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Fresh Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes

Fresh Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes are made with a soft vanilla sponge, a scratch made vanilla custard filling, and topped with a silky chocolate ganache. These filled cupcakes make a statement at any event with a classic, sophisticated aesthetic and delicious cream filled middle.

The fluffy vanilla cupcakes are made with cake flour, buttermilk, and eggs for a soft crumb while the custard is made in classic form reminiscent of everyones favorite chocolate eclair donut. Our simple chocolate ganache brings everything together with a rich, chocolatey finish and elegant flair.

 Fresh Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes
Fresh Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes

Filled cupcakes are always a welcomed treat because they provide a fun, tasty surprise that elevates the cupcake and adds depth of flavor. They take a bit more planning to execute than standard cupcakes, but they are well worth the extra effort.

These beautiful chocolate topped vanilla cupcakes make a lovely presentation and taste so fresh. They are one of our favorite cupcake recipes because of the combination of vanilla and chocolate.

Fresh Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes

How do you make cupcakes moist?

Soft, fluffy, and moist cupcakes are always the goal in the baking world. Here are our best tips for making the best vanilla cupcakes to execute the mini chocolate eclair cake treats.

  • Use high quality, fresh ingredients for optimal flavor, rise and moisture. This is especially important for eggs, milk or creams, and any rising agents.
  • Warming the cold ingredients is important because they will combine to a smooth batter with few lumps. Using room temperature ingredients like eggs and butters will also cut down on the mixing time which is another tip to respect.
  • Over mixing your cake batter will result in dense, flat cupcakes because the air will be over beaten out of the mixture. Only mix until the ingredients have just combined.
  • Bake at the correct temperature, and not too long. Baking cupcakes at high temperatures for too long will result in dry, flat cupcakes rather than soft, fluffy mini cakes.
  • Be careful not to overfill the cupcake liners. Fill the tins 2/3 full to prevent the cupcakes from rising too much and spilling over the edges. We recommend using ice cream or cookie scoops for even distribution of the batter into the liners.

Tips to save time

This recipe is a fresh chocolate eclair cupcakes recipe making everything from scratch for the best flavor and crumb. But, we don’t always have time to spend in the kitchen, here are some ideas for how you can make these scrumptious filled cupcakes efficiently.

A popular hack is using cake mix, which will save time in the kitchen and make a pillsbury cupcakes recipe, or Boston cream cupcakes with cake mix. Both terms are interchangeable and often used for chocolate eclair cupcake recipes.

 Fresh Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes
Fresh Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes. Decadent vanilla cupcakes filled with custard and topped with a delicious chocolate ganache.

These cupcakes do take time so plan ahead and make sure you have your supplies ready before you begin. The custard is made on the stove, and will require chill time for an hour or so before using it. The ganache is also made on the stove but it’s very easy and can be set aside until you are ready for, so we recommend making the ganache while the cupcakes are cooling.

Making the custard

  1. Beat egg yolks in a small bowl, add in milk and whisk together until thoroughly mixed.
  2. Mix together sugar, cornstarch and salt in large heavy saucepan. slowly stir in a small amount of milk and egg mixture,
  3. Gradually stir in remaining milk mixture until blended.
  4. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, this will take about 20 to 25 minutes.
  5. Boil and stir 1 minute, then remove from heat immediately.
  6. Cool quickly
    1. Set pan in larger pan of ice water.
    2. Stir occasionally and gently for a few minutes to hasten cooling.
    3. Stir in vanilla.
    4. Press piece of plastic wrap onto surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming on top.
    5. Refrigerate the custard until thoroughly chilled and set, at least 1 hour.

Making the chocolate ganache

  1. Add butter to a saucepan on medium heat
  2. Pour in the heavy whipping cream and stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil
  3. Put the chocolate chips into a medium size bowl
  4. Pour the heavy cream mixture over the chocolate chips and stir constantly until the chocolate ganache is smooth, silky, and thick

Your Printable Recipe Card

Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes
Yield: 30 frosted cupcakes

Fresh Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Fresh Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes make a lovely, elegant presentation at your finest events. These make a wonderful special treat for your Valentine, Mom on Mother’s Day, a wedding or Bridal shower, or girls night out!

Ingredients

  • CUPCAKES:
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 lg eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup light olive oil (or canola oil)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • Custard Filling:
  • 3 cups milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup corn starch
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla
  • Ganache topping:
  • 16 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

CUPCAKES:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside.
  3. In a bowl with an electric beater, beat eggs until they are thoroughly mixed, add in sugar and continue mixing.
  4. Add in oil and vanilla until they are thoroughly mixed in as well.
  5. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until it is incorporated
  6. Add 1/3 of the buttermilk and mix thoroughly.
  7. Continue alternating adding in ingredients until they are all mixed in.
  8. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 full.
  9. Bake 12-14 minutes checking often to ensure doneness.
  10. Cool on a wire baking rack.

Custard Filling:

  1. Beat egg yolks in a small bowl, add in milk and whisk together until thoroughly mixed.
  2. mix together sugar, cornstarch and salt in large heavy saucepan. slowly stir in a small amount of milk and egg mixture, making a smooth paste. Gradually stir in remaining milk mixture until blended.
  3. cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, 20 to 25 minutes. BOIL and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat immediately.
  4. cool quickly: Set pan in larger pan of ice water. stir occasionally and gently for a few minutes to hasten cooling. stir in vanilla. press piece of plastic wrap onto surface of pastry cream to prevent "skin" from forming. refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.

Chocolate Ganache:

  1. Add butter to a saucepan on medium heat
  2. Add in the heavy whipping cream and stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil
  3. Put the chocolate chips into a medium size bowl
  4. Pour the whipping cream mixture over the chocolate chips and stir constantly until the mixture is thoroughly incorporated.
  5. The sauce should be thick.

ASSEMBLY

  1. Putting the cupcakes together:
  2. Cut a circle into the top of the cupcakes and fill with the custard, replace the top.
  3. Put the ganache into a piping bag fitted with a circular tip.
  4. pipe the ganache in a circle on top of the cupcakes.

Nutrition Information

Yield

30

Serving Size

1 frosted and filled cupcake

Amount Per Serving Calories 327Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 65mgSodium 251mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 1gSugar 23gProtein 4g

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Wednesday 9th of December 2015

[…] vanilla cupcake recipe and I filled them with homemade custard. You can get the recipe for them here. For the frosting, I used a classic buttercream frosting and substituted the vanilla extract for […]

Mike

Saturday 28th of November 2015

The recipie doesn't include milk as an ingredient for the custard, but calls for you to "add milk."

How much milk in the custard?

And when do you add the eggs?

Kayti Lavergne

Saturday 28th of November 2015

Hi Mike! I'm so glad you caught that! The custard filling requires 3 cups of milk. You want to whisk the eggs together with the milk, once you have the cornstarch and the other ingredients combined on the stove, then you gradually want to whisk in the egg and milk mixture stirring constantly. I hope that helps! Thank you! Kayti

Nicky

Sunday 26th of April 2015

This look delicious. I'd love these for my birthday

homemadefoodjunkie

Sunday 26th of April 2015

Nicky, These would be perfect for a special birthday treat! Lol. Hopefully you won't have to make them yourself:)

Heaven

Saturday 25th of April 2015

Just looking at them, I know they are worth the extra work and time! I LOVE eclairs, cupcakes, ganache, and custard. Pinned! Stopping by from Say G'Day.

Kayti Lavergne

Saturday 25th of April 2015

Thank you! They definitely are worth the extra effort!

ashandcrafts

Saturday 25th of April 2015

Hi there! Visiting from the Say G'day party. This looks so moist and delicious! Pinned!

Kayti Lavergne

Saturday 25th of April 2015

Thank you so much for sharing!!

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