Elderflowers are my favorite edible wildflower, and these chocolate elderflower cupcakes are so much fun to make (and eat!). I love the contrast between the deep chocolate cake and elegant floral frosting.
Unlike so many other more subtly flavored wild flowers, elderflowers have a very strong aroma and taste that can hold up well to bolder flavors. A lot of my edible flower recipes use mild ingredients so as not to overpower the delicate floral flavors. But not this one! I love that the elderflower flavor isn’t lost amongst the chocolate.
Recipe highlights
- Fluffy chocolate cupcakes. The cupcake base is soft, moist, fluffy, and chocolatey.
- Silky elderflower buttercream. Perfectly smooth, not-too-sweet buttercream that’s made with a fresh elderflower extract.
- Perfect for summer parties. The flavor of elderflowers, which often bloom right around summer solstice, is bright and sunny. These chocolate elderflower cupcakes are the perfect handheld treat to bring to summer parties. This recipe makes 16-18 cupcakes but can be doubled for larger events.
Chocolate elderflower cupcake tips
Follow these helpful tips for success!
Tips for making the chocolate cupcakes:
Beat the eggs well. After creaming the butter and sugar together, you’ll add the eggs, one at a time. Beat this mixture for about five minutes, until pale and creamy. This creaming process helps trap air and contributes to the final soft fluffy texture of the cupcakes.
Alternate the dry and wet ingredients. You’ve probably seen this often in cake recipes. Add about a third of the flour mix, then about half of the wet ingredients, then alternate between the two again, ending with the dry ingredients. This process helps to ensure an even clump-free batter and prevents over-mixing.
Add the hot water slowly at the end. Adding hot water to chocolate cake recipes helps to “bloom” the cocoa, creating a rich deep flavor. You’ll want to add this water in a slow, gradual stream while the mixer is running. Give the cake batter some time to absorb the water as you add it. Do NOT add it all at once.
Tips for making the elderflower buttercream:
Use a candy or digital thermometer. This recipe uses an Italian meringue style buttercream, a technique that begins by making a meringue. To be sure that your simple syrup is ready to be whisked into the egg whites, you’ll want it to reach 240° F, or soft ball stage.
Have the egg whites ready. While making the simple syrup, get the egg whites ready. Place the egg whites in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk them to soft peaks. Keep them mixing on low until the syrup is cooked to 240° F.
Add the syrup to the egg whites slowly. Pour the hot cooked syrup in a slow and gradual stream into the whipping egg whites so as not to overwhelm them. Try to pour it down the side of the mixer bowl, avoiding the whisk.
Let the meringue cool a bit. Once all the syrup is added in, continue to whisk the mixture for at least five minutes. The meringue should cool down significantly and look shiny and voluminous.
Add the butter gradually. Now start adding in the soft butter, about a tablespoon at a time, until all the butter is in. Beat the frosting for a few more minutes until the buttercream is silky and smooth.
Add elderflower flavor last. Add the dried elderflowers and elderflower extract at the very end, when the frosting is smooth and homogenous.
Buttercream tip
While adding the butter, there is a chance that your buttercream will “break” and look curdled. Don’t fret, this is normal! Keep mixing until it comes together into a silky mass. If the buttercream is taking a long time to come together, stick the bowl in the fridge for 5-10 minutes and try mixing again.
Variations & substitutions
These chocolate elderflower cupcakes get their flower flavor from elderflower bourbon and dried elderflowers. If you have access to even just a handful of fresh elderflowers, I highly recommend you make the homemade elderflower extract!
Elderflower bourbon: If you don’t have elderflower bourbon/extract, you can use St. Germain instead. It’s an elderflower-flavored liqueur that you can find in most liquor stores.
How to source dried elderflowers: You can dry your own, purchase a pure elderflower tea (make sure there aren’t any other ingredients), visit your local herb shop, or order dried flowers from a company like Mountain Rose Herbs. You could also skip the dried elderflowers in the frosting.
Whole milk yogurt: The chocolate cake recipe calls for whole milk yogurt. You could substitute sour cream for this, but don’t use a low-fat option. The high fat content gives moisture to the cake.
If you make these chocolate elderflower cupcakes, please leave a star rating and a comment below! Thank you!
Chocolate Cupcakes with Elderflower Buttercream
Equipment
- Cupcake pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, soft
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 5 ounces hot water
Elderflower Buttercream
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 egg whites
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, soft
- 1 teaspoon dried elderflowers, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon St Germain or elderflower bourbon
Instructions
For the chocolate cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and turn mixer up to medium. Beat for about 5 minutes, until pale and creamy.
- In a small bowl, sift together dry ingredients. In a second small bowl, whisk together sour cream and vanilla.
- Add 1/3 of dry mixture into the egg and butter mix; blend lightly. Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients, mixing on low until almost incorporated. Repeat this alternation, ending with the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients.
- With mixer on low, slowly pour hot water into batter in a gradual stream, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula every once in a while. Once fully incorporated, divide batter evenly in prepared cupcake tin.
- Bake until cakes spring back when touched, about 20-25 minutes.
For the elderflower buttercream:
- Pour sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cover with just enough water to saturate the sugar. Place on stove over medium-high heat and cook until it reaches the soft-ball stage, about 240° F.
- Meanwhile, while sugar cooks, place egg whites into a clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high until soft peaks form. If soft peaks form before syrup is ready, turn mixture on low.
- Once syrup is ready, pour into egg whites in a slow and gradual stream, with mixer on medium. Once all syrup is in, continue to whisk on medium for about 5 minutes, or until mixture has cooled slightly.
- Start adding in soft butter, about a tablespoon at a time, until all the butter is in. Allow to beat a few more minutes until buttercream is silky and smooth.
- Add dried elderflowers and elderflower bourbon until mixed.
- Use a piping bag with a large star tip to frost cupcakes with elderflower buttercream.
Notes
Did you try this recipe?
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