Easy and Spectacular Flower-Shaped Chocolate Cupcakes

Name: Easy and Spectacular Flower-Shaped Chocolate Cupcakes
Prep time: 120 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 160 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Dark chocolate chips 1.1 oz; Unsweetened cocoa powder 4 tbsp; Type 00 flour 1 ¼ cup; Butter (room temperature) 5 tbsp; Sugar 0.6 cup; Eggs (medium) 2 oz; Whole milk 0.4 cup; Baking powder ¾ tsp; Fine salt 1 pinch; Dark chocolate 70% 10.5 oz; White chocolate 8.5 oz; Chocolates (filled with crème brûlée) 6; Currants 6 sprigs

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859

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 859
Carbohydrates g 85.8
of which sugars g 66.1
Protein g 13.8
Fats g 51.2
of which saturated fat g 29.84
Fiber g 3.5
Cholesterol mg 80
Sodium mg 340

Difficulty: Very difficult
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 40 min
Makes: 6 pieces
Note + cooling time for the cupcakes; acetate sheets and butterfly prints are needed

PRESENTATION

If you are on the hunt for a dessert that's both fun and a little artsy, you gotta try these easy chocolate cupcakes shaped like adorable flowers. People in Italy are all about mixing flavor with a killer presentation—really, really creative flair. These cupcakes? Well, they’re super special because of the double chocolate hit: cocoa powder and chunks of dark chocolate. The flavor is intense and the aroma? It's wonderfully aromatic—you’ll smell it the second they’re out of the oven. Really irresistible. Thing is, that unmistakable scent has everyone sneaking into the kitchen.

The whole flower-shaped cupcakes idea? It comes from the Italian way of turning desserts into almost-too-pretty-to-eat art. The chocolate mix in the batter makes them extra moist and tender. Pretty much what you want in a homemade treat, right?

Across Italy, bakers are always adding their own little twists, but decorating with both white and dark chocolate is a major thing here. The petals and butterflies make these chocolate flower cupcakes look like something you'd buy in a fancy pastry shop—yet, they’re surprisingly simple. People, especially kids, love these simple cupcake decorating ideas, transforming a basic batch into a little chocolate garden. And you know what? When you take a bite, there's a sweet snap from the chocolate petals, followed by a melty center with gooey drops. Seriously, the style is about sharing and having fun, whether it’s for a party or just to make the day better.

Italian bakers often say it’s not just about eating. It’s about soaking in the look, the smell, and the pure joy of creating something this great. Your kitchen becomes a chocolate playground—so many chances to experiment with floral cupcake designs or invent your own decorating style. It’s about enjoying every part of the baking experience—from that first whiff to the very last bite. Really, no question.

INGREDIENTS

859

Calories per serving

Ingredients for 6 chocolate cupcakes: Dark chocolate chips 1.1 oz (30 g); Unsweetened cocoa powder 4 tbsp (30 g); Type 00 flour 1 ¼ cup (150 g); Butter 5 tbsp (70 g) - (room temperature); Sugar 0.6 cup (125 g); Eggs 2 oz (1 g) - (medium); Whole milk 0.4 cup (90 g); Baking powder ¾ tsp (4 g); Fine salt 1 pinch

For decoration: Dark chocolate 70% 10.5 oz (300 g); White chocolate 8.5 oz (340 g); Chocolates 6 - (filled with crème brûlée); Currants 6 sprigs

For the cupcake batter

To prepare the flower chocolate cupcakes, start by sifting the flour, unsweetened cocoa 1, and baking powder 2 into a bowl. In another small bowl, add the softened room temperature butter cut into pieces, and add the sugar 3.

Work the butter and sugar with an electric mixer (or a hand whisk) 4, and when you have obtained a soft and creamy mixture, also add the egg 5. Work the mixture further to combine the egg, then add the salt 6 and continue to mix.

Gradually add the dry ingredients 7, mixing until completely absorbed 8; also add the room temperature milk in a thin stream 9.

Finally, add the extra dark chocolate chips 10, mix with a spatula, and fill a piping bag without a nozzle with the mixture 11. At this point, butter 6 disposable aluminum molds with softened butter (or you can use a muffin mold with paper liners) 12.

Fill the molds 3/4 full (so that during baking, they'll reach the edge) 13, place the molds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 14, then bake in a static preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 35 minutes (or in a fan oven at 320°F (160°C) for about 25 minutes). Once baked, remove them from the oven, let them cool slightly, then remove from the molds and let them cool completely on a rack 15.

For decoration

To decorate the flower chocolate cupcakes, you will need to temper the chocolate: melt the 70% dark chocolate in a double boiler (the water in the pot should not touch the bottom of the bowl in which you placed the chocolate) 1; when the chocolate reaches a temperature of 129°F (54°C) (measure with a kitchen thermometer), dry the bottom of the pot and pour 2/3 of it onto the marble slab placed on a work surface 2 and begin spreading the chocolate on the marble slab with a spatula and scraper, spreading it over the surface 2. When it reaches 82°F (28°C) (always measure with a kitchen thermometer) 3, transfer it to the bowl where you left the remaining 1/3 of the chocolate and mix: the chocolate should reach 88-90°F (31-32°C). If during these phases the temperature drops too low, always keep the double boiler with hot water on hand to slightly warm the chocolate. Conversely, if it's still too hot, repeat the spatulation process on the marble with a small portion of the chocolate.

For the chocolate decorations: place an acetate sheet on the marble surface, then pour a small amount of dark chocolate over it and spread with a spatula (4-5) and create uniform lines with a baker's comb 6.

Fold the sheet onto itself (7-8) so that the edges touch and remain sealed; place it in the refrigerator to set. For tempering the white chocolate, you can follow the same procedure: melt it in a double boiler and work 2/3 on the marble surface, but the temperature in this case should be 81°F (27°C). The white chocolate will be used to fill the chocolate petals. Dip the now cooled cupcakes in the tempered chocolate left in the bowl 9 and let them set on the rack.

Melt the dark and white chocolate (in the microwave, stirring occasionally until fully melted, or in a double boiler, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl where you placed the chocolate). Take a printed sheet with the decorations you want to make; we chose butterflies; place an acetate sheet on it and, with the piping bag with melted white chocolate to which you've made a small hole, trace the outlines of the design 10 and fill the figure with dark chocolate 11. Once finished, place the butterflies (wings and body) in the refrigerator to solidify 12. Remember to keep the chocolate left on a pot with hot water to maintain the tempering temperature (81°F for white chocolate and 88-90°F for dark chocolate, checking with a kitchen thermometer).

When they have solidified, you can assemble the butterflies: squeeze a bit of melted white chocolate at the point where the butterfly's wings should be placed 13 and gently attach one wing 14, then repeat the same operation for the other; to secure, place it for a few seconds between two pastry rings with the wings slightly elevated 15 (you can also use glasses). Once the chocolate petals have solidified, carefully detach them from the acetate sheet and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Then decorate them with white chocolate 7 and place them in the refrigerator. Squeeze a bit of melted white chocolate also on the edge of the crème brûlée chocolate 14 and place the butterfly as if it were landing on a flower 15.

When they have adhered well, squeeze a bit of melted white chocolate also on the edge of the crème brûlée chocolate 16 and place the butterfly as if it were landing on a flower 17. Keep in the refrigerator; meanwhile, when the chocolate petals have solidified, gently detach them from the acetate sheet and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Then decorate them with white chocolate 18 and place them in the refrigerator.

When all the decorations are well solidified, proceed to decorate the cupcakes: assemble 6 petals to form a corolla on the surface of each cupcake, with a red currant berry in the center 19; then add the crème brûlée chocolate and the butterfly next to it 20 and further decorate the flower chocolate cupcakes with the red currant berries 21!