Chocolate Kinder cupcakes with a silky whipped Kinder chocolate ganache and a crunchy Kinder Bueno finish—rich, creamy, and made for true Kinder fans.
As a French baker, I tested several versions of these Chocolate Kinder Cupcakes to get a soft chocolate base and a light, creamy Kinder ganache that pipes cleanly and holds its shape.
Using real Kinder chocolate gives the frosting its smooth texture and classic chocolate-milk flavor, perfect with moist chocolate cupcakes.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Real Kinder chocolate Made with Kinder Maxi for an authentic Kinder taste
- Fluffy whipped ganache Light texture, stable for piping, not too sweet
- Party-perfect finish Kinder Bueno topping for crunch and instant wow
Ingredients Notes
You need these ingredients to make Chocolate Kinder Cupcakes:
- Vegetable oil – Neutral oil, at room temperature.
- Granulated sugar – White sugar.
- Eggs – Large eggs, at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract.
- All-purpose flour – Standard white flour.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Dark, unsweetened cocoa.
- Baking soda (or baking powder) – Use one or the other.
- Salt – Fine salt.
- Buttermilk – Cold or at room temperature.
- Kinder Maxi chocolate – Chopped, for the ganache.
- Heavy cream – Full-fat (30–35%), very cold.
- Kinder Bueno bars – For decoration on top.
Tips for this recipe
- Cool completely – Let the cupcakes cool fully before frosting so the ganache holds its shape.
- Use cold cream – Very cold heavy cream gives a smooth, stable Kinder ganache.
- Don’t overwhip – Stop mixing as soon as the ganache is thick and pipeable.
- Chill before serving – A short chill helps the frosting set and improves texture.
- Add Bueno last – Decorate just before serving to keep the bars crisp.
How to Make Chocolate Kinder Cupcakes
This recipe uses my classic chocolate cupcake base, which I rely on for most of my chocolate cupcake variations.
Beat the oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk in a large bowl until smooth.
Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
Fill a lined cupcake pan with the batter.
Bake at 350°F / 180°C for 18–20 minutes, then let the cupcakes cool completely.
For the frosting, I use my Kinder chocolate ganache, made with real Kinder Maxi bars for a smooth, creamy texture.
Pour the warm cream over the Kinder chocolate and stir until smooth.
Add the cold cream, blend briefly, cover, and chill for at least 4 hours.
Whip the cold ganache for 2–3 minutes until thick and fluffy.
Pipe onto the cupcakes, top with Kinder Bueno, and drizzle with chocolate sauce.
Storage
- Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Recipe Variations
- Use Kinder Bueno pieces inside the cupcakes for a surprise center.
- Swap Kinder Maxi for milk chocolate for a slightly sweeter ganache.
- Top with chopped hazelnuts to echo classic Kinder flavors.
If you want a stronger hazelnut note, you can also try my Kinder Bueno ganache, which brings a more pronounced chocolate-hazelnut flavor.
Recipe Questions
Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the cupcakes one day ahead and frost them the day you serve them.
Can I freeze Kinder cupcakes?
Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes only. Add the ganache after thawing.
Can I use another chocolate instead of Kinder?
Yes, but the flavor will be different. Kinder chocolate gives the signature creamy taste.
More Chocolate Cupcake Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! Rate it ★★★★★ and leave a quick comment — it always helps. Happy baking!
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Chocolate Kinder Cupcakes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
Description
Recipe for Kinder chocolate cupcakes made with Kinder Maxi chocolate ganache and topped with Kinder Bueno (makes about 12 cupcakes).
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 100 g (¾ cup) cake flour
- 40 g (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 85 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil
- 125 ml (½ cup) buttermilk
Kinder Ganache
- 200 g (7 oz) Kinder Maxi chocolate bars (about 10 bars), chopped
- 170 ml (¾ cup) heavy cream, full-fat, hot
- 170 ml (¾ cup) heavy cream, full-fat, cold
Instructions
Kinder ganache
- Chop the Kinder Maxi chocolate and place it in a large bowl.
- Heat half of the heavy cream until just simmering, then pour it over the chocolate.
- Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Add the cold cream and mix to combine.
- Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth.
- Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
Chocolate cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a muffin pan with liners.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients in 2–3 additions and mix just until combined.
- Fill the liners halfway to ¾ full.
- Bake 17–20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
Assembly
- Whip the chilled Kinder ganache at medium speed for 2–3 minutes until thick and firm.
- Pipe the ganache onto the cupcakes using a 1B or 1M tip.
- Decorate with Kinder Maxi or Kinder Bueno and a drizzle of melted chocolate.
- Chill 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Storage: Store the cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Tips:
- Use a kitchen scale instead of cups for accurate results
- Make sure the ganache is fully chilled before whipping
- Stop whipping as soon as the ganache holds firm peaks
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting
- Use full-fat cream for a stable, pipeable texture
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: cupcakes
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcakes
- Calories: 294
- Sugar: 23.1 g
- Sodium: 128.9 mg
- Fat: 18.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.7 g
- Protein: 4.3 g
- Cholesterol: 48.4 mg
Sabrina
Hello, thank you very much for your recipe. I would like to make it soon, but I wanted to ask if I could add mascarpone to the ganache as in your Kinder layer cake recipe? Thanks for your response 🙂
Fadela
Hello and thank you for your message. You can replace the portion of heavy cream with mascarpone in the ganache (as indicated in the recipe), but it's better to follow this recipe rather than the filling recipe I use in the layer cake; here, it's more suitable as a cupcake topping.