Chocolate cupcakes with pink heart
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Serving: 12
PRESENTATION
Cupcake al cioccolato e cuore rosa is one of those treats that just gets everyone talking. Really. Especially when you bite in and find that soft, sweet raspberry cream hiding right in the middle. Think classic American cupcake al cioccolato—rich and kinda fudgy, with that deep cocoa flavor. Everyone loves it. Now, picture a moist little surprise tucked inside. It's a bright pink center that’s super tasty and fun to look at. So, so good. This combo of dark chocolate cake and tangy berry filling is perfect for romantic desserts, like Valentine’s Day treats or whenever you want something a bit more special than your usual chocolate muffin. And look, the trick is all about that little heart-shaped spot in the center—everyone’s curious how it gets there! It’s pretty simple, but it makes the whole thing feel way fancier than your average store-bought cupcake or muffin.
Whenever these cupcake con cuore rosa show up, they disappear fast. People love that tender bite and the surprise of a fruity, pink heart inside. Perfect for cozy date nights. Or Valentine's Day, for sure. They make a cute gift for anyone with a sweet tooth. Best of both worlds: a chocolate cupcake recipe with that deep, rich chocolate flavor, plus a fresh pop of raspberry cream that’s a little tangy and a lot of fun. Folks in the States keep coming up with new twists on cupcakes. But this version—with its pink center and extra bit of love—really really stands out. And you don’t need to be a pro to nail that “cuoricino” effect either, which is great if you just want to make something cool for your friends or family. So, next time you want romantic cupcakes that really grab attention, this one’s a fantastic pick. Honestly, it's definitely the kind of dessert that looks just as good as it tastes.
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for 12 cupcakes
- Sugar 0.375 cup (75 g)
- Type 00 flour ½ cup (65 g)
- Whole milk 3 tbsp (45 g)
- Butter 3 tbsp (40 g)
- Dark chocolate 1 oz (25 g)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder 4 tbsp (20 g)
- Wheat starch 2 tsp (10 g)
- Eggs 1 - medium
- Baking powder ½ tsp (2 g)
- Fine salt 1 pinch
- for the pink heart
- Raspberries 1 ½ cup (175 g)
- Cow's milk ricotta cheese ¼ cup (65 g)
- Fresh liquid cream 4 ½ tbsp (65 ml)
- Sugar 2 tbsp (25 g)
- Powdered sugar ⅛ cup (15 g)
- Gelatin in sheets 0.125 oz (4 g)
How to prepare Chocolate cupcakes with pink heart
To make the chocolate cupcakes with a pink heart, start by preparing the base batter: place the softened butter with sugar in a bowl 1, add the eggs and beat the ingredients with an electric mixer or a stand mixer until you obtain a light and fluffy mixture 2 and then also incorporate the eggs 3.
In a separate bowl, place the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt 4. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl containing the egg mixture 5 and mix with a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients, then pour in the room temperature milk 6.
Stir and finally add the sifted unsweetened cocoa powder 7. In a double boiler, melt the chopped dark chocolate 8, add it to the mixture, and stir to obtain a homogeneous batter 9.
Transfer the batter to a piping bag with a plain tip and pipe it into paper liners placed inside a muffin tin 10, making sure to leave half an inch from the edge. Bake the cupcakes in a preheated static oven at 350°F for 15 minutes (or in a fan oven at 320°F for 10 minutes). Once baking is complete, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool 11. Prepare the cream: soak the gelatin sheets in a bowl with cold water for 10 minutes to soften them 12.
Wash and cut the raspberries, place them in a pan with the sugar 13 and cook them until they are soft. Pass the raspberries through a food mill 14 and collect the obtained puree in a bowl. When the gelatin sheets are soft, squeeze them well and incorporate them into the still warm raspberry sauce 15.
In another bowl, place the powdered sugar, add the ricotta 16 and mix the mixture with a whisk, finally add the raspberry sauce 17. Stir to combine the ingredients, you will get a pink cream. Whip the cream until stiff and fold it into the cream 18.
Transfer the cream to a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap in contact 19, and let it set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Unmold the cupcakes, and with a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, remove part of the batter from the center of the cupcake 20, fill the heart-shaped cavity with the raspberry cream 21; to facilitate, transfer the cream into a piping bag with a small plain tip. Your chocolate cupcakes with pink heart are ready to be enjoyed!