Chocolate Cupcakes with Berry Cream Cheese Frosting
Rich, espresso infused chocolate cupcakes filled with juicy mixed berry compote and topped with tangy berry cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 60g Dutchprocess cocoa powder
- 120g (1/2 cup) freshly brewed espresso
- 150g (2/3 cup) vegetable oil
- 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 180g (3/4 cup) sour cream
- 160g (1 1/3 cup) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Mixed Berry Compote (for filling + frosting)
- 2 cups mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Mixed Berry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 220g cream cheese (1 cup), room temperature
- 170g unsalted butter (¾ cup), room temperature
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp cooled mixed berry compote (from above)
- 360g powdered sugar (3 cups)
Directions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with parchment liners.
- Add cocoa powder to a medium bowl. Pour hot espresso over it and whisk until smooth and lump free.
- Whisk in the oil, sugar, eggs, and sour cream until fully combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold gently until no streaks of flour remain.
- Divide the batter evenly among the liners. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Cool completely before filling and frosting.
Berry Compote
- In a small saucepan, combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries release their juices. Cool completely before using (it’ll thicken more as it cools).
- Once cupcakes are cooled, use a small knife, piping tip or cupcake corer to cut a small hollow in the center of each cupcake (about 1 inch deep). Spoon in 1–2 teaspoons of the cooled berry compote.
Berry Frosting
- Beat cream cheese, butter, and salt together until smooth and fluffy (1–2 minutes).
- Add in 4 tablespoons of the cooled berry compote and half the powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
- Add the remaining sugar and beat for another minute, until light and creamy.
- If it’s too soft, chill for 10–15 minutes before piping.
Why you'll love this recipe
The espresso deepens the cocoa flavor, giving you a bakery-style cupcake that’s soft, fudgy, and not too sweet. Each cupcake hides a spoonful of juicy mixed berry compote, adding a bright, tangy contrast to the chocolate. The berry compote colors and flavors the frosting naturally, creating a dreamy pink hue and a fresh, fruity finish.
No fancy tools or skills required, just classic ingredients and a few extra minutes to fill and frost.
The flavors deepen overnight, making them ideal for parties, holidays, or an impressive weekend bake.
How to assemble
- Make sure your chocolate cupcakes are at room temperature before assembling, if they’re even slightly warm, the filling can sink and the frosting will melt.
- Have your cooled mixed berry compote, a small spoon or piping bag, and a paring knife ready.
- Use the knife (or a cupcake corer) to cut a small circle out of the center of each cupcake, about 1 inch deep. Gently lift out the middle piece, you can snack on these later or save the tops to place back after filling.
- Spoon about 1–2 teaspoons of the berry compote into each hollow. Don’t overfill, you want just enough for a juicy center without overflowing.
- Transfer your mixed berry cream cheese frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip (a round or open star tip works beautifully). Pipe a generous swirl over each cupcake, starting from the outer edge and spiraling inward.
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