicious! You can see how it bakes up so beautifully. And your entire house will smell like absolute heaven! My office is on the second floor so I can smell anything cooking or baking even stronger than the first floor, as the heat and the smells rise up to me.