An easy high altitude recipe for light and fluffy chocolate rose cupcakes, subtly flavored for Valentine’s Day with edible dried rose petals and sumac. The silky chocolate buttercream is piped in a pretty rosette on top of the cupcakes, then decorated with freeze dried strawberries and red and gold sprinkles.
You might also love these strawberry rosé cupcakes, vanilla raspberry cupcakes, and pink velvet cake.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Soft and Moist. Today’s chocolate rose cupcakes recipe is based on my popular high altitude chocolate cupcakes. These cupcakes are soft and fluffy, and stay moist for days after baking.
Bright, Floral Flavors. The addition of the dried rose petals and ground sumac adds a lovely brightness to the chocolate that’s really unique and so delicious.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Cocoa Powder. I only bake with Dutch processed cocoa powder (not natural cocoa powder) for a rich, dark color and flavor. My favorite brand is Cacao Barry Extra Brute.
- Dried Edible Rose Petals. These make a beautiful decoration for cupcakes, but I also used them to flavor the cake and buttercream. I found some at my local Savory Spice Shop, but you can also buy edible rose petals on Amazon. Too much can add a soapy flavor, but the richness of the chocolate is not easily overpowered by other flavors.
- Sumac. Sumac, or ground sumac berries, is an ingredient that’s new to me, since my husband slipped a jar of it into my Christmas stocking. So I’ve been using it little by little, and really enjoy the bright, citrus flavor and pretty red color. It’s a nice complementary flavor to the rose petals and chocolate in today’s cupcakes.
- Espresso Powder. A little instant espresso powder or instant coffee really enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
- Decorations. To make my cupcakes pretty and festive, I decorated them with freeze dried strawberries, red and gold heart sprinkles, red and gold sparkling sugar and more edible dried rose petals.
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line your cupcake/muffin pans with 15 paper liners.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, rose petals, sumac and espresso powder.
- Add the eggs, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla, and whisk until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into the muffin pan, filling the cups about 2/3 – 3/4 full. Bake the cupcakes on the center rack for about 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool several minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, meringue powder, salt, dried rose petals and vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until very light and fluffy, adding the milk only as needed for desired piping consistency.
- Fit a 16-inch disposable piping bag with tip 1M, and fill half full with the buttercream. Pipe rosettes on top of the cupcakes, starting at the center and swirling towards the outer edge.
- Decorate with the freeze dried strawberries, sprinkles and rose petals.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store the leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For both the cake and buttercream, I used Cacao Barry Extra Brute Dutch processed cocoa powder.
I found some at my local Savory Spice Shop, but you can also buy edible rose petals on Amazon.
You Might Also Like
Please check out my Amazon Shop for a curated collection of some of my favorite cake pans from trusted brands, baking tools, ingredients, pretty things and fashion finds. I recommend products that I buy and use every day!
Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!
High Altitude Chocolate Rose Cupcakes
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
- 16-inch Disposable Piping Bag + Tip 1M
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder (see note)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 ½ tsp edible dried rose petals, crushed
- ¼ tsp ground sumac
- 1 tsp espresso powder, optional
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ½ tbsp meringue powder, optional
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tsp edible dried rose petals, crushed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2-3 tbsp milk or cream, only if needed
- freeze dried strawberries, red and gold sprinkles, red and gold sugar, and edible dried rose petals, for decorating
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line your cupcake/muffin pans with 15 paper liners.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, rose petals, sumac and espresso powder.
- Add the eggs, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla, and whisk until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into the muffin pan, filling the cups about 2/3 – 3/4 full. Bake the cupcakes on the center rack for about 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool several minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, meringue powder, salt, dried rose petals and vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until very light and fluffy, adding the milk only as needed for desired piping consistency.
- Fit a 16-inch disposable piping bag with tip 1M, and fill half full with the buttercream. Pipe rosettes on top of the cupcakes, starting at the center and swirling towards the outer edge.
- Decorate with the freeze dried strawberries, sprinkles and rose petals.
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