Decadent Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with a Rich Cookie Bark Frosting

Made with our ultra-premium Dark Chocolate Baking Drops and topped with a White Chocolate Cookie Bark frosting, these not-too-sweet, not-to-bitter cupcakes are the ultimate dessert for cookies and cream lovers!

Portions: 14

Cupcake Ingredients:

¾ cup (95g) All-Purpose Flour
½ cup (42g) Dark Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. Espresso Powder or Instant Espresso
¾ tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Baking Soda
¼ tsp. Salt
2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (100g) Granulated Sugar
½ cup (100g) Packed Light Brown Sugar
⅓ cup (80ml) Vegetable or Canola Oil (or Melted Coconut Oil)
2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
½ cup (120ml) Buttermilk, at room temperature
½ cup (100g) Galerie au Chocolat Dark Chocolate Semi-Sweet 60% Baking Drops, chopped

Frosting Ingredients:

1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
4 cups Powdered Sugar (or more, depending on desired consistency)
¾ cup Galerie au Chocolat White Chocolate Cookie Bark, chopped
¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
½ tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions – Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (177˚C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners – this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth.
Pour half of the wet ingredient into the dry ingredients.
Then the other half in the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining of wet ingredients and buttermilk. Add the chopped baking drops and stir until just combined; do not overmix. The batter will be thin.
Pour or spoon the batter into liners. Fill only halfway to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking.
Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Directions – Frosting:

Put the chopped White Chocolate Cookie Bark into a small bowl. Heat the chocolate in 30 second increments in the microwave set to 60% power. Stir after each increment, and continue to heat 30 seconds at a time, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside and allow to completely cool.
Once the Chocolate Cookie Bark mixture has cooled, sift the powdered sugar over the butter, in a large bowl. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Measure the whipping cream into a cup and stir in the vanilla extract into the cream. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour the cream mixture the bowl.
Once the cream mixture has been incorporated into the frosting, fold on the melted (but cooled) chocolate until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat frosting for an additional 3 minutes.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups of a medium consistency frosting, which is very spreadable and creamy.
For a stiff decorator Frosting: add more powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until desired consistency (about another cup or so.)
For a thinner consistency, add about 1/2 cup less powdered sugar.

Enjoy!