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Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

ByElizabeth Lampman
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These Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are inspired by the Island’s Cocoa Tea – a spiced Hot Chocolate that is made from locally grown cocoa.

 

These Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are inspired by the Island's Cocoa Tea - a spiced Hot Chocolate that is made from locally grown cocoa.

 

It is August, and Saint Lucia is celebrating Chocolate Heritage Month – a celebration of the island’s rich chocolate history.

You might not know it, but the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia has been producing cacao for centuries, and continues to produce some of the world’s best chocolate. The island’s signature mountains, the Pitons, are actually ideal for chocolate growing, and produce an intense, richly flavoured chocolate.

Travellers to Saint Lucia during Chocolate Heritage Month can expect to be immersed in a variety of services, amenities and experiences that celebrate chocolate. This ranges from inventive “choc-tails,” chocolate infused spa treatments, cocoa plantation tours and speciality tasting menus.

Travellers visiting Saint Lucia this summer can literally sink their teeth into Saint Lucia’s rich history of cocoa production.

 

These Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are inspired by the Island's Cocoa Tea - a spiced Hot Chocolate that is made from locally grown cocoa.

 

For a deeper look into the island’s chocolate heritage, plantation tours at Morne Coubaril Estate and La Dauphine Estate showcase the tradition of Saint Lucian cocoa production.

The Fond Doux Holiday Plantation tour leads guests through the cocoa fermentation house where visitors can participate in the traditional “cocoa- rina” dance to polish the cocoa beans while Jade Mountain’s Emerald Estate Organic Chocolate and Chocolate Laboratory offers guests a behind-the-scenes look at a bean-to-bar, single estate boutique chocolate maker.

The Tree to Bar Experience at Hotel Chocolat guides visitors through the many stages of chocolate production, from seedling nursery, fermenting room and sun-drying station to grinding, mixing and tasting.

Sounds like heaven on Earth to me!

 

These Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are inspired by the Island's Cocoa Tea - a spiced Hot Chocolate that is made from locally grown cocoa.

 

Cocoa Tea is a traditional hot breakfast treat in St. Lucia, made from the locally grown fine cocoa that is so world-renowned. 

Forget everything you know about sugar filled hot chocolate right now.

Cocoa tea is much healthier and rich in anti-oxidants with as much caffeine in it is a cup of coffee. It’s lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg too which creates a rich and wonderfully complex flavour profile that will remind you of exactly where you are (should you be lucky enough to be drinking it on a Caribbean island, that is.)

It is traditionally made from grated cocoa stick – a small log of roasted, ground, rolled cacao nibs. 

 

These Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are inspired by the Island's Cocoa Tea - a spiced Hot Chocolate that is made from locally grown cocoa.

 

I took this traditional drink and felt inspired to try my hand at creating hot chocolate cupcakes inspired by Saint Lucian chocolate and culture. 

It is made with dark chocolate straight from Saint Lucia along with warming spices, and grated cacao from a stick, all topped off with a meringue “marshmallow” frosting.

It’s as close to cocoa tea as you can get in a dessert!

Of course, you will probably want to take the trip to Saint Lucia to get your own locally grown Saint Lucian chocolate. 

While there you will want to check out how Saint Lucia’s top restaurants incorporate native cocoa into menu items for both sweet and savoury dishes. 

I have to say, I am curious!

 

Looking for more Caribbean Inspired Dishes?

Check out some of my favourite recipe:

 

Jamaican Pumpkin Beef Soup

Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

Jamaican Rice and Peas

 

These Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are inspired by the Island's Cocoa Tea - a spiced Hot Chocolate that is made from locally grown cocoa.

 

Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

3/4 cup butter
4 oz. Saint Lucian dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground Cinnamon
1/2 tbsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Grated Cocoa (from Stick)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups milk, divided
2 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 tsp. baking soda

For the marshmallow frosting:

8 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp fine salt
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

For the cupcakes:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, chopped chocolate, 1 cup milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, over medium heat until melted and smooth then set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and grated cocoa on low.
Pour the hot chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed until well combined.
Mix in eggs, making sure to keep beating on medium, then add the rest of the milk, vanilla, and baking soda.
Fill the cupcake liners with the batter about ¾ way full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer cupcakes to a wire baking rack to continue cool.

For the marshmallow frosting:

Bring a medium saucepan, filled to 1 inch with water, to a simmer over medium heat.

Whisk together egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in stand mixer bowl.

Place the bowl over the saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.

Whisk the egg mixture constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch – about 5 minutes.

Transfer the bowl to your stand mixer and whisk for 1 minute on medium then increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Add the vanilla and whisk until mixed in.

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip and pipe onto the cupcakes.

Either use a kitchen torch or your oven’s broiler to brown the meringue topping.

Serve immediately or store at room temperature for up to 3 hours.

 

These Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are inspired by the Island's Cocoa Tea - a spiced Hot Chocolate that is made from locally grown cocoa.

 

Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 4 oz . dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tbsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup Grated Cocoa, from Stick
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 cups milk, divided
  • 2 Tbs . pure vanilla extract
  • 2-1/2 tsp . baking soda

For the marshmallow frosting

  • 8 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/8 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, chopped chocolate, 1 cup milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, over medium heat until melted and smooth then set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and grated cocoa on low.
  4. Pour the hot chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed until well combined.
  5. Mix in eggs, making sure to keep beating on medium, then add the rest of the milk, vanilla, and baking soda.
  6. Fill the cupcake liners with the batter about ¾ way full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
  7. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer cupcakes to a wire baking rack to continue cool.

For the marshmallow frosting

  1. Bring a medium saucepan, filled to 1 inch with water, to a simmer over medium heat.
  2. Whisk together egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in stand mixer bowl.
  3. Place the bowl over the saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
  4. Whisk the egg mixture constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch - about 5 minutes.
  5. Transfer the bowl to your stand mixer and whisk for 1 minute on medium then increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Add the vanilla and whisk until mixed in.
  6. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip and pipe onto the cupcakes.
  7. Either use a kitchen torch or your oven's broiler to brown the meringue topping.
  8. Serve immediately or store at room temperature for up to 3 hours.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

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© Elizabeth Lampman

 

For more information about Chocolate Heritage Month and special hotel deals, visit the St. Lucia Tourism Board website.

  These Saint Lucian Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are inspired by the Island's Cocoa Tea - a spiced Hot Chocolate that is made from locally grown cocoa.

 

Have you been to Saint Lucia?

 

Elizabeth Lampman is a coffee-fuelled Mom of 2 girls and lives in Hamilton, Ontario. She enjoys travelling, developing easy recipes, crafting, taking on diy projects, travelling and saving money!

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110 Comments

  2. These cupcakes look amazing. I can’t wait to make them for my husband and son. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  6. These look absolutely amazing! Anything with chocolate catches my eye. The marshmallow frosting sounds like the perfect complement to these chocolate cupcakes!

    Reply

  8. All of the choices look ahhhhhh-some and my #1 choice is: Capella Marigot Bay Resort and Marina, Saint Lucia

    Reply

  10. I would love to visit St. Lucia and take these tours. Their history sounds fascinating and I would love to try their chocolate.

    Reply

  15. So much to learn about St Lucia … I will have to look more into that area. This is my first time hearing about it. And oh boy those cupcakes look scrumptious!

    Reply

  16. Oh my goodness, I need these NOW! These look amazing! I love chocolate cupcakes and these are definitely kicked up a level.

    Reply

  17. These look so good my mouth is actually watering right now. The pictures are superb, and I want one so bad right now!

    Reply

  25. They all sound so wonderful, but after reading them all I would have to choose Anse Chastanet Resort Chocolate Heritage Special, sounds so great and the scenery is awesome!!

    Reply

  27. I am always looking for new treat recipes to make. These cupcakes look so delicious and easy to make. I will have to try making this recipe on the weekend. I hope mine turn out looking as good as yours did.

    Reply

  28. This reminds me of my trip to ST. Lucia! Such a gorgeous destination with beautiful people, but honestly wasn’t aware of the island’s rich chocolate history! Yummy!!!

    Reply

  37. It would be great to win a Saint Lucian Chocolate Gift Basket.
    In response to your question of
    Which Saint Lucian Chocolate Heritage Month package would you most enjoy?
    I would enjoy the Caramel Kiss Package.
    Thank you for having this giveaway.

    Reply

  41. oh my gosh such a hard pick but I think I would go with Capella Marigot Bay Resort & Marina Chocolate Heritage Special

    Reply

  50. I would choose the Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa Chocolate Heritage Special because of the pool and beach

    Reply

  52. I like the Anse Chastanet Resort Chocolate Heritage Special package. It includes so many things for a nice getaway.

    Reply

  63. Absolutely impossible to choose – they all sound so lovely!!! Maybe the Calabash Cove Resort & Spa Chocolate Heritage – this one looks fantastic 🙂

    Reply

  69. These cupcakes look delicious. Saving. I’d love the Anse Chastanet Resort Chocolate Heritage Special

    Reply

  74. Wow – well a few of those places want to put chocolate on me instead of in me. The most suitable I think is the Mango Beach Inn’s Chocolate Heritage Special! Sounds delicious!

    Reply

  75. OMG. Great Scout , Marty. I luv the Caramel Kiss package. Wow, prize basket is fab. & splendid. 2 fingers snap. It is tight, fly & off the chain. Thank you for the awesomeness, the contest, and generosity. 🙂 Pick me.

    Reply

  81. I would love the Jade Mountain pkg but a little out of my price range….the Anse Chastanet Resort Chocolate Heritage Special sounds wonderful too!

    Reply

  90. Oh I think just being there would be enjoyable. You had me at chocolate… Jade Mountains are beautiful. I think any resort and getaway package would be heaven.

    Reply

  91. I really your Christmas Outdoor Craft of JOY with the candles holders painted red and the letters painted white. Just add the Christmas greens and bling and, voila, a beautiful Christmassy work of art. Thank you so much for the idea and directions.

    Reply

  93. I’d love to see the bean-to-bar single estate boutique chocolate maker at Jade Mountain’s Emerald Estate Organic Chocolate and Chocolate Laboratory.

    Reply

  99. I would most enjoy the Jade Mountain’s Chocolate Heritage Special. Sounds fun, relaxing, interesting, and delicious.

    Reply

  100. I would most enjoy Jade Mountain’s Chocolate Heritage Special (wow – sky jacuzzi!)… “chocolate alchemy”? Yes please!

    Reply

  105. Ok, I have looked at all of them, and they all look amazing!! I think the one that I like the look of the most is the Calabash Cove Resort & Spa Chocolate Heritage Special – the private Bonaire Bay with a secluded white sanded beach sound amazing to me!

    Reply

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