These chocolate ganache brownie cupcakes bake up fudgy in the center with a thin crackly top, and a glossy chocolate coating finishes each one. The batter comes together in one bowl with a whisk, so there is no mixer to pull out.
The recipe makes 12 cupcakes in about 65 minutes, including cooling time. Dense and rich like a brownie but simple to hold like a cupcake, they suit lunchboxes, bake sales, and dessert plates alike.
Table of Contents
Why This Chocolate Ganache Brownie Cupcakes Recipe Works
Melted butter instead of creamed butter gives the batter a dense, fudgy texture. Whisking it with sugar until smooth also helps form the thin shiny crust that brownies are known for.
Cocoa powder carries the chocolate flavor, and only a half cup of flour keeps the crumb tender. A pinch of baking powder gives the cupcakes just enough lift to rise above the liners without turning cakey.
The ganache uses one cup of chips to half a cup of cream, a ratio that sets to a smooth, soft coating that holds its shape when you dip the tops.
Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache Brownie Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Cocoa powder. Use unsweetened natural cocoa and sift it to remove lumps. Dutch process cocoa also works and gives a darker color.
Eggs. Room temperature eggs blend smoothly into warm butter and sugar. Whisk them in until the batter looks glossy.
Chocolate chips. Semisweet chips melt into a smooth ganache and hold their shape in the batter. Chop a chocolate bar if you prefer larger pools of chocolate.
Heavy cream. The fat in heavy cream gives ganache its silky body. Milk is too thin and will not set the same way.
Vanilla. Pure vanilla extract rounds out the chocolate flavor in both the batter and the ganache.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache Brownie Cupcakes
1. Heat the oven Set a rack in the middle and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Whisk the wet ingredients In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar for about a minute until smooth. Add the eggs and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and whisk until glossy.
3. Add the dry ingredients Sift the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder over the bowl. Fold gently with a spatula until no streaks of flour remain.
4. Add the chips Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips so they are evenly spread through the thick batter.
5. Fill the liners Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about halfway. The batter is dense, so it rises only slightly.
6. Bake and cool Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move the cupcakes to a wire rack for 30 minutes.
7. Make the ganache Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to simmer. Pour it over the remaining 1 cup of chips, let it sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and add the last teaspoon of vanilla.
8. Top the cupcakes Let the ganache thicken until pourable but not runny, then dip or spoon it over the cooled cupcakes.
How to Serve Chocolate Ganache Brownie Cupcakes
Serve the cupcakes at room temperature with a cold glass of milk or a scoop of malted milk toffee crunch ice cream. For a dessert plate, add a spoonful of dark chocolate mousse and fresh berries. They also sit well beside fudgy chocolate chunk brownies on a mixed dessert table, and a fruity banana blueberry smoothie makes a lighter pairing.
How to Store and Reheat Chocolate Ganache Brownie Cupcakes
Keep the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, since the ganache contains cream. Let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving so the ganache softens. For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months, thaw them at room temperature, and make fresh ganache for dipping.
Tips and Variations for Chocolate Ganache Brownie Cupcakes
Mix gently. Stir the flour in just until combined. Overmixing builds gluten and makes the cupcakes cakey instead of fudgy.
Skip the raw batter. The batter contains raw eggs and flour, so avoid tasting it before baking.
Underbake slightly. Pull the pan when a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs. Carryover heat finishes the center while the cupcakes cool.
Cool before topping. Warm cupcakes melt the ganache and make it slide off. Wait the full 30 minutes.
Fix a thick ganache. If the ganache firms up too much, warm it over a pan of hot water for 20 seconds and stir. If it is too thin, let it stand for a few minutes.
Flag the allergens. These cupcakes contain wheat, milk, egg, and soy from the chocolate. If you add walnuts or pecans, they also contain tree nuts.
Add texture. Fold about 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter, or top the ganache with flaky salt, sprinkles, or crushed cookies.
Check trusted guidance. For general guidance on baking with eggs and keeping desserts safe, see the Montana State University Extension egg fact sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chocolate Ganache Brownie Cupcakes
Can I make chocolate ganache brownie cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them covered. Make the ganache fresh so it stays glossy, then dip the tops before serving.
Why are my chocolate ganache brownie cupcakes dry?
Overbaking is the usual cause. Check at 18 minutes, and pull them when a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs.
Can I freeze chocolate ganache brownie cupcakes?
Freeze them without ganache for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and add fresh ganache before serving.
Do I need a mixer?
No. A whisk and a spatula are all you need, since the melted butter batter does not require creaming.
Can I use milk chocolate for the ganache?
You can, but milk chocolate is softer. Use a little less cream so the ganache still sets.
Brownie Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Paper cupcake liners
- Small saucepan
- Wire rack
- Whisk
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 teaspoon for the batter and 1 teaspoon for the ganache
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup for the batter and 1 cup for the ganache
- ½ cup heavy cream for the ganache
Instructions
Cooking
- Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Mix the batter. Whisk the melted butter and sugar until smooth, then whisk in the eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients. Sift in the cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder and fold until no streaks remain, then stir in 1/2 cup of the chips.
- Bake. Fill each liner about halfway and bake 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then 30 minutes on a rack.
- Make the ganache. Heat the cream until it just simmers, pour it over 1 cup of chips, wait 2 minutes, then stir smooth with the remaining vanilla. Let it thicken until pourable.
- Top. Spoon or dip the cooled cupcakes in the ganache and serve once it starts to firm.
