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–+ servings
A chocolate chili cupcake with a spoonful of fresh ginger whipped cream
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Chocolate Chili Cupcakes with Ginger Cream

Rich dark chocolate cupcakes spiced with hot chilies, ginger & cinnamon, with a surprise fresh ginger whipped cream filling.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 cupcakes

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

*To substitute fresh chilis in cupcakes, finely mince 1-2 seeded chilies (depending on spice level and preference). Combine with sugar as directed.
**To substitute fresh chilis in ganache, roughly smash 1-2 fresh chilies and toss them in with the heavy cream. Infuse & strain as directed in the recipe steps.
Cupcakes are best served at room temperature. Keep refrigerated until 20-30 minutes before serving. Cupcakes will keep in fridge several days but have the best texture the first day.