Rich Chocolate Cupcakes have a moist, sweet, indulgent base topped with fluffy buttercream icing. The perfect dessert for a birthday party!
Cupcakes are the perfect way to make your favorite Cake Recipes shareable. Instead of slicing a whole Chocolate Cake for all your guests, you can make a batch of awesome Chocolate Cupcakes that are ready-made in serving sizes.
RICH CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Fluffy Chocolate Cupcakes are sure to be an all-time favorite with any true chocolate fans. The amazing chocolate cake is topped off with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for plenty of chocolate flavor that’s sure to satisfy even the biggest chocolate lovers out there.
There’s also espresso powder mixed into the moist chocolate cupcakes. The coffee helps bring out a more intense chocolate flavor for the perfect chocolate cupcake recipe. The rich chocolate flavor and the moist chocolate cake base really set these homemade chocolate cupcakes apart from any you could buy at a store!
Once you’ve made these perfect Chocolate Cupcakes, you can top the fudgy chocolate frosting off with a variety of decorations. Try adding chocolate shavings and fresh berries for a more grown-up look. Or, if you’re serving them for a Birthday Party, top them off with bright and fun rainbow sprinkles. They’re the perfect dessert for any special occasion!
MORE CUPCAKE RECIPES
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Rainbow Cupcakes with Vanilla Cloud Frosting
M&M’s Stuffed Easy Vanilla Cupcakes
Valentine’s Day Cupcakes
TIPS FOR MAKING RICH CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- Prep time: Pre-heat the oven and line your muffin tin with paper liners.
- Batter: Melt the butter in the microwave. Then add it to a bowl along with the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, canola oil, and hot water. Whisk until the dry ingredients are just combined. It’s important not to overmix at this step. Add the eggs to the flour mixture and whisk again until just combined. Then add the milk and vanilla. Whisk until the dry and wet ingredients are one smooth mixture.
- Baking time: Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the batter from the bowl into the cupcake liners so they’re each 2/3 full. Bake the recipe for 20-22 minutes. To test if they’re done, insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out without any batter on it, take the pan out of the heat. Cupcakes from the oven will be too hot to frost. Let the muffin temperature cool completely before piping the icing on top.
- Chocolate frosting: While the unfrosted cupcakes cool, get out a medium bowl and a saucepan to make the buttercream. Add the butter and cocoa powder to a saucepan over medium heat. Mix them together and let the butter mixture cool before adding it to the mixing bowl. Whip the mixture at medium speed, adding powdered sugar and milk ½ cup at a time. After the sugar and milk are combined, whisk the vanilla into the mixture. You can add more milk if the frosting is too thick. Transfer the icing from the bowl to a piping bag and frost the cupcakes.
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VARIATIONS ON RICH CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- Cream cheese frosting: If you want cupcakes that are a little less sweet and more tangy, try replacing the buttercream with Cream Cheese Icing.
- Buttermilk: Another way to add a nice tang to the recipe is to make them with buttermilk. Use buttermilk in place of the milk and use baking soda in place of the baking powder, so that they still rise.
- Coffee: There’s already espresso powder in the recipe, which helps make a richer chocolate flavor. But, if you want to add to that you can use freshly brewed coffee to replace the hot water that’s called for.
- Triple chocolate: For even more chocolate flavor in your delicious chocolate cupcakes, you can add ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.
- Vanilla Icing: For an amazing vanilla with chocolate combination, take the cocoa powder out of the frosting and just use vanilla icing.
- Nutella Chocolate Cupcakes: Another option is instead of using unsweetened cocoa powder, you can mix Nutella into the icing for a creamy Nutella topping.
MORE CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPES
Chocolate Sheet Cake
Chocolate Yogurt Cake
Guinness Chocolate Cake
Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe
HOW TO STORE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- Serve: Classic Chocolate Cupcakes can stay good at room temperature for up to 2 days. Just make sure to cover them so that they stay moist.
- Store: You can also seal the recipe in an airtight container to keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.
- Freeze: Or, to store them for 3 months seal the Chocolate Cupcakes in an airtight container in the freezer.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting:
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin tray with liner cups.
- To a stand mixer add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, melted butter, canola oil, water and turn on the beater until just combined.
- Add in the eggs until just combined, then add in the milk and vanilla beating until smooth.
- Using an ice cream scoop fill the cups 2/3 full and bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting:
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan and whisk in the cocoa powder then remove from the heat and let cool.
- Add the cooled chocolate mixer to your stand mixer and whip on medium speed adding the powdered sugar and milk, alternating them ⅓ at a time and finally add the vanilla in last.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a bit more milk.
- Add frosting to a piping bag and pipe onto completely cooled cupcakes.
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I served these at my son’s birthday party and several people asked for the recipe. Best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever made!
I served these at my son’s birthday party and several people asked for the recipe. Best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever made!
These cupcakes are a chocolate lovers dream! So rich and decadent, absolutely delicious!
These are to die for!! The more chocolate, the better!! They are so soft & moist & the frosting is so creamy!