Sunflower Cupcakes

5 from 1 rating

These sunflower cupcakes are decorated with chocolate and vanilla buttercream to look just like freshly picked sunflowers! They're just as cute as they are tasty!

Prep Time15

Cook Time18

Additional Time30

Total Time1 3

Course: Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 cupcakes

Calories: 344kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

3/4 cup water, warm 180g
1 1/2 tsp instant espresso or coffee 3g
1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted 57g
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 32g
3/4 cup all-purpose flour 98g
3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
2 large eggs, room temperature 114g
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 73g
1 tsp white vinegar 4g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
1/4 tsp fine salt 2g
3 cups powdered sugar 375g
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 30g
yellow and orange gel food coloring
2 Tbsp melted milk or dark chocolate, cooled 23g
2 Tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa, sifted 12g

Additional Tools / Equipment

electric hand mixer
2 small piping bag
Round tip like an Ateco 805
Small leaf tip
1/2 cup milk or dark chocolate chips, finely chopped 90 grams

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F / 175°F. Place cupcake liners in baking pans.
Add 3/4 cup of warm water and 1 1/2 tsp of coffee or espresso powder into a large bowl. Stir until dissolved.
Add in 1/3 cup melted chocolate chips and 1/3 cup cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
Sift the dry ingredients (3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt) into chocolate espresso mixture and stir until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a spatula.
Mix in 2 eggs, one at a time.
Add 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vinegar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix until the batter is smooth - it will be thin!
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Allow cupcakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. If you're in a rush (or impatient like me), you can place them in the freezer for 15 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.

Buttercream Frosting

Beat 1 cup of room temperature butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth.
Add in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix on a medium-low speed until combined.
Slowly mix in 3 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Halfway through add in 2 Tbsp of heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting is too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add in another 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.
Stir by hand with a rubber spatula to get the frosting SUPER smooth, then place 2/3 of the vanilla buttercream a medium-sized bowl. Color it a golden shade of yellow using gel food coloring. Use either egg yellow gel food coloring, or a combination of yellow and orange gel food coloring. Place this into a small piping bag fit with a leaf tip piping tip (like a Wilton 352) and set aside.
Mix 2 Tbsp sifted cocoa and 2 Tbsp of cooled, melted chocolate into the remaining frosting. Stir until smooth then place in a small piping bag fit with large round piping tip (like an Ateco 805) and set aside.

Decorating these Sunflower Cupcakes

Use the chocolate buttercream to pipe a 1-inch dollop on top of each fully-cooled cupcake.
Gently dunk the cupcakes into the finely chopped chocolate until the frosting is covered with little bits of chocolate.
Pipe two rings of yellow buttercream petals around the chocolate center. Try to make each petal the same length and width for a consistent look. If you don't feel super comfortable piping, I recommend piping a few practice petals on a plate or piece of parchment paper. A little practice goes a long way! It will also help you get the orientation of the piping tip right. Make sure that the v of the piping tip is facing the side. You shouldn't be able to see it from an overhead angle.
Repeat with remaining cupcakes then enjoy! These cupcakes taste best fresh, but frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature overnight in an airtight container or be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

Making Mini Sunflower Cupcakes

If you want to make mini sunflower cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they only need to bake for 9-10 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

Tips for Making the Best Sunflower Cupcakes

Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Mix your cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure your cupcakes end up being the same height.
Bang your cupcake pan on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
Seal off the top of your piping bags with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bags easier to use.
This recipe makes an American buttercream frosting, so it will crust as it sits out and is exposed to air! Be sure to either cover the frosting with plastic wrap if it's made in advance, or immediately place it into your piping bags.
If you don't feel super comfortable piping, I recommend piping a few practice petals on a plate or piece of parchment paper. A little practice goes a long way!

Sunflower Cupcake Variations:

To make eggless, dairy-free, or vegan sunflower cupcakes, use an egg replacer like this and dairy-free dark chocolate.
To make gluten free sunflower cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for and be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Making these Sunflower Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips:

Make your cupcakes in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for 2 days at room temp, up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer

Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature overnight or be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container, but I find frosting them right before serving is best.

Nutrition