b a k e a h o l i c

balancing sweet treats, clean eats & a happy home

08
Feb
2009

Queen of Hearts Valentine’s Cupcakes

categories: Cupcakes, Valentine's Day

*Please note, I have seen this photo on the web many times, used by other people without permission. This is a copyrighted image, property of © Bakeaholic.ca  If you would like to use an image from my website please contact me first – Pleae read Contact & Copyright*

These decadent chocolate cupcakes topped with smooth silky buttercream are perfect for showing someone a litlte love this Valentine’s Day.

Devil’s Food Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup hot water
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • vanilla
  • 1 small individual apple sauce snack pack unsweetened, about 1/4 cup

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2.  Line baking tins with cupcake liners.
  3. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth.
  4.  In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and baking powder.
  5. Melt butter, and add the sugar. Pour into a mixing bowl.
  6. With an electric stand mixer on medium-low beat until mixture is cooled, about 5 minutes.
  7. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
  8. Add vanilla (as much as you like), then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined.
  9. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, and apple sauce beating until just combined.
  10. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. I use a 1/4 measuring cup to do this.
  11. Bake, about 18-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs.

Even EASIER:

You can easily cut the time down for these cupcakes, if you’ve got your hands full, by starting with a devils food cake mix, and adding a pouch of chocolate fudge pudding to make it a little bit more ‘homemade.’ These are fun to decorate with kids, and can be brought to school for a Valentine’s Day Treat. Let the little ones cut out the heart shapes from the fondant and assemble them on the cupcake themselves!

Vanilla Frosting:
Ingredients:
  • Confectioners Sugar ( About 4-5 cups ), Sifted
  • Pure Vanilla Extract (I use vanilla my brother brought me back from Mexico, its delicious and in a glass bottle with a cork!)
  • 1-2 Tbsp. Milk
  • 1 cup butter, softened

    Directions:
  1. Cream butter in mixer, medium for about 2-5 minutes until creamy and fluffy, scraping down bowl half way.
  2. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and beat until smooth, Add another 1/2 cup. Add about 2 tsp or more vanilla, to taste.
  3. Add gradually the remaining sugar and add milk until you reach the consitency you desire. A little bit thicker for piping would be best. If you are going to use a spatula to ice them, you can use a little less sugar and more milk for a thinner consitency to spread on the cupcake.
  4. Continue to mix on medium until smooth.
Using a large star tip, Ateco #848, pipe frosting onto cupcakes. You can decorate these in any way you desire. Try using different tips for different effects and texture.
Using Fondant Accessories
For garnish you can add heart sprinkles, or, using white Fondant (store bought or homemade MMF)  add color using colour gel. Add a small amount of desired color to fondant and knead untill the color is completely incorporated. I suggest wearing latex/rubber gloves for this so you do not dye your whole hand, like I sometimes do. You want it not to look like tie-dye. It should be fully incorporated to create a rich colour.
Using a rolling pin flatten out onto surface. To help it not stick, spread a small amount of cornstarch onto the counter. I dust mine over it straight from the box. Using cookie cutters, cut out different sized heart shapes and allow to dry on counter while you bake/frost cupcakes. You can also make these a day ahead and allow them to dry on a flat surface overnight. They will be easier to use once hard.
I made mine before I baked my cupcakes, and once I was finished I placed them in my cupcake courier, and the little fondant hearts started to fold over! They weren’t hard enough yet and began to go soft again once they were covered. So make sure if you are placing them into a covered container, that the hearts are fully hard or else they will wilt, and you will wake up to some broken hearts! Or, alternatively add the hearts to the cupcakes just before serving, so they stay fresh and do not soften up.


Happy Valentine’s Day!

39 Comments on Queen of Hearts Valentine’s Cupcakes

  1. ingrid
    February 8, 2009 at 4:55 PM (1564 days ago)

    Those came out great. Thanks for the tip on the fondant hearts. I’ve yet to try using fondant but have a box of it in the pantry.

    That first photo is a great one…all the cupcakes & little hearts in a line.
    ~ingrid

    Reply
  2. katy
    February 8, 2009 at 5:13 PM (1564 days ago)

    those little hearts on top are so so so so so cute. the cupcakes look so tasty!!

    Reply
  3. i bake for you :)
    February 8, 2009 at 7:36 PM (1564 days ago)

    These look so beautiful!! And I’m sure they taste as good as they look as well! :D

    Reply
  4. Alicia
    February 8, 2009 at 8:03 PM (1564 days ago)

    Ingrid: Thanks! Fondant is so fun, I bought some for my birthday cupcakes last June and it was my first time using it! Im pretty sure this is from the same box! haha. I like the hearts all lined up too!

    Katy: Thanks!! I’m trying to keep myself from eating them, so far so good!

    ibfy: Thanks!!

    Reply
  5. Eunice
    February 9, 2009 at 2:01 AM (1563 days ago)

    Oh so kyoooot!!! It looks so yummy and appealing at the same time!

    Reply
  6. dawn
    February 9, 2009 at 8:38 AM (1563 days ago)

    what pretty pictures…too pretty to eat, but I’m sure I’d change my mind fairly fast.

    Reply
  7. Kelly Dee
    February 9, 2009 at 8:39 AM (1563 days ago)

    Those are adorable!

    Reply
  9. pigpigscorner
    February 9, 2009 at 2:26 PM (1563 days ago)

    aww…these are so cute!! Perfect valentine cupcakes.

    Reply
  10. Alexandra
    February 10, 2009 at 10:30 AM (1562 days ago)

    My goodness these look so freakin’ cute! I love the little hearts. And who doesn’t like devil food cake? ;D Yum.

    Reply
  11. Alicia
    February 10, 2009 at 2:01 PM (1562 days ago)

    Eunice: Thanks!

    Dawn – I changed my mind fairly quickly!

    Kelly Dee: Thank you! =)

    Michelle: I think i liked the photos more than the cupcakes… oh wait, no, no didn’t. The cupcakes were DELICIOUS

    Pig: thanks! i love cute little cupcakes too

    Alexandra: thanks thanks thanks! i don’t think anyone doesn’t like devils food cake… or at least i hope they do!

    Reply
  12. Girl Healthy
    February 10, 2009 at 8:13 PM (1562 days ago)

    Mmmmmm. Looks good enough to eat!

    Reply
  13. Joanne
    February 18, 2009 at 12:39 PM (1554 days ago)

    What beautiful cupcakes! You must have taken your time carefully placing the pretty pink hearts. Great job!

    Reply
  14. Olga
    February 20, 2009 at 8:13 AM (1552 days ago)

    You did such a great job on piping the icing: very impressive!!!
    Thanks on your comment on my salmon tower.

    Reply
  15. nina
    February 28, 2009 at 7:24 AM (1544 days ago)

    hi. i plan to bake these cupcakes tomorrow. just wanted to ask, how many cupcakes did it yield? thanks!

    Reply
  16. Alicia
    February 28, 2009 at 10:34 AM (1544 days ago)

    Hi Nina,

    I usually get about two dozen out of these. But I did also make mini ones with this recipe at the same time. But if you use a measuring cup to fill them, i usually use a 1/3 cup to fill them. Just about 3/4 full in the liner, and that way they will pop up just above the rim!

    Enjoy

    Reply
  17. nina
    February 28, 2009 at 10:08 PM (1544 days ago)

    thanks much!

    Reply
  18. Fondant Icing Master
    March 23, 2009 at 10:32 AM (1521 days ago)

    I really liked your blog with the Fondant Icing mention! I’ve bookmarked it.

    Reply
  20. Bruce
    April 3, 2010 at 6:56 PM (1145 days ago)

    Really nice article! Your writing is so refreshing in comparison to most other bloggers. Thank you for posting when you get the chance to, I will be sure to return!

    Reply
  21. Rachelle
    January 26, 2012 at 3:29 PM (482 days ago)

    really cute! thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  22. chonababes
    January 26, 2012 at 7:24 PM (482 days ago)

    that was really cute!!!

    Reply
  23. sya
    February 6, 2012 at 10:09 AM (471 days ago)

    heyyya, your cupcakes look very lovely, can i post your pic in my sample album for valentines day, i would b really thankful to you !!

    Reply
  24. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
    February 7, 2012 at 11:51 PM (469 days ago)

    Deliciousness — I love the hearts on the cupcakes. So cute!!

    Reply
  25. Aunt Weez
    February 21, 2012 at 4:12 PM (456 days ago)

    Hi Lou, looks yummy I like the idea of applesauce! I made chili today added a hot habernaro, beer “Innis & Gunn”, wanted to change it up a bit. Soaked the beans overnight. Smells yummy so far. If you have more trouble with your tooth text your cousin who works for the dentist. Luvs

    Reply
  26. Vera - Cupcakes Garden
    January 4, 2013 at 5:21 AM (138 days ago)

    Hello Alicia! These cupcakes is adorable and I would really like to feature them on my cupcakes blog! Of course I need your permission! Please, if you agree with that just replay on this comment! Best regards!

    Reply

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