Cute and adorable Easter Chocolate Egg Nest Cupcakes are a hit among kids and adult. A one bowl simple chocolate cupcake recipe that is super soft and moist. This is a basic chocolate cupcake recipe that you can use all year round, any occasion or even without the occasion.  

It’s the time of the year again, Easter! Are you excited and looking forward to making Easter treats? Well, you’re in luck because I have just the perfect simple recipe for you to start your Easter baking. Today we’re going to make an Easter themed decadent, soft and moist chocolate cupcakes. It’s basically a chocolate cupcake with light whipped chocolate frosting, topped with plenty of chocolate sprinkles, and finish off by adding some Easter chocolate eggs on top. This recipe is so easy you can make this with your kids (if you have one), or enjoy making it by yourself. Either way, this is a fun activity to do on a weekend. 

What are the Ingredients for Easter Egg Nest Chocolate Cupcake

• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – I like using a natural cocoa powder for a stronger chocolate flavor. Also, since natural cocoa powder are more acidic, it reacts better to baking soda which is the leavening agent in this recipe. This makes the cake fluffier, and it gives a good rise to the cupcakes. Natural cocoa powder is the most common that you can find in grocery stores (the likes of Hershey’s, Ghirardelli). If you do not have natural cocoa powder, you can use Dutch process and replace baking soda with baking powder instead.
• Water – To dilute the cocoa powder and make it into a paste
• Granulated Sugar – To sweeten the cupcakes
• Vegetable Oil – This produces the soft moist cupcake
•  Eggs – To give structure to the cupcake. Use room temperature for easy mixing. Take the eggs out from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before using or submerge it in warm water for 10 minutes
• Vanilla Extract – For additional flavor. You can also use coffee powder to bring out the flavor of the chocolate and for a little espresso flavor
• All-Purpose Flour – This is the base dry ingredient of the cupcake
• Salt – A little salt goes a long way to enhance the taste, so do not skip
• Baking soda – This acts as the leavening agent and reacts with natural cocoa powder to give the cupcake a nice rise
•  2 Batch of Chocolate Ganache Frosting (or any frosting you like) – for coating the top of the cupcakes. You can replace this with other frosting that you like. Check my other recommendations at the end of this post
• Whipping Cream – To make the frosting lighter and fliffier

How to Make Easter Egg Nest Chocolate Cupcake

• Bloom the Cocoa Powder: Easy! The chocolate flavor of this cupcakes came from cocoa powder. So we shall start by “blooming” the cocoa powder. Blooming is simply diluting the cocoa powder in hot water to further extract the flavor of the chocolate. Add hot water to the cocoa powder and stir until fully dissolved. The consistency will be smooth and somewhat thick.
• Add Wet Ingredients: To this, add the sugar and the rest of the dry ingredients, egg and vanilla extract.
• Next work on the dry ingredients. To keep the cleaning easy, let’s use just one bowl. Sift the flour, sale, baking soda and baking powder into the cocoa powder mixture. Gently mix until combined. Now you have a basic chocolate cupcake batter. Pour into the cupcake tins with liner and bake. Before decorating, make sure  that the cup cake is completely cooled. 
• Let’s make the frosting. To keep it simple, we shall use chocolate ganache for frosting the top. We don’t need a lot, just enough to coat the top so that the sprinkles will have something to stick to. I have a separate post on how to make chocolate ganache using cream or using milk. They’re both very detailed and you will get a lot of information not only on how to make it but also how to use it. Be sure to check those post. You can use the chocolate ganache to coat the top, but like to make it into a whipped chocolate ganache for a lighter frosting. You can easily do this by adding whipped cream and mixing it until light and fluffy.
• Let’s decorate! The fun part is the decorating. Spread the frosting on top of the cupcake. You can use other frosting, I will leave some suggestions at the end of this post. Sprinkle the entire top of the cup with chocolate sprinkles then arrange at least 4 pieces chocolate eggs on top. You can add more if you like, no judgement here, I add more than 4 myself a lot of times. That’s it!! You have now an adorable Easter themed chocolate cupcake, Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (50g) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) Water
• 1 cup (200 g) of Granulated Sugar
•  2/3 cup (160 ml) of Vegetable Oil
•  2 Eggs – Room Temperature
•  1 1/2 tsp (7.5ml) Vanilla Extract
•  3/4 cup (90g) of All-Purpose Flour
•  3/4 tsp(3.75 ml) Salt
•  1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) Baking soda
•  2 Batch of Chocolate Ganache Frosting (or any frosting you like)
• 1/3 cup Whipping Cream (liquid form in a carton) – can be substituted by ready to use whipped cream in a tub or can

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350F/(175C).
2. Dissolve Cocoa Powder: In a large bowl combine the cocoa powder with the hot water and whisk up with a wire whisk until smooth. The hot water will “bloom” the coco powder and bring out its best flavor.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Then add the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Set Aside.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. You can also add it directly to the wet ingredients if you want to save one extra bowl to wash.
5. Wet Ingredients + Dry Ingredients: Combine the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, slowly mixing until combined.
6. Divide in Muffin Liner: Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners and fill each well 3/4 way full.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool – Let cool completely before decorating

Makes 12 cupcakes

What is the white thing in the middle? In case you are wondering what the white thing in the center, that is an Easter white chocolate eggs. You can use Easter caramel eggs. If you want to do this, scoop cupcake batter in the liner, add the chocolate in the center then cover with cupcake batter.

How to Make Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1. Make 2 batches of Chocolate Ganache Frosting. Click HERE for the recipe. Cover with plastic wrap making sure that it touches the top of the chocolate ganache. This will help avoid a film forming on top. Set aside in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Do not leave it longer as it will harden too much to mix with whipped cream.
2. Prepare the Whipped Cream, (you can also use ready made whipped cream on tub or canister). Using a hand mixer, gradually add the whipped cream to the chocolate ganache and whip for about 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. The color will be lighter and the texture softer. You may or may not use all the whipping cream, it depends on the type of chocolate you are using. Chocolate chips often require fewer whipped cream as compared to chopped chocolates.

Let’s Decorate!

When it comes to decorating this cupcake, it is pretty flexible. You do not have to stick to what I am using here, use what you have and use what you like.

• Spread the frosting on top of the cupcakes. I used a spatula to spread it on top, a spoon will work too. You can also using a piping bag to frost the cupcakes. I like to keep it simple and easy.
• Add chocolate sprinkles on top. I like using brown sprinkles to make it look like a nest.
• Arrange Easter egg chocolate on top

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