These decadent chocolate cranberry cupcakes are so moist and delicious. A sweet combination with a pinch of tart. A fantastic Valentine’s Day cupcake or holiday dessert!

Sparkling Cranberry Chocolate Cupcakes

Say hello to your next Valentine’s day dessert. It’s romantic, chocolatey, and sweet. Did I mention how delicious they look? A romantic dessert perfect for pairing with some red wine or maybe some bubbly champagne for the ultimate date night!

I especially love bringing these to parties. Who can resist chocolate desserts? I never have any leftover. I even received call from sister the next day saying the cupcake was just as delightful for breakfast. Which made me sad I didn’t save any for breakfast. Bummer.

How to Make the Sparkling Cranberries

Before you start making these Sparkling Cranberry Chocolate Cupcakes, you need to make the sparkling sugar cranberries that will decorate the top. First, you’ll make a simple syrup. In a small/medium-size saucepan, combine water and sugar over heat until the sugar is dissolved. This will give you a simple syrup that you’ll add the cranberries into to soak. You can plan to do this the day before so they can soak overnight or let me them soak at least 4 hours.

Once they are finished soaking, drain the simple syrup and roll the cranberries few at a time in some sugar to coat them. Let them dry for about an hour. You’ll have the most festive cranberries!

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How to Make Delicious Chocolate Cupcakes

Now we need to make our delicious chocolate cupcakes. Bring on the chocolate! You’ll mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl and then slowly combine them together. The trick is to make a small cup of coffee to power into the cake batter. This will help enrich that chocolate flavor to give you a nice, rich, chocolate cupcake.

How to Make The Chocolate Cranberry Ganache

While the cupcakes are cooling, it’s time to work on the cupcake filling. Much like when you start on the sugared cranberries, you’ll combine some water and sugar, but this time we’ll use a little less water. This will help make more of a cranberry preserve to mix with the chocolate.

As the cranberries cook, they will start to pop and let out their juices. Allow it to continue cooking and simmer a bit until it thickens. Once it’s thickened, strain the cranberries syrup from the cranberries and set aside to cool. Another option is to pour it into a food processor and puree until smooth. This will add more texture to your filling.

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In a separate bowl, warm heavy whipping cream in a bowl. Add in chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Add in cranberry syrup and taste to get your desired preference. You want to taste more chocolate with a hint of the cranberry. It adds such a nice, smooth creaminess that compliments the whole cupcake.

How to Make Cranberry Buttercream

I truly could eat all these components are their own. They are also so delicious that it’s hard to decide which I love the most about these Sparkling Cranberry Chocolate Cupcakes. Obviously, the base, a chocolate cake is amazing – It’s my go-to chocolate cake recipe. The chocolate cranberry ganache filling is definitely a sweet surprise. But I also love me some sweet cranberries and it comes through in the best way in this buttercream.

First, you’ll beat your butter or shortening until smooth, then you’ll alternate adding the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream a cup at a time. This helps to ensure that it incorporates well, without clumping. Add vanilla and a pinch of salt. Lastly, add in cranberry puree to your liking. I used about 1/4 cup. SO GOOD!

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Now you’re ready to assemble it all together! The final Sparkling Cranberry Chocolate Cupcake will be a major hit at your next party or even a romantic night in with your partner. It’s so perfectly festive for romantic celebrations, like Valentine’s day or your anniversary. I definitely think I need to start making more romantic desserts. I don’t think my husband would mind 😉

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Favorite Tools:

• Mixer or Stand Mixer
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• Measuring cups
• Non-stick spray
• Spatula
• Mixing bowls
• Glass bowls – Favorite!

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Sparkling Cranberry Chocolate Cupcakes

A delicious moist chocolate cupcake with chocolate cranberry ganache filling and a sweet cranberry buttercream with sugared cranberries on top. 

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp espresso powder or coffee
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 2 eggs

Chocolate Cranberry Ganache

• 2-3 tbsp cranberry syrup
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Cranberry Buttercream

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup cranberries
• 3 tbsp water
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1-3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• pinch salt

Sugar Cranberries

• 1 1/2 cup sugar divided
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions

Sugar Cranberries

1. In a small/medium size saucepan, bring 1/2 cup sugar and the water to a simmer. Heat until sugar is completely dissolved.

2. Pour simple syrup into a heatproof bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Once cooled at cranberries. Toss to coat. 

3. Refrigerate cranberries in syrup overnight or for several hours.

Cupcake

1. Make 1 cup of coffee using boiling water and coffee grinds or espresso powder. Set aside. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk through until combined well.

3. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add hot coffee to the cake batter until well combined.

4. Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
   

Ganache

1. Heat heavy whipping cream until boils. Add in chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Add in cranberry syrup to your preference. (I used a couple tablespoons of cranberry syrup from the cooked cranberries for the buttercream)  

Buttercream

1.  In a small/medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, water, and the sugar over medium-high heat for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, until the cranberries begin to pop. Cook 3-5 mins more until cranberries are cooked down and no longer round. Remove the cranberries from the heat and set them aside to cool for about 5 minutes. (I took this cranberry syrup to add a couple tbsp to the ganache.)  .

2. Transfer the cranberries to a food processor and puree until smooth. Strain the puree though a fine-mesh sieve. You should end up with about ¼ cup (60 ml) of cranberry puree.

3. In a medium sized bowl, beat the butter and shortening until combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and mixing until smooth after each cup. Add the cranberry puree and mix until well combined. Add the remaining cup powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. Add pinch of salt and heavy whipping cream if needed to get your desired consistency. 

Recipe Notes

To get the cranberry syrup for the ganache, I used 2-3tbsp from the cranberry cooking for the buttercream. Adding cranberry syrup to the chocolate ganache is optional, but totally recommended. 

 

Running the cranberries through the food processor and mesh sieve are important steps if you want to use a piping tip to pipe icing like shown in picture. If not, bits of cranberries will get stuck in the icing tip and your icing will not flow smoothly. 

 

I like my buttercream to be cream and soft, but to hold its shape. Add heavy whipping cream helps keep the creaminess, but don’t add too much as it wont’ pipe as well. Make sure icing still maintins peaks. 

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