Decadent Chocolate Sourdough Cupcakes

September is a month of birthdays for our family. This coming weekend our toddler turns 2, and she is ALL about the dessert. We’ve been experimenting the last few weeks with different sourdough treats like Sourdough Pumpkin Bundt Cake and Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls.

However, before deciding which birthday treat I would make her, I tried one last recipe – Chocolate Sourdough Cupcakes.

This recipe was inspired by Farmhouse on Boone’s Sourdough Chocolate Cupcakes, and I made a few adjustments to fit our eating needs.

Chocolate Sourdough Cupcake Starter Ingredients + Step 1 Instructions

These cupcakes are assembled through a series of steps.

Step #1: The first step is crafting the cupcake sourdough starter. You can let the starter ferment for 24+ hours before baking. However, if you do not have the time to allow your starter to ferment, you can absolutely skip this step.

For those of you who let the starter ferment for 24 hours before making the rest of the batter, here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Organic, All Purpose Flour
• Warm Water
• Avocado Oil
• Active Sourdough Starter

Preparing the Cupcake Starter

1. In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix together the flour, water, oil, and starter. Mix until fully combined.
2. Then, cover with plastic wrap and/or a towel and set aside.
3. Next, let the starter activate and rise for 24 hours (or overnight) before making the rest of the cupcake batter.

Bubbles = Fermentation

Decadent Chocolate Sourdough Cupcake Ingredients + Steps 2 and 3

Steps #2 and #3: Now, for the fun part…the making of the cupcake batter. The second and third steps can be done after the 24 hours of the starter fermentation process, or they can be done immediately after you mix the starter ingredients together.

This depends on your time and what you’re looking for in your cupcakes. If you’re looking for a light, airy, and fluffy cupcake, allow for fermentation. However, if you’re using it for a last-minute bake sale that you were just told about, skip the fermentation.

• Coconut Sugar
• Pink Salt
• Ground Espresso (or your favorite coffee ground finely)
• Mexican Vanilla
• Cocoa Powder
• Oat Milk
• Unsweetened Applesauce
• Baking Soda

Step 2 (Make the Cupcake Batter)

1. In another mixing bowl, combine the sugar, salt, ground Espresso, cocoa powder, and baking soda together.
2. Then, add the Mexican Vanilla, Oat Milk, and Applesauce and stir together with a whisk or fork.
3. Next, add the fermented Sourdough Starter base and combine it with a whisk (I usually use a fork, but for this, I needed a little more kitchen utensil power).
4. Finally, if you let the starter ferment for 24 hours, you should see your batter bubble after mixing all of the ingredients together. This means your batter is active and ready to go! (If you did not ferment your starter, your batter may not instantaneously bubble. Don’t worry, it’s still going to be delicious).

Step 3 – It’s Baking and Cooling Time!

1. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Then, line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. (This is also a great step to incorporate your child into – have them line the muffin tin with the cupcake liners).
3. Next, pour 1/4-1/2 c. Decadent Chocolate Sourdough Cupcake batter into each liner (you want the liners to be about 3/4 of the way full).
4. Then, bake the cupcakes for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (my oven took about 13 minutes to bake these).
5. Finally, pull the cupcakes out of the muffin pan and set them on a wire, cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely to room temperature prior to icing (if the cupcakes are too hot when you ice them, the icing will run right off…not fun).

Let the Cupcakes Cool

Cupcake Icing Ingredients

Time for the icing! For these decadent cupcakes, I made one batch of icing. Then, I added a little something extra for the adults. You can choose to exclude this extra ingredient if you’re making it for a kid-friendly event.

• Cream Cheese, room temperature
• Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• Pink Salt
• Powdered Sugar
• Mexican Vanilla
• Kahlua (*Adult-friendly ingredient/exclude for the kid-friendly version)

Making the Icing

1. In a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until combined.
2. Then, add the salt and Mexican Vanilla and beat until combined.
3. Next, add 4-5 c. Powdered Sugar (one cup at a time…if you add too much at once, it’s going to look like the first snow has fallen in your kitchen).
4. **For the kid-friendly version, steps 1-3 have you ready to go. Place the icing in a piping bag or zip-lock bag. Place the tip of your choice on the bag or cut the tip of the zip lock bag and ice your cupcakes.
   • Note: for the adult-friendly version, follow steps 1-3 and then add 1 tbsp. of Kahlua (coffee liqueur).
5. Finally, place the icing in a piping bag or Ziploc bag. Place the tip of your choice on the bag or cut the tip of the Ziploc bag and ice your cupcakes.
6. After I’ve iced all of the cupcakes, I like to pop them in the fridge for about an hour. This helps the icing set up and stay firm on the cupcakes.

Mix Together the Ingredients

Makeshift Piping Bag for the Child-Friendly Icing

Adult-Friendly Icing

Decadent Chocolate Sourdough Cupcake Icing Station

Kid-Friendly Icing Station

Decadent Chocolate Sourdough Cupcakes with Kahlua and Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Recommended Products

Decadent Chocolate Sourdough Cupcakes

Yield: 12 Cupcakes

Prep Time: 1 day 1 hour

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 day 2 hours

Decadent Chocolate Sourdough Cupcakes are tender, rich, and pure perfection. These cupcakes are the perfect birthday treat for both kids and adults.

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Ingredients

Cupcake Sourdough Starter

• 2 c. Organic, All Purpose Flour
• 1 c. Warm Water
• 1/2 c. Avocado Oil
• 3/4 c. Active Sourdough Starter

Chocolate Sourdough Cupcake Batter

• 2 c. Coconut Sugar
• 1 tsp. Pink Salt
• 1 tsp. Ground Coffee or Espresso
• 2 tsp. Mexican Vanilla
• 3/4 c. Cocoa Powder
• 1 c. Oat Milk
• 1/2 c. Unsweetened Applesauce
• 2 tsp. Baking Soda

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
• 1/2 c. Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 4-5 c. Powdered Sugar
• 2 tsp. Mexican Vanilla
• 1 tbsp. Kahlua (*For the adult-friendly version)

Instructions

Making the Cupcake Sourdough Starter

1. In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix together the flour, water, oil, and starter. Mix until fully combined.
2. Then, cover with plastic wrap and/or a towel and set aside.
3. Next, let the starter activate and rise for 24 hours (or overnight) before making the rest of the cupcake batter.

Crafting the Cupcake Batter

1. In another mixing bowl, combine the sugar, salt, ground Espresso, cocoa powder, and baking soda together.
2. Then, add the Mexican Vanilla, Oat Milk, and Applesauce and stir together with a whisk or fork.
3. Next, add the fermented sourdough starter base and combine it with a whisk (I usually use a fork, but for this, I needed a little more kitchen utensil power).
4. Finally, if you let the starter ferment for 24 hours, you should see your batter bubble after mixing all of the ingredients together. This means your batter is active and ready to go! (If you did not ferment your starter, your batter may not instantaneously bubble. Don't worry, it's still going to be delicious).

Baking the Decadent Chocolate Sourdough Cupcakes

1. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Then, line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. (This is also a great step to incorporate your child into - have them line the muffin tin with the cupcake liners).
3. Next, pour 1/4-1/2 c. Decadent Chocolate Sourdough Cupcake batter into each liner (you want the liners to be about 3/4 of the way full).
4. Then, bake the cupcakes for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (my oven took about 13 minutes to bake these).
5. Finally, pull the cupcakes out of the muffin pan and set them on a wire, cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely to room temperature prior to icing (if the cupcakes are too hot when you ice them, the icing will run right off...not fun).

Icing the Decadent Chocolate Sourdough Cupcakes

1. In a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until combined.
2. Then, add the salt and Mexican Vanilla and beat until combined.
3. Next, add 4-5 c. Powdered Sugar (one cup at a time...if you add too much at once, it's going to look like the first snow has fallen in your kitchen).
4. **For the kid-friendly version, steps 1-3 have you ready to go. Place the icing in a piping bag or zip-lock bag. Place the tip of your choice on the bag or cut the tip of the zip lock bag and ice your cupcakes.
5. **For the adult-friendly version, follow steps 1-3 and then add 1 tbsp. of Kahlua (coffee liqueur).
6. Finally, place the icing in a piping bag or zip-lock bag. Place the tip of your choice on the bag or cut the tip of the zip lock bag and ice your cupcakes.
7. After I've iced all of the cupcakes, I like to pop them in the fridge for about an hour. This helps the icing set up and stay firm on the cupcakes.