There’s nothing like a little spice to bring out the best in dark chocolate. These Chocolate Chili Cupcakes are rich and fudgy, with just enough heat to keep things interesting. Filled with fluffy fresh ginger whipped cream, they’re decadent and full of surprises.
Although this recipe is great any time of year, I love making these cupcakes in late summer or early fall, when my chili peppers are ripening in the garden. During this time, I’ll add fresh minced chilies into the batter instead of dried. I also love to infuse them into the ganache. If you don’t have a garden, no worries – using dried red pepper flakes works just fine.
Recipe highlights
- Rich & indulgent. Deep chocolate flavor with just the right amount of heat.
- Fun flavor profile. Chocolate, chili, cinnamon, and ginger is a combination that’s warming, vibrant, and slightly unexpected.
- Surprise cream filling. A ginger-infused whipped cream hides beneath the ganache frosting! A delightful surprise that helps to balance the spice.
- Perfect for parties. The unusual flavors and polished look make these cupcakes special enough for celebrations.
How to make chocolate chili cupcakes
You can find full recipe details and ingredients in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post. Here’s a quick look at the process before you dive into the recipe:
- Infuse the chili: Combine sugar and chili flakes (or minced fresh chilies), then cream with butter and sugar.
- Mix the batter: Whisk together flour, cocoa, spices, and baking soda. Alternate this mix with buttermilk and lime juice. Finish with hot water.
- Bake: Divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake until set, with tops that spring back to the touch.
- Make ginger cream: Combine fresh grated ginger and sugar thoroughly. Beat heavy cream with ginger sugar until medium peaks form.
- Make spiced ganache: Steep heavy cream with chilies, then strain. Mix with chocolate, butter, and salt. Cool completely, then whip until thick and fluffy.
- Fill, frost & serve: Poke holes into cupcakes, fill with ginger cream, and pipe whipped ganache on top. Enjoy!
Tips for success
Control the heat. Adjust the spice level by choosing milder or hotter chilies. Jalapeño for a gentle kick, cayenne or bird’s eye for more punch. You can also increase or decrease the spice as you desire.
Try fresh chili peppers. If you have fresh garden chilies, use them! Just mince them finely and use as directed in the cupcake recipe in place of dried chili flakes (combine them with the sugar for a few minutes). For the ganache, use 1-2 whole fresh chilies in place of the 3 whole dried chilies. Dried chilies typically have a little less heat than fresh.
Don’t over-whip the cream. When making the ginger cream, whip just until soft or medium peaks form. Over-whipping can make it grainy.
Chill ganache before whipping. Make sure you cool the ganache completely before whipping. Let it drop to room temperature first, then continue chilling it in the refrigerator.
Variations & substitutions
Spiced cream: Add a pinch of cinnamon and/or cardamom to the whipped cream along with the ginger for a warming spice blend.
Kid-friendly: Skip the chili and just make chocolate cupcakes with ginger cream – they’ll still be delicious!
Simplify: If you want to save some time, feel free to skip the ginger cream and just top the chocolate chili cupcakes with the ganache. They’ll be richer and feel more intensely chocolatey.
Swap the frosting: If you want less chocolate, try a different frosting for the top. Vanilla buttercream would be great in place of the ganache. Or, fold passionfruit ginger curd into soft whipped cream for a really special cupcake topping. You could also double the batch for the ginger cream and use it as a frosting instead of filling the cupcakes with it.
Serving & storage
These chocolate chili cupcakes are softest & fluffiest the day they’re made, but the flavors of the chilies and spices develop even more as they sit. If you want to make them ahead:
- Unfrosted cupcakes: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.
- Whipped cream: Make the ginger cream just before serving for the best texture.
- Frosted cupcakes: Store cupcakes in the fridge for up to 5 days, but let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before eating for the best flavor and texture.
If you love the combination of chocolate & spice, you’ll definitely want to check out this Chocolate Chili Cake with Passionfruit Curd!
If you make these Chocolate Chili Cupcakes with Ginger Cream, please let me know what you think! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you!!
Chocolate Chili Cupcakes with Ginger Cream
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Cupcake tin & paper liners
Ingredients
Chocolate Chili Cupcakes
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes*
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, soft
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground ginger
- 1 pinch cayenne powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons boiling water
Fresh Ginger Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled & grated
Spiced Ganache
- 7 ounces dark or semisweet chocolate
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 whole dried chilies**, (or sub 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
For the chocolate chili cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a cupcake tin with liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar & chili flakes. Mix for a few minutes, until sugar takes on a slight pink hue.
- Add soft butter and brown sugar; beat until creamy, 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, spices, and soda. Whisk together buttermilk & lime juice in a separate bowl. Add 1/3 flour mix to the stand mixer and stir on low until barely combined. Mix in 1/2 of buttermilk. Continue alternating buttermilk with dry ingredients, ending with the flour mix.
- Gradually, with mixer on low, stir in boiling water until just combined.
- Pour, pipe, or scoop batter into prepared tins and bake until cakes spring back when touched, about 23-25 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely.
For ginger cream:
- With a mortar & pestle, combine fresh grated ginger with the sugar.
- Clean and dry the bowl from the stand mixer. Whip the heavy cream with the stand mixer using the whisk attachment. When the cream begins to thicken, begin adding ginger sugar, a little at a time. Continue whisking until medium peaks form.
For spiced whipped ganache:
- Heat cream & chilies or chili flakes in a stainless steel saucepan until just shimmering (NOT boiling). Cover and allow to steep for 5 minutes.
- Place chopped chocolate, butter, and salt in a stainless steel bowl. Once cream has steeped, strain it into the bowl with the chocolate, removing the chilies. Whisk ganache until smooth. If it doesn't melt thoroughly, place the bowl over a pan of shallow water and heat very gently, whisking until melted.
- Allow to cool until room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator about 15 minutes.
- Place in bowl of stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium until thick enough to spread, about 3 minutes.
To assemble cupcakes:
- Poke holes in the center of cupcakes using a small spoon, melon baller, or the large end of a piping tip. Pipe ginger cream into the cavities, filling as much as possible.
- Pipe or spread spiced ganache on top as desired.
Notes
Did you try this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment below!
