SIMPLE Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes Recipe — Be Greedy Eats

A moist chocolatey treat with a surprise inside! These Simple Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes are decadent with triple the chocolate. With moist chocolate cake, fluffy chocolate buttercream icing, and a light chocolate mousse, these cupcakes will make you and your stomach happy!

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For the Love of Chocolate

Those who know me that baking is how I started off my cooking journey. However, as time passed I realized that I wasn’t as passionate about it. Plus, there are too many steps sometimes. Now that cooking has become my full-time job, I can’t go without baking. It adds that final touch to the end of every meal.

During this time of year, baking is out of control, especially when it comes to chocolate. This time of the year just wouldn’t be the same without chocolate. My Simple Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes are no exception to this. These moist and delicious cupcakes are perfect for the ones you love.

What is a Mousse?

No, we are not talking about the animal. A mousse is a savory or sweet base mixture that is melted or pureed first. Whipped egg whites or heavy cream is then folded into the base mixture.

A mousse can be savory or sweet. For example, the most common type of mousse is chocolate mousse. But, you can have fish, meat, or vegetable mousses. By incorporating the whipped egg whites or cream, the base mixture gets an airy consistency.

A mousse is light and fluffy. It’s like you're eating a cloud pretty much.

What is Buttercream Icing?

For this recipe, I wanted just a simple buttercream icing. Now, for those who do not know, the basic American Buttercream Icing is traditionally a mixture of butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a small amount of cream or milk.

The butter and confectioners’ sugar are creamed together just like you would do for a cake or cookie.

There are other forms of buttercream icing including Swiss, Italian, etc. American Buttercream, Swiss Buttercream, and Italian Buttercream are three of the most commonly used. But for this recipe, we’re going to keep it simple. I modified the traditional American Buttercream to fit this recipe.

Chocolate Mousse Cupcake Ingredients

The ingredients are pretty simple in this recipe; but, let’s still walk through them to understand them. Again, most of the ingredients are probably in your pantry and refrigerator. If not, they are very accessible in pretty much any grocery store.

Cake or All-Purpose Flour: I always suggest using cake flour when making cakes. It creates such a fluffy product. But, all-purpose flour will work just fine.
Sugar: Without sugar, it wouldn’t be a cupcake! This is the main sweetener for the recipe.
Cocoa powder: You cannot have chocolate cupcakes without cocoa powder! The cocoa powder is used throughout this recipe.
Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These two ingredients act as leaveners for cupcakes. Without them, the cupcakes would not expand.
Salt: You only need a little bit of salt. You will not be able to taste it at all. A regular table or kosher salt will work as well. The salt helps to balance the sweetness in the cupcakes.
Half & Half: I put half & half in pretty everything at this point. This will help to thin out the icing. It is also one of the liquid components in cupcakes.

Salted Butter: Butter is key when making the icing. Salted butter just makes it taste better in my opinion. I also decided to use melted salted butter in the cupcakes as the fat component. It made a tastier cake from the added milk fats.
Pure Vanilla Extract: You really only need a teaspoon or so of vanilla extract. But, I always use a tablespoon. The extra flavor will not hurt at all.
Eggs: The eggs act as the other binder in the cake recipe.
Hot Water: Please make sure that the water is hot. A quick minute in the microwave will do the trick. This is used in the mousse and the cake recipes.
Semi-Sweet or Milk Chocolate Chips: Either of these will do. The milk chocolate chips are sweeter. This will create a slightly sweeter product. It’s all up to you.

Ground Coffee: Ground coffee is optional in the mousse recipe, but it definitely adds some depth to the mousse. I’m sure you have some coffee lying around somewhere.

Heavy Whipping Cream: In order for the whipped cream to come out the best, cold cream and a cold bowl are a necessity. You want stiff peaks.
Vegetable Shortening: I cut out ¼ of the full cup of butter and replaced it with vegetable shortening (i.e. Crisco). I personally think this makes the frosting even richer. If you have ever had Sam’s Club Buttercream Icing, you’ll know exactly what I am talking about.
Confectioners’ Sugar: Basic powdered sugar is needed for the buttercream icing. I always suggest sifting the sugar to make it even finer.

How to make Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes

Now that we have gotten the ingredients out of the way, we get into actually making them. These cupcakes came out amazing! I finally feel like an actual baker for once.

The full written recipe is below, but here’s an overview.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES:

Step 1: Preheat the oven. 350 degrees is the perfect temp for these cupcakes. Place cupcake liners in a cupcake/muffin pan.
Step 2: Sift Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients. In another bowl, mix together the half & half, melted salted butter, eggs, pure vanilla extract.
Step 4: Combine. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. With an electric or standing mixer, mix until fully combined. Slowly add in the hot water and mix until fully combined. Scrape the edges and the bottom of the bowl throughout to fully mix the ingredients together.
Step 5: Fill the cupcake liners and bake. 2/3 of the way is the perfect amount of batter. Bake the cupcakes for 20 - 22 minutes, or check with a toothpick. The toothpick should be clean when pulled out of the cupcake.
Step 6: Let the Cupcakes Cool. Remove the cupcakes from the oven. Allow the cupcakes to fully cool (about 10 minutes).

Chocolate Mousse:

Step 1: Melt the Chocolate Chips. Add the chocolate chips to a plastic bowl and melt in a microwave. Melt the chocolate chips in increments of 20 - 25 seconds until fully melted. Make sure to mix the chips together after each increment to evenly melt the chips.
Step 2: Mis in Hot Water. When fully melted, add the hot water and ground coffee to the melted chocolate. Mix until fully combined. Allow the mixture to fully cool and reach room temperature.
Step 3: Make Whipped Cream. In a cold bowl, add the heavy whipping cream and sugar. With an electric or standing mixer, whisk the cream until it has very stiff peaks.
Step 4: Fold in Whipped Cream. Add the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate until fully combined. Store in the refrigerator for later use.

BUTTERCREAM & Assembly:

Step 1: Sift the Sugar & Cocoa Powder. Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder together into a bowl.
Step 2: Beat the Fats. With an electric or standing mixer and paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and vegetable shortening on medium speed until fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes).
Step 3: Mix Sugar & Fats. Begin adding the sugar and cocoa mixture in increments while mixing.
Step 4: Add Remaining Ingredients. When all of the sugar and cocoa powder has been added, add the salt, pure vanilla extract, and half & half. Beat for 1 - 2 minutes. Adjust the consistency of the icing with more half & half if needed.
Step 5: Add Mousse and Buttercream to Pastry Bags. Add the chocolate mousse and the buttercream to their own individual pastry bags with piping tips.
Step 6: Cut Small Holes. Cut a small hole into the middle of each cupcake (about ½ of the way through the cupcake).
Step 7: Fill, Pipe, & Enjoy! Fill the cupcakes' holes with the chocolate mousse. Pipe the icing on top of the cupcakes in whatever design you desire. Serve and enjoy!

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Simple Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes