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Chocolate Turtle Cupcakes

Created by: Courtney
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes
These chocolate turtle cupcakes are totally decadent and delicious! Made with moist chocolate cupcakes, creamy chocolate buttercream frosting, gooey salted caramel sauce, and nutty chopped pecans, they are the cupcake embodiment of classic turtles candy.

Equipment

Ingredients 

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • ¼ cup (45 g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup (22 g) dark or dutch-process cocoa powder
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) boiling water
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) instant espresso powder
  • ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) baking soda
  • ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
  • ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 (2) large eggs room temperature
  • 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
  • ⅓ cup (30 g) dark or dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream

Additional Ingredients

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
  • In a small mixing bowl, stir together the dark cocoa/dutch-process cocoa powder, semisweet chocolate chips, boiling water, and instant espresso powder until the chocolate chips are melted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until well combined. Add in the vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, and whisk until the cupcake batter is well combined and smooth (the batter will be thin).
  • Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ full. Use a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a spout to easily fill the cupcake liners.
  • Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when gently touched. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
  • Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and the dark cocoa/dutch-process cocoa powder and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined. 
  • Add the vanilla extract and salt. While mixing on low speed, drizzle in the heavy cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
  • Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy.
  • Optional: To smooth out the buttercream and remove any air bubbles, heat ½ cup of the frosting in the microwave for 15 seconds. Pour the melted frosting back into the mixing bowl and mix the frosting on low speed until the buttercream is super smooth and creamy.

Assembling the Cupcakes

  • Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the chocolate buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cooled chocolate cupcakes. Use a spoon or piping bag to drizzle the salted caramel sauce over the cupcakes and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Notes

Storing & Serving:
  • Room temperature: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
  • Refrigerator: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Baking Tools & Supplies (affiliate links): Cupcake pan | Cupcake liners | Cooling rack | Stand mixer or electric hand mixer | Piping bags | Wilton 1M piping tip
Tip: Make the salted caramel sauce ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Use the extra for other desserts, drizzle over ice cream or apple slices, or use in coffee drinks.
Note: Metric conversions and nutritional information are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 558IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

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