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Hi it’s me Jo-Anna from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs back to share a delicious recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes with a Chardonnay Buttercream Frosting, and just in time for Valentine’s Day. Actually, let’s be real, cupcakes are perfect any time of year! Or day… breakfast, lunch or dinner anyone?
You’re going to want to make these.
Why Use Chardonnay in Buttercream?
Yes, you read that right…I made frosting with Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay! Have you ever tried such a thing? You should, the flavour is amazing. You get all the taste of a delicious buttercream with the added flavour of Chardonnay, and the combination of the two works perfectly together. Then spread this frosting over chocolate cupcakes, and you have an amazing dessert.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Chardonnay Buttercream Frosting
Recipe Type:
Dessert
Prep Time:
25 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Total Time:
45 minutes
Servings:
18
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup strong coffee (it can be warm or cool) (see notes)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla
Chardonnay Vanilla Buttercream:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
- 1 - 2 tsp heavy cream
- 1 - 4 tbsp Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Prep your baking pans with cupcake liners. You can either make 18 large cupcakes or 24 medium.
- Into a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In another bowl whisk together the eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.
- Add the milk/egg mixture to dry ingredients, and mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
- Pour your batter evenly into your prepped cupcake pan. Gently tap the pans on the countertop to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool fully before frosting.
Chardonnay Vanilla Buttercream:
- Sift the icing sugar (confectioners sugar). Set aside.
- In a mixer, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. You'll have to scrape the sides of the bowl several times. This process of getting fluffy butter takes at least 10 minutes.
- Add the sifted icing sugar, and mix until smooth.
- Add the vanilla and heavy cream and beat until smooth.
- Beat in the chardonnay, 1 tbsp at a time so that you may adjust to your taste. I used the 4 tbsp for our cupcakes but we really liked the strong chardonnay flavour.
- Decorate your cupcakes and enjoy!
Decorating Ideas for Your Cupcakes
Here are some fun and creative ways to frost and decorate your chocolate cupcakes with Chardonnay buttercream:
- Classic Rose Swirl: Use a Wilton 1M tip to pipe beautiful rose-shaped swirls for an elegant look.
- Simple Dollop: Spread a rustic dollop of frosting with an offset spatula for a homemade charm.
- Star Piping: Pipe stars or rosettes for a textured, fancy finish.
- Edible Gold Dust: Lightly brush or sprinkle edible gold dust to add sparkle and sophistication.
- Toasted Nuts: Roll or sprinkle finely chopped toasted nuts on top for added crunch and flavor.
- Fresh Berries: Top with raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries for a fresh, fruity contrast.
- Chocolate Drizzle: Drizzle melted chocolate over the frosting for an extra chocolate boost.
- Festive Sprinkles: Add colorful sprinkles or edible flowers to match holidays or celebrations.
These ideas can be mixed and matched to make your cupcakes look as amazing as they taste!
Tips for Perfectly Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
Getting the perfect soft and moist texture in chocolate cupcakes isn’t tricky, but a few simple tips can make all the difference. First, don’t overmix your batter — mix just until the ingredients come together to avoid tough cupcakes. Using buttermilk and coffee as the recipe calls for really helps deepen the chocolate flavor and adds moisture. The coffee can be warm or cool, so if you don’t have coffee on hand, water works too, but coffee gives a richer taste. Make sure to measure your flour properly — too much flour can dry out your cupcakes, so spoon and level rather than scooping directly from the bag. Lastly, watch your baking time closely. Pull them out as soon as a toothpick comes out clean to keep them tender and moist, not dry.
Make Dessert Night a Hit with Kendall-Jackson
Since we’re talking cupcakes, if you have been searching for the perfect soft, moist and super chocolatey chocolate cupcake, look no further. This recipe is divine. These cupcakes are so moist that they’re even delicious 2 days later! But if you’ve got a crowd to feed they won’t last that long!
So to make your day a little more special, bake up a batch of these delicious cupcakes and enjoy them with a nice glass of Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay. Invite some friends or share them with your honey. That sounds like a perfect evening.
Enjoy and have a delicious day!
Jo-Anna
