These mini chocolate cupcakes are topped with a cool, luscious and creamy yet firm whipped cream chocolate mousse frosting. The mousse frosting contrasts beautifully with the cupcakes and together they make a delicious bite-sized chocolate dessert.
For another creamy chocolate mini dessert, also check out these individual chocolate trifles!
Chocolate mousse frosting ingredients:
You only need 2 ingredients for the mousse frosting: semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream.
- Please be sure to use a chocolate bar and not chocolate chips or chocolate morsels. Chocolate chips and morsels are usually designed to keep their shape when heated and therefore have stabilizers in them. That prevents them from melting properly.
Chocolate cupcake batter ingredients:
The cupcakes are made with traditional chocolate batter ingredients, along with instant espresso powder to intensify the chocolate flavor.
How to make the chocolate mousse frosting:
See full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below!
NOTE: The chocolate mix for this mousse frosting needs to chill for 8 hours. Please be sure to plan for that.
- Add chocolate and heavy cream to a saucepan.
- Dissolve the chocolate over low heat.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 8 hours.
- Whip the frosting to firm peaks (be careful not to overwhip). Keep refrigerated.
How to make the cupcakes:
See full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below!
- Line a mini cupcake pan with liners.
- Whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.
- Whisk together cocoa powder, boiling water and instant espresso powder. Set aside.
- Cream room temperature butter with sugar, then add vanilla, egg and the flour mix.
- Whip in the chocolate mix.
- Spoon the batter into the liners. Bake the cupcakes, let them cool on a wire rack, then pipe on the frosting.
How to serve the mini cupcakes:
Serve the mini cupcakes by themselves or drizzle a spoonful of this seedless blackberry sauce on the frosting!
Recipe notes & tips:
- When preparing the frosting, make sure that the chocolate gets melted fully. If there are still little pieces of undissolved chocolate in the cream, you will end up with a grainy frosting.
- The long chill time (8 hours) for the melted chocolate is necessary for the frosting to whip up properly. Please don't be tempted to cut it short.
- Just like with regular whipped cream, it's possible to overwhip the mousse frosting. Be sure to stop whipping when the mousse has reached firm peaks.
- Be sure to treat the frosting like you would treat whipped cream. Keep the frosted cupcakes refrigerated if you're not serving them immediately.
Frequently asked questions:
How far ahead can I make the cupcakes?
You can make and frost the cupcakes up to 5 hours ahead and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Can I use an ice cream scoop for mini cupcakes?
Yes, using an ice cream scoop is a mess-free way to fill the batter into the cupcake liners.
What size scoop should I use for mini cupcakes?
Use a 1 tablespoon scoop and fill each mini cupcake liner with about 1 tablespoon of batter (that should be about ⅔ full).
More delicious chocolate desserts:
- Spiced Chocolate Ginger Truffles3 Hours 30 Minutes
- Chocolate Bourbon Cake1 Hours 10 Minutes
- White Chocolate Mousse Recipe (no eggs)8 Hours 10 Minutes
- Mini Chocolate Trifles10 Minutes
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how you liked it in the comments below! Thank you!
Full Printable Recipe
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse Frosting
Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- saucepan
- wooden spoon
- rubber spatula
- mixing bowls
- plastic wrap
- standing mixer or handheld mixer
- mini cupcake pan
- mini cupcake pan liners
- whisk
- spoons
- toothpick
- piping bag with tip
Ingredients:
For the frosting:
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate*
- ½ cup heavy cream
For the mini cupcakes:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 2 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Instructions:
For the frosting:
- Add chocolate and cream to a saucepan.
- Slowly heat and stir the mix until the chocolate is fully dissolved. Be careful not to let the cream get too hot, it should just be hot enough to dissolve the chocolate. (But do be sure to dissolve the chocolate fully.)**
- Let the mix cool, then transfer it to a mixing bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
- Whip the mix with an electric mixer until firm (don't overwhip).***
For the mini cupcakes:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a mini cupcake pan with 20 liners.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk boiling water, cocoa powder and instant espresso powder together until dissolved. Set aside.
- Whip butter and sugar until well combined.
- Add vanilla and egg and continue to whip until well combined and creamy.
- Add the dry ingredients and whip until well combined.
- Add the chocolate mix and continue to whip until well combined.
- Distribute the batter among the cupcake wells, filling each well ⅔ full.
- Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean (10 to 15 minutes).
- Let the cupcakes cool, then pipe on the frosting.
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