Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Like red velvet, but way amped up. That chocolate in the center is just magnificent.
Texture: The cupcakes are moist and tender while the chocolate is rich and oozing.
Ease: Easy yet impressive.
Appearance: The chocolate is such a wonderful surprise. Plus you can’t beat that brilliant red color (thanks, food coloring).
Pros: In my humble chocoholic’s opinion, these are so much better than regular red velvet cupcakes.
Cons: None!!
Would I make this again? Absolutely yes.
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The very moment I saw this recipe in February’s Better Homes & Gardens, I ripped the page out of the magazine. Yum. It appealed to everything I like. Red velvet, chocolate, and cupcakes (only because they are easy, quick, and cute). Not to mention this recipe is perfect for Valentine’s Day (these cupcakes aren’t a hassle to transport). I kind of want to stuff anything and everything with a ball of chocolate ganache now.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Red Velvet Cupcakes – if you’re looking for Red Velvet Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and no filling!
- The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting – the perfect frosting for these cupcakes
- Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Red Velvet Cake
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Ingredients
For the chocolate stuffing:
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the cupcakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons red food coloring
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
Instructions
For the chocolate stuffing:
- In a small saucepan combine chocolate, cream, and butter. Stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool for 15 minutes. Cover and freeze about 1 hour, or until fudge-like consistency. Divide chocolate filling into 12 equal portions and roll into balls. Place in freezer.
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a small bowl sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter and sugar on medium for 2-3 minutes, until light in color and well combined. Beat in egg, food coloring, and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. In a small bowl combine baking soda and vinegar. Stir into batter.
- Divide half the batter among prepared cups. Place a ball of chocolate into center of each cup. Top evenly with remaining batter.
- Bake 15-17 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Serve warm or let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
I have not made these yet. I’m hoping to this week but I have to break up the tasks. Can I make the chocolate balls for stuffing the day before and keep them in the freezer? How long should I let them set out before I use them.
Hi! You can definitely make the chocolate balls a day ahead of time — just store them in an airtight container in the freezer. You can pop them straight into the cupcake batter from frozen, or let them sit out for a few minutes while you mix the other ingredients in step #4.
For most of Tessa’s terrific recipes that I’ve looked at and tried, you provide an equivalent in grams for ingredients such as flour, sugar, and cocoa powder. I know I saw something on your website once that seemed to offer a conversion chart, but I can’t seem to find it again. Would you consider adding that information to this recipe? Thanks so much for the recipe and the help!
Can I replace the butter with oil since I feel when I use butter my cupcake taste and texture and the moist not like when I use oil, can I put egg replacement instead of the whole . Thanks for sharing your recipes
Hi Ciara! We haven’t tried that, and it may require a little experimentation to perfect. Check out Tessa’s article about Butter vs. Oil here for more info 🙂
Have you tried a cream. Cheese topping on these or should they be plain?
This is an older recipe (2012) and one we may need to revisit to rephotograph! Yes, feel free to top with Cream Cheese Frosting, or whichever frosting you prefer 🙂
Can you substitute the buttermilk for another type of milk?
Hi Tessa, thanks for such an amazing recipe. I’ve made these cupcakes so many times with stellar results. The flavour and moistness of the cupcakes is spot on.
Thanks once again for sharing your recipes in such detailed manner.
Hii Tessa!
I just love ur reciepes
N m gonna just try this reciepe of urs too…
Just wanted to know if i dont have the buttermilk , how can i do it at home…i mean i know we gotta add vinegar to milk but how much qty to get d desired ml of buttermilk needed in d reciepe plz
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