Chocolate Cupcakes
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Sweet enough for kids but intensely chocolate enough for grown-ups, these are my go-to chocolate cupcakes.
Starting a baking business specializing in cakes and cupcakes sparked my passion for creating recipes, which was the impetus for creating Once Upon a Chef many years ago. These chocolate cupcakes, a delicious discovery from that time (and the mini version of my favorite chocolate cake), have been my go-to ever since. The cake recipe is wonderfully simple—a one-bowl recipe that and yields an ultra moist, deeply chocolate, and tender crumb. And the chocolate buttercream, modestly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, is fast and foolproof—a welcome change from most homemade chocolate frostings, which can be temperamental and take hours to set.
Table of Contents
“Delicious!!! So perfect for the chocolate lover in me!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Cupcakes
For the Cupcakes
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the cupcakes. For accurate measuring, use the spoon and level method: spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a moist and tender crumb.
- Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder: Key for that rich chocolate flavor. It’s important to note that natural cocoa powder isn’t interchangeable with Dutch-process cocoa powder due to differences in acidity.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These leavening agents help your cupcakes rise and become light and fluffy. (Understand the difference between baking soda vs baking powder.)
- Eggs: Add structure, richness, and stability to the batter.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture to the cupcakes, ensuring they’re soft and not dry. Oil-based cakes tend to stay moist longer than those made with butter.
- Sour Cream: A secret weapon for moistness! Sour cream not only adds richness and a subtle tang but also reacts with baking soda for a tender texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the sweetness and brings complexity to the overall taste.
- Boiling Water: Adds moisture and intensifies the cocoa’s flavor, resulting in a more robust chocolate taste.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
For the Frosting
- Milk or Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Choose based on your preference for sweetness. Milk chocolate offers a milder, sweeter taste, while semi-sweet chocolate adds a deeper chocolate flavor. The quality of the chocolate can significantly affect the frosting’s flavor, so opt for a good brand.
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure it’s softened but still cool, which ensures that it blends well without becoming too runny. Unsalted butter allows you to control the frosting’s saltiness more precisely.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: This finely ground sugar, also known powdered sugar, dissolves easily, preventing any grittiness in the frosting.
- Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Adds a rich and deep chocolate flavor.
- Light Corn Syrup: Adds gloss and sheen to the frosting, making it smooth and spreadable. It also helps in stabilizing the texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the flavors and adds depth.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Cupcakes
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine.
Add the eggs, oil, and sour cream.
Mix on low speed until combined.
Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Then, reduce the speed to low and gradually pour in the hot water (be careful to pour very slowly so it doesn’t splash). The batter will be soupy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl; mix again until evenly combined.
Divide the batter evenly into the cupcake liners.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
Step 2. Make the Frosting
Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
Cook in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until it’s about three-quarters of the way melted. Stir, allowing the residual heat in the bowl to melt the remaining chocolate completely. (If necessary, place the chocolate back in microwave for a few seconds.) Set aside to cool.
In a food processor, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and salt.
Process until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then add the corn syrup and vanilla.
Process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the lukewarm melted chocolate. Pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds. Do not overmix.
When the cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula or butter knife to swirl the frosting on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make these cupcakes a day in advance. Once they have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Yes, the cupcakes can be frozen without the frosting for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and then in foil. Thaw them overnight on the countertop before serving. (Wait until the cupcakes are completely defrosted to ice them.)
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Chocolate Cupcakes
Sweet enough for kids but intensely chocolate enough for grown-ups, these are my go-to chocolate cupcakes.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with knife
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey’s
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup boiling water
For the Frosting
- 8 ounces milk or semi-sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces (see note)
- 2½ sticks (20 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- 1¼ cups Confectioners' sugar
- ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey's
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set two oven racks in the centermost positions. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine. Add the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined.
- Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Then, reduce the speed to low and gradually pour in the hot water (be careful to pour very slowly so it doesn’t splash). The batter will be soupy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl; mix again until evenly combined.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tins (they should be about halfway full). Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and cook in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until about three-quarters of the way melted. Stir, allowing the residual heat in the bowl to melt the remaining chocolate completely. (If necessary, place the chocolate back in microwave for a few seconds.) Set aside to cool.
- In a food processor, process the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the lukewarm chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds. Do not overmix. The frosting can be used immediately or held at room temperature for up to 3 hours.
- When the cupcakes are completely cool, use a small offset spatula or butter knife to swirl the frosting lavishly over top. The cupcakes are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are made, but they will keep for two days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Note: If making this cake for children, I recommend using milk chocolate for the frosting (Hershey or Lindt milk chocolate bars work well). Semi-sweet chocolate will lend a more intense chocolate flavor (Ghirardelli bars for baking are ideal).
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cupcakes can be made up to one day ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They can also be frozen without the frosting for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and then in foil. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. (Wait until the cupcakes are defrosted to ice them.)
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Sugar: 32 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 161 g
- Cholesterol: 47 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Would this convert well to a layer cake??
Hi Edi, Yes, I think it would convert very well.
I like each and every one of your recipes.
I have not tried them all yet though, but I am working on it. I like cooking and baking with my 11-year-old daughter, she teaches me so much! She made the cup cakes, they are fabulous, very good recipe. The only change she made: she piped the icing into the cup cake with a tip and covered it with a dot on the top. Great surprise for dad! Thank you for your recipes.
-Maria in Princeton
OMG this recipe is devine! I have made it 3 times now and my gorgeous & skinny sister ate two cupcakes and asked for the recipe. Very happy to have this recipe up my sleeve… thank you Jenn!
Hi Jenn, I don’t have corn syrup, what can I use instead?
Hi Masuda, Unfortunately, there’s no substitute for the corn syrup in this recipe. Sorry! You could make a different frosting entirely though. This one is good: http://www.food.com/recipe/chocolate-buttercream-134704
Can I freeze these cupcakes? I want to make these and the vanilla for my daughter’s pasta party for 26 girls. This way all I need to do is frost them the day of.
Thanks,
Kathy Vinci
Hi Kathy, Yes, it’s fine to freeze the cupcakes.
For the frosting, can you use an electric mixer instead of a food processor?
Hi Mary, You really need a food processor for this recipe; it prevents the frosting from separating and turning greasy. This type of chocolate frosting is very finicky. If you don’t have a mixer, you could try a basic chocolate buttercream. It won’t be as deeply chocolate but it will still be delicious. Here’s a recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/chocolate-buttercream-134704
Just a note – I have used my standmixer to make this frosting and it worked perfectly for me! So fluffy and delicious!
These are amazing!!!! My new favorite chocolate fix that I crave waaaay too often! I love that they’re not too sweet, but perfect. Completely rich and decadent! I don’t think I’ve had a more delicious chocolate cupcake.
These look divine. And after reading Jeff’s comments above, I will DEFINITELY be giving these a try!!
I know that a cupcake is a fun, sweet confection that is rooted in the joys of childhood. But if a cupcake could be considered “serious”, this would be the one. Last night I finally got to try one (well actually 1 1/2) The texture, moistness, and flavor were all I needed to confirm that I am no longer on a hunt for the ultimate chocolate on chocolate cupcake experience. This is it. Now, just crossing fingers here, that they will freeze like a dream, as I have 3 remaining. Now, on to your millionaire’s shortbread….isn’t life great?
Wow, what an honor to post the first review for this evidently awesome recipe. I use the word “evidently”, as hubs and I won’t be trying them until tonight while watching Seinfeld re-runs in bed. So how do I know these are incredible? I prepared this recipe to the letter this morning as a gift to someone who is recovering from a painful knee surgery. Jon is a foodie and baker, par excellence. He was sleeping when I dropped the cupcakes off, and if there were any way that I could include the voice message that was waiting for us, when we got home, I would be doing so. I have never heard him rave about anything, such as he did for these cupcakes. It was bordering on embarrassing, but I loved every second of this 🙂 Anyway, very psyched for dessert tonight. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Jeff, That is so nice to read! I hope you enjoyed them as much as your friend Jon did 🙂