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These are the best Chocolate Cupcakes! These cupcakes are rich and super easy to make. They have the softest chocolate cupcake with the most tender crumb, that is topped with a smooth chocolate buttercream. This recipe is perfect for any chocolate lover.
These are the best Chocolate Cupcakes. They are delicious and simple, and super easy to put together and are full of chocolate flavor. The chocolate cupcakes, is the best chocolate cupcake recipe. It has an incredibly soft texture and they topped with a smooth and creamy chocolate frosting.
These chocolate cupcakes taste so good and are incredibly soft and moist. This chocolate cupcake recipe is beyond amazing and they are perfect for any occasion like the holidays, birthdays or any other celebration.
For more cupcake recipes, try Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes, Red Velvet Cupcakes and Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Chocolate buttercream: This is the best and most delicious chocolate buttercream.
- Chocolate cupcake: The chocolate cupcakes are incredibly soft and so quick and easy to make
- Showstopper: These cupcakes are so easy to make, and topped with chocolate swirls making them showstoppers.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Eggs: Take the eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes to 1 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Sour Cream: Sour cream makes for a softer and more tender cupcakes. Measure out the sour cream and let it come to room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Boiled water: Heat up a kettle of water before you start. Add the boiled water to a measuring cup and while you prepare the rest of the ingredients, let it cool down a bit, so it's not piping hot.
- Cocoa powder: I use high quality dutch-processed cocoa powder for the best flavor, my favorite is from Valrhona.
- Vegetable oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake these Chocolate Cupcakes. This recipe needs an electric mixer, two large bowls, a whisk and a spatula.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting preheat the oven to 160ºC/ 320ºF conventional oven. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin lined with cupcake paper liners.
STEP 1: Start by making the chocolate cupcake batter. In a large mixing bowl, add all of the dry ingredients. Give it a stir to make sure everything has been combined. In another medium bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined.
STEP 2: Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there are no lumps left in the batter. Divide the cupcake batter into the 12 cupcake liners and bake them for 20-23 minutes. Let them cool down completely on a wire rack.
STEP 3: For the buttercream, mix the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer for 4 minutes on medium/high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for an additional 2 minutes.
STEP 4: Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, vanilla paste and milk in 2 parts. Mixing on low speed until each addition is fully incorporated. Add the buttercream to a piping bag with a star piping tip e.g. a Wilton 1A.
STEP 5: Pipe the buttercream of the cupcakes, make a little indent in the top of the buttercream with the back of a teaspoon, and decorate with chocolate sprinkles.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Yes, follow the recipe and bake them for 8-10 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
Store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, and unused frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. When ready to pip the chocolate buttercream frosting on the cupcakes, let the frosting come to room temperature before giving is stir to remove the air bubbles. Then pip the frosting on the cupcakes and they are ready to be enjoyed.
I recommend using a cake tester or toothpick. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of one of the cupcakes and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, they are done.
HOW TO STORE
Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They are best enjoyed within 1-2 days.
Other Cupcake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
The Best Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE
- 120 g warm coffee or water (for instant coffee use 1 teaspoon of instant coffee)
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 50 g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- 160 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 120 g sour cream 14-18% room temperature
- 75 g vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- 200 g butter room temperature
- 275 g powdered sugar
- 50 g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 teaspoon whole milk room temperature
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE
- Preheat the oven at 160ºC/320ºF conventional oven and line a 12-cup cupcake tray with 12 cupcake liners.
- Start by making the coffee and weigh it out so it can cool down a bit while preparing the other ingredients.120 g warm coffee or water
- In a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients. Give it a stir to make sure everything has been combined.200 g granulated sugar, 50 g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, 160 g all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, including the coffee, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined. Be sure to not mix the ingredients too vigorously so the eggs don’t get over mixed.120 g sour cream 14-18%, 75 g vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there are no lumps left in the batter.
- Divide the cake batter into the 12 cupcake liners and bake them for 20-23 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the hot pan. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cupcakes from the cupcake pan and let them cool down completely.
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.275 g powdered sugar, 50 g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- Mix the butter in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer for 4 minutes on medium/high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for an additional 2 minutes.200 g butter
- Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, vanilla extract and milk in 2 parts. Mixing on low speed until each addition is fully incorporated.2-3 teaspoon whole milk, 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give the buttercream a final mix, on low speed, for 2 minutes.
- Add the buttercream to a piping bag with a star piping tip e.g. a Wilton 1A.
- Pipe the buttercream of the cupcakes, make a little indent in the top of the buttercream with the back of a teaspoon, and decorate with chocolate sprinkles.
Riley
Amazing and super easy recipe!