Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Today I'm sharing the BEST Chocolate Cupcake recipe with you! 

These are ultra moist, fluffy, and perfectly chocolatey cupcakes! SO good. Make these once, and you'll come back to this recipe again and again.

This decadent chocolate cupcake recipe works great for layer cakes also!

If you've explored our Cakes and Cupcakes Section, you may be familiar with our favorite classic Chocolate Cake recipe. Today's recipe is based on this popular layer cake recipe. The only change is the mixing method.

Instead of using the reverse creaming method of mixing as we do when making layers of the above classic chocolate cake, today we are using the more common creaming method. This small change makes for cupcakes that are a bit fluffier, and just a rich and delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions 

• Can these cupcakes be frozen? Yes they can! Our method of choice is to line the chocolate cupcakes up onto a sheet cake board, lay a piece of plastic wrap on top, and then wrap in aluminum foil for up to three months. To thaw, leave the foil on the cupcakes but loosen each end so that it isn't so tightly sealed. Condensation will form on the foil rather than the cupcakes. You can remove the wrapping once they are nearly thawed.

• Why is there coffee in this chocolate cake recipe? Can I leave it out? Coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate in the recipe- but there is no coffee flavor. Yes, the coffee can be left out, and replaced with hot water instead.

Our homemade chocolate cupcakes above were frosted with our classic Vanilla Buttercream recipe. Our Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream would work well too! (Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream contains shortening and butter while Classic Vanilla only contains butter)

We used our trusty 2D (large star) piping tip to create a rose swirls of frosting. (To make a rose swirl, simply start in the center of the cupcake, holding the bag vertically, and spiral out.)

**If you are looking for a great Doctored Cake Mix recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes, we love this one!: Chocolate Cake (Doctored Cake Mix) Recipe . 

What Frostings and Fillings taste great with chocolate cupcakes?

Chocolate cakes and cupcakes are great with so many flavors! In fact, we've used today's recipe to make Mint Chocolate Cupcakes as well as Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes. Here are a few more favorites;

• Classic Chocolate Buttercream
• Coconut Filling 
• Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream Frosting
• Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting 
• Oreo Buttercream Frosting

More Cupcakes

We've used today's recipe to create delicious Mocha Cupcakes and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes as well! We have many more cupcake recipes for you to add to your list!

Some of our favorites are Boston Cream Cupcakes, Banana Pudding Cupcakes (both are cake mix recipes), homemade Strawberry Cupcakes, and Lemon Cupcakes.

Chocolate Cupcakes from Scratch

BY Melissa and Bebe

These decadent scratch chocolate cupcakes are so moist and taste fantastic with all sorts of frostings from vanilla buttercream to mint chocolate chip, coconut, or chocolate!

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 11 minutes mins

Course: Recipes

Servings: 36 cupcakes

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (This is the equivalent of 226g or 1 cup)
• ▢ 2 cups sugar (400g)
• ▢ 4 large eggs, room temperature (If in a hurry, you can place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes)
• ▢ ¼ cup vegetable oil (54g)
• ▢ 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour (322g)
• ▢ 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (don't skip the sifting) (82g)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking soda (10g)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder (2g)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt (2g)
• ▢ 1 cup milk (220g)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
• ▢ 1 cup hot coffee, it can be instant or brewed (220g)
• ▢ cupcake liners

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (If making a cake rather than cupcakes, grease and flour three 8 inch cake pans).
• In a separate bowl, add the flour, sifted cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend and set aside.
• In the bowl of your mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until light and creamy. Add the vegetable oil and vanilla extract.
• Gradually add the sugar and mix until light and fluffy, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing after each egg just until the yellow of the yolk has blended. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• Mixing on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 additions of milk) Mix just until combined.
• Add the cup of hot coffee at this time on low speed, mixing just until combined. The batter will be very thin. Don't worry this is how it should be.
• If making cupcakes, scoop the batter (about ¼ cup per cupcake) into the cupcake liners and bake at 350 for about 16-18 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. (Makes about 3 dozen cupcakes).
• Makes 9 cups of batter.

Notes

This recipe can be used for cake layers also!

If making cake layers, divide the batter between three prepared 8 inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Check for doneness at 30 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake layer. If it comes out clean or with only a few crumbs attached, the cake is done. 

 

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