These easy Nutty Hawaiian Chocolate Cupcakes are topped with a chocolate frosting made from homemade chocolate ganache!
These rich chocolate cupcakes are filled with sweet flavors of toasted coconut, macadamia nuts, and almonds. These homemade chocolate cupcakes are topped with whipped ganache frosting! These Nutty Hawaiian Chocolate Cupcakes are the perfect dessert all year long!
My baby is approaching 70,000 miles, and I can’t believe I’ve driven him (it’s totally a he) long enough to put him at middle-age.
He’s gotten me through college, post-grad, road trips, concerts, countless trips to Target and coffee houses, and everywhere else in between.
While he’s not exactly a spring chicken anymore, he’s not pushing social security yet, so we’ve still got some time together. However, I dread the day he kicks the bucket, because Jeep, in their infinite wisdom, decided to discontinue the model.
Can you tell my feelings on this?
Unless Jeep pulls it together and brings my car back, I’m going to be forced to pull a Lorelai and put a new engine in my old baby.
Fingers crossed, I still have a couple of years before I have to cross that bridge. In the meantime, I’ll just be eating my weight in these pretty and rich Nutty Hawaiian Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Ganache Frosting.
You all know how much I adore cupcakes.
From Peppermint Mocha to Funfetti to Raspberry Orange, I’m not picky when it comes to the cupcake, nor can I play favorites.
Now, you also all know how much I adore coffee. One of my favorite little coffee shops here makes the most amazing drinks, including a drink named the “Nutty Hawaiian.” It’s this blend of nuts and chocolate (super technical, I know), and it tastes pretty much like Heaven on earth.
These super rich chocolate cupcakes are based off that coffee drink, as they are full of macadamia nuts, almonds, and toasted coconut.
When coffee and cupcakes come together, it’s pure magic.
Okay, and while these Nutty Hawaiian Chocolate Cupcakes and alllllll of the toppings are technically the stars of the show, the unsung hero of these Hawaiian chocolate cupcakes is most definitely the whipped ganache frosting.
Oh yes, you heard that right.
Whipped. Ganache. Frosting.
My guilty pleasure is definitely ganache. I could sit on the couch with a big bowl of ganache and eat it by the spoonful and be happy as a clam (and you know what, since a lot of truffles are made with ganache, I don’t feel all that embarrassed about it).
While I would be perfectly happy just dunking each cupcake in ganache and calling it a day, I do have to say, ganache that has been whipped until it’s all light and fluffy…
Guys, there aren’t even words. You just have to try it for yourself.
Chocolate is fantastic all year long.
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup hot coffee (chocolate, espresso, or plain is best)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp espresso powder, optional--it brings out the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 12 oz dark chocolate, chopped
- 6 oz heavy cream
- Ganache, from above
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp espresso powder
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups toasted coconut
- 1 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
- about 28 whole almonds
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a bowl, combine cocoa and hot coffee together, whisking until smooth. Set aside.
- With a standing mixer or hand mixer, beat butter until creamy and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Next, gradually add in granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating 2-3 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears.
- Add in the chocolate/coffee mixture, and beat until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder. Set aside.
- Next, stir together buttermilk, vanilla extract, and sour cream.
- Alternately add the buttermilk mixture and flour mixture to the butter batter, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter evenly between muffin cups (the batter makes 14-16).
- Bake for 17-18 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Be careful not to over-bake, as chocolate cupcakes can get very dry if over-baked.
- Allow to cool.
- Heat the heavy cream in the microwave, in 30-second increments, just until it starts to boil.
- Place the chocolate in a separate bowl, and pour the hot cream over the chocolate, allowing it to sit for 30 seconds.
- Stir the cream and chocolate until the chocolate is completely melted. Allow the ganache to sit for about 5 minutes so it can thicken up. Next, place the ganache in the fridge for about 30-40 minutes, or until the ganache has reached the consistency of fudge.
- With a standing mixer or hand mixer, whip ganache until it has lightened in color and stiffened. Add in vanilla extract, espresso powder, and powdered sugar. Whip until combined.
- Pipe or spread frosting onto each cupcake (for these, I just spread the frosting on with a knife). Top each cupcake with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts. Place two almonds in the center of each cupcake.
- Enjoy!
Here are some other recipes you might enjoy!
Coconut Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters
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