These chocolate cupcakes for Valentine’s Day are made with real chocolate, filled with cherry jam and topped with fresh whipped cream. Finished with charming Valentine sprinkles.
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Chocolate cupcakes are always a hit in our house. Paired with cherry filling, they become a perfect Valentine’s treat — rich, comforting and pretty to look at. These cupcakes are moist, deeply chocolate-flavored, filled with cherry pie filling and finished with a light whipped cream and festive sprinkles.
This is a great recipe to make with kids. My daughter enjoys helping with the decorating and learning basic baking steps. Decorating Valentine cupcakes is a fun, creative moment to share while making something delicious together.
Chocolate moist cupcakes for Valentines
The base is a moist and rich chocolate batter that yields 12 standard cupcakes. I often double the batch so there’s enough for decorating, sharing with friends or sending to school. For the filling I used cherry pie filling, but you can substitute with cherry jam or any cherry preserves you prefer.
Buttercream or whipped cream
For the frosting I prefer a lightly sweetened whipped cream to balance the richness of the chocolate and the tartness of the cherries. You can also use cream cheese frosting or a traditional buttercream if you like a richer finish. The whipped cream keeps these cupcakes feeling light.
Exciting heart shaped topping
Top the cupcakes with small sugar hearts, pink candy sprinkles or any Valentine-themed decorations you have on hand. Choose colors and shapes that make the cupcakes festive — simple sprinkles are an easy way to add charm.
Ingredients for Chocolate cupcakes for Valentines with cherry filling
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- cocoa powder
- salt
- unsalted butter
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- vegetable oil
- bittersweet chocolate chips
- cup cherry pie filling
- whipping cream
- confectioner sugar
- sugar sprinkles or sugar hearts
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE BATTER
Prepare this easy cupcakes batter
Begin by combining the dry ingredients (except the brown sugar). Sift the flour and cocoa powder to avoid lumps, then stir in the baking powder and salt. If you use self-rising flour, omit the baking powder.
Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at 70% power in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a stand mixer, cream the softened butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vegetable oil and vanilla, then add the melted chocolate and mix until combined.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Use an ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly among 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full (about 1 1/2 scoops).
Bake the cupcakes for Valentines.
Preheat the oven to 160 °C / 325 °F. Bake the cupcakes for 20–25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Filling
Core each cooled cupcake using a cupcake corer or a piping tip (Wilton No. 1A works well) and fill the cavity with a teaspoon or two of cherry pie filling. You can also use Nutella, jam, peanut butter or salted caramel as alternatives.
Frosting
Chill a mixing bowl and whisk, then whip the cold whipping cream on medium-low until it becomes frothy. Add the confectioner’s sugar when the cream just begins to thicken, then increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form.
Assemble the cupcakes for Valentines.
Transfer the whipped cream to a disposable pastry bag, snip about 1/2″ from the tip and pipe a swirl onto each filled cupcake. Finish with sugar hearts or festive sprinkles.
Tips and Tricks
Keep the whipping cream cold — cold cream whips faster and holds better. Chill the bowl and whisk if possible.
Add sugar as the cream thickens — add the confectioner’s sugar when the cream is beginning to hold its shape, then finish whipping to the desired consistency.
Use a reusable bag alternative — if you don’t have pastry bags, a cleaned milk bag or a small resealable plastic bag with a snipped corner works well for piping.
Make holes after cooling — it’s often easier to core cupcakes the next day after they have fully cooled and settled.
More recipe ideas for Valentine’s Day
- VALENTINE’S STRAWBERRY PUFF HEARTS
- NUTELLA PUFF PASTRY TWISTS
- VALENTINE’S CAKE POPS
- NUTELLA SWIRL CHEESECAKE (NO-BAKE)
- STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE MOUSSE
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CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
Julia
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Ingredients
For cupcakes
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup (25 g) cocoa powder sifted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (185 g) butter softened
- 3/4 cup (150 g) brown sugar
- 2 extra large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (155 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (80 g) bittersweet chocolate chips melted
Filling
- 3/4 (180 ml) cup cherry pie filling
Frosting
- 1 (250 ml) cup whipped cream chilled
- 1/2 (50 g) cup confectioner sugar (icing sugar)
- sugar sprinkles or sugar hearts
Instructions
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Prepare a 12-cup cupcake tin with liners and preheat the oven to 160 °C / 325 °F.
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In a large bowl, sift and combine the flour and cocoa powder, then add baking powder and salt. Set aside.
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Melt the chocolate in the microwave at 70% power in 1-minute intervals, stirring after each interval until smooth. Set aside.
-
In a stand mixer bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy (about 3–5 minutes).
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Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla, vegetable oil and the melted chocolate, allowing each ingredient to incorporate before adding the next.
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Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
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Divide the batter evenly into the cupcake tin using an ice cream scoop (about 1 1/2 scoops per cup). Bake for 20–25 minutes. Test with a skewer — it should come out clean.
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Cool the cupcakes in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Filling for the cupcakes
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Core each cupcake and fill the center with a teaspoon or two of cherry pie filling.
Frosting
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Whip the chilled cream on medium-low until frothy, add the confectioner’s sugar, then whip on high until thickened to soft peaks.
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Pipe the whipped cream onto each filled cupcake and finish with sugar sprinkles or hearts.
