Imagine biting into a rich, chocolaty cupcake topped with silky white chocolate buttercream and sprinkled with salted pistachios for a perfect crunch. Sounds irresistible, right? These Triple Chocolate Cupcakes are every chocolate lover’s dream and a showstopper for any occasion. Whether it’s a celebration or just a treat for yourself, these cupcakes will have everyone coming back for seconds!
Jump to:
The Best Triple Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream
The first time I made these, the smell of cocoa filled the kitchen, and my family couldn’t wait to try them. The cupcakes are light, fluffy, and packed with chocolate flavor. A glossy dark chocolate ganache makes them even richer, and the salted pistachios add just the right crunch.
But the real star is the white chocolate buttercream. It’s creamy, smooth, and balances perfectly the intense Chocolatey base. The combination of dark and white chocolate with that little crunch takes you straight to chocolate paradise.
What do you need?
Ingredients Chocolate Cupcakes
Which Cocoa to use?
Use Dutch unprocessed cocoa for the best results, it’s a bit less acidic and has a deeper chocolatey flavor. Make sure it’s unsweetened.
Why use sour cream?
For two great reasons? Once it gives more creaminess to the cupcakes. And second, the acidity of the sour cream starts the baking powder to work.
Ingredients Ganache and Topping
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate for the ganache?
Yes, but the flavor will be sweeter and less intense.
Preparation in 4 steps
- Step 1: reheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Sift the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder) into a bowl. In another bowl, mix butter and sugar for 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients, then ¼ cup of sour cream, and repeat until all ingredients are combined. Line a cupcake tray with paper liners, divide the batter evenly, and bake for 25 minutes. Check for doneness (see tips below) and let the cupcakes cool on a rack.
- Step 2: Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Brush the cooled cupcakes with ganache.
- Step 3: Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top of the ganache for a salty crunch.
- Step 4: Place egg whites, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and beat with a mixer until glossy peaks form (about 10 minutes). Gradually add butter cubes while mixing. Once smooth, fold in melted white chocolate. Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes using a piping bag.
Tips for the Perfect Triple Chocolate Cupcake
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature for a light, fluffy texture.
- Good Chocolate Matters: Use high-quality chocolate for the ganache to avoid an oily topping.
- Clean Bowls for Egg Whites: Ensure your bowl is grease-free before whipping egg whites; otherwise, they won’t form peaks.
Variations
- Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the batter for a mocha flavor.
- Swap pistachios for shredded coconut for a tropical twist.
- Use dark chocolate buttercream instead of white for extra richness.
Did you make this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram. I enjoy seeing what your creation looks like. Video recipes can be found on my YouTube channel. And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest so you can easily find them next time!
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup Dutch unprocessed cocoa
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1½ stick butter, room temperature, unsalted
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 eggs, size L
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
For the ganache
- 4 oz. dark chocolate, more than 70% cocoa, chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
For the topping
- 3 tablespoons pistachios, shelled, salted, chopped
- 2 egg whites, size L, room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1½ stick butter, unsalted, in cubes
- 2½ oz. white chocolate
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to
400 °F / 350 °F - Grease a muffin tin with butter and line it with paper cupcake liners.
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup Dutch unprocessed cocoa, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a mixer for about 3 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and pale yellow.1½ stick butter, ¾ cup sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time while continuing to mix on high speed. Mix in the vanilla extract.3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture, then ½ of the sour cream, then another ⅓ of the flour mixture, the rest of the sour cream, and finish with the remaining flour. Mix just until combined.½ cup sour cream
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the tin and let them cool on a wire rack.
Ganache
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.4 oz. dark chocolate
- Heat the cream until it’s hot but not boiling (you’ll see steam rising).½ cup heavy cream
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until the ganache is smooth.
- Brush the tops of the cooled cupcakes with the ganache.
Topping
- Sprinkle the ganache-covered cupcakes with chopped pistachios.3 tablespoons pistachios
- Place the egg whites, salt, and sugar in a clean heatproof bowl.2 egg whites, ⅓ cup sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water (make sure the water doesn’t touch the bowl).
- Beat the mixture with a whisk until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and use a mixer to beat on high speed for 10 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form. The mixture should still be slightly warm.
- Gradually add the butter, beating until smooth.1½ stick butter
- Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Remove from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.2½ oz. white chocolate
- Mix the melted chocolate into the egg white mixture (Italian meringue) until smooth.
- Transfer the white chocolate cream to a piping bag and pipe swirls onto the ganache-topped cupcakes.
Notes
If you're worried, you can enjoy the cupcakes without the topping—they’re still delicious! 2. Doneness Tips Check for doneness two minutes before the baking time is up:
- Gently shake the tray—if the center jiggles, it’s not done.
- Press the cupcake top lightly—if it springs back, it’s ready.
- Insert a toothpick—if it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done.
- Without Topping
- Room Temperature: Up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
- With Topping
- Refrigerator: Keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Leave a Reply