Posted: February 16, 2022 ·  Modified April 10, 2023

These Birthday Party Cupcakes feature soft & fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with homemade Swiss meringue and dipped in a chocolate shell. You can decorate them with your favorite sprinkles for the perfect birthday party cupcakes.

Birthday Party Cupcakes.

If you want a great birthday cupcake, one that hides a surprise inside when the big and little kids bite into them, you need to make these dreamy birthday party cupcakes. They look fancy, but they’re not complicated at all.

Make the cupcakes

The vanilla cupcakes are easy to make. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Mix the batter per the recipe below and fill the cupcake liners. Don’t fill the cupcake liners more than 1/2 full.

Party cupcakes.

Make the Swiss Meringue

  1. Add the egg whites, sugar, salt and cream of tartar to a medium heatproof bowl, (or to the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer). Whisk to combine.
  2. Place bowl over a medium pan of simmering water. Make sure water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk constantly but slowly. The mixture will turn foamy at first.
  3. Continue to whisk egg white mixture constantly for up to 3-4 minutes until the sugar has completely dissolved. Check by rubbing a small amount of the mixture between two fingers. If it feels smooth and no longer grainy or gritty, it’s ready to be removed from the pan of water. Add the vanilla.

Note: If you’re concerned about the consumption of raw egg whites, simply check the temperature with a thermometer. As long as the temperature reads at least 160 degrees, it’s safe for consumption.

  1. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer, if you don’t already have it in the mixing bowl.
  2. Whisk mixture on low speed for a few seconds, gradually increasing speed to high. Whisk until mixture becomes stiff, and looks glossy and satiny. Peaks should stand on their own. If the merinuge is still warm, place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to chill.
Swiss Meringue
  1. Place a Wilton 1M tip in the end of a pastry bag. Fill the bag 2/3 full, and refill as needed.
  2. Pipe the meringue onto the tops of the cupcakes. Place the cupcakes in the freezer while you melt and cool the chocolate. You want the meringue to be cold and stiff when dipping so it doesn’t melt or fall off the cupcake when dipping it in chocolate. 
Birthday Party Cupcakes.

Make the Chocolate Shell & Dip the Cupcakes

  1. First, make sure you use a good quality chocolate such as Ghirardelli 60% Cacao, baking bar. Don’t use chocolate chips. Chocolate chips have less cocoa butter and contain stabilizers to help keep their shape while baking. Therefore they take longer to melt, and they are waxy.
  2. Break up the chocolate and transfer it to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir with a spoon. Microwave in one to two 15 second increments, stirring after each one, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Allow it to cool for at least 5 to 8 minutes until cool before dipping cupcakes in it. Turn each chilled cupcake upside down and quickly dip the cupcake into the chocolate, rotating it until all sides are dipped.

Can I freeze these cupcakes?

I don’t suggest it. The Swiss meringue isn’t as creamy once frozen and thawed, and the chocolate might possibly have white streaks in it.

Birthday Party Cupcakes.

Sprinkle your favorite sprinkles over the chocolate topping before it sets up. It doesn’t take long for it to harden.

Birthday Party Cupcakes.

Check out my recipe for Light & Fluffy Yellow Cake, another great birthday dessert.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and rate it. I love hearing from you!

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Birthday Party Cupcakes.

Birthday Party Cupcakes

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  • Author: Cindy @mycountrytable
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 31 cupcakes 1x
  • Category: Cupcakes
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These delectable cupcakes feature tender and moist vanilla cupcakes covered with Swiss meringue and dipped in dark chocolate. They are the perfect delightful surprise when party guests bite into the chocolate shell simply to find the dreamy Swiss meringue.

Ingredients

Units Scale

CUPCAKES

  • 3 1/4 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/8 cups full-fat buttermilk

SWISS MERINGUE

  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE SHELL

  • 12 ounces semi-sweet good quality baking chocolate, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil

Instructions

CUPCAKES

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-count cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  3. To the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, add the butter, granulated sugar, vanilla and oil. Mix on medium speed to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop after each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl and under the paddle attachment. Once the last addition of dry ingredients is added, do not over mix.
  4. Fill cupcake liners halfway full (no more or they will overflow). You will have batter left in your mixing bowl. You will bake more cupcakes when the first ones come out of the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes until the tops spring back when touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in pans for at least five minutes and transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.
  5. Line one of the cupcake pans again with about 6 or 7 paper liners. Fill the liners with the remaining batter and bake again for about 20 minutes.

SWISS MERINGUE

  1. Add the egg whites, sugar, salt and cream of tartar to a medium heatproof bowl, (or to the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer). Whisk to combine.
  2. Place bowl over a medium pan of simmering water. Make sure water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
  3. Whisk egg white mixture constantly for up to 3-4 minutes until the sugar has completely dissolved. Check by rubbing a small amount of the mixture between two fingers. If it feels smooth and no longer grainy or gritty, it’s ready to be removed from the pan of water. Add the vanilla.
  4. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer, if you don’t already have it in the mixer bowl. Whisk mixture on low speed for a few seconds, gradually increasing speed to high. Whisk until mixture becomes stiff, and looks glossy and satiny. Peaks should stand on their own.
  5. Using a Wilton 1M tip, attached to a piping bag. pipe the meringue onto the tops of the cupcakes. Place the cupcakes in the freezer while you melt and cool the chocolate. 

CHOCOLATE SHELL

  1. Add the chopped chocolate to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir with a spoon. Microwave in one to two 15 second increments, stirring after each one, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Allow it to cool for at least 5 to 8 minutes until cool before dipping cupcakes in it.
  2. Turn each chilled cupcake upside down and quickly dip the cupcake into the chocolate.

Notes

  • Store cupcakes covered in a refrigerator until about 30 minutes before serving. This will keep the Swiss meringue stable longer.

Find it online: https://mycountrytable.com/birthday-party-cupcakes/