Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Incredibly moist, tender, and fluffy, this chocolate cupcake recipe is truly the best! You don’t need any special equipment to make these cupcakes, and all of the ingredients are pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
If you prefer chocolate cupcakes that are super moist and richly flavored, then this recipe is for you!
My two secret ingredients? I add a little bit of espresso powder to give the cupcakes a bold chocolate flavor, and some buttermilk to add moisture and keep them ultra soft and tender.
I’ve been making this chocolate cupcake recipe for years and it never fails to amaze me how simple it is to make bakery-quality cupcakes at home using basic pantry ingredients. The cupcake batter can be mixed up in one bowl using just a whisk too!
I love to top these with my homemade chocolate buttercream frosting (because the more chocolate, the better!). If you want to try something else though, I’ve also included several different frosting options that go well with these cupcakes.
Recipe Video
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Cocoa Powder
Be sure to use natural cocoa powder for the cupcakes. I’ve tested this recipe with Dutch process and it will cause them to sink in the middle. You can use either one for the frosting though! (I have a full post that explains the different types of cocoa powder if you want to learn more about each one and when to use them.)
Espresso Powder
One of my secret ingredients that I mentioned earlier! The espresso powder helps to really enhance the chocolate flavor in the cupcakes. If you don’t have any on hand, you can replace it with an equal amount of instant coffee or just leave it out. If you do leave it out, you’ll still need to add the boiling water or you can replace the water with ½ cup of strongly brewed hot coffee.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is what makes these cupcakes super soft and fluffy! Regular buttermilk is always best, but you can use my homemade buttermilk substitute in a pinch.
Tips For Making These Chocolate Cupcakes
- Use a light metal pan. Darker pans tend to absorb heat faster, causing your baked goods to bake faster and potentially burn. A light-colored pan will allow your cupcakes to bake slowly and more evenly. I really love this USA cupcake pan!
- Don’t over fill the cupcake liners. This will cause them to sink. I only fill each cupcake liner a little over halfway full because they rise quite a bit in the oven. It won’t seem like much batter, but you should end up with exactly 16 cupcakes.
- Use room temperature butter for the frosting. If your butter is too cold, the powdered sugar won’t fully incorporate and you can end up with a gritty frosting. If it’s too warm, your frosting can end up greasy and difficult to pipe. You’re looking for the butter to be at a cool room temperature. In other words, it should feel cool to the touch, but when you press your finger into it you should be able to leave an indent without your finger sliding around. If the butter is too cold, just let it sit at room temperature for a little longer. If it’s too warm, put it in the fridge until it reaches the right temperature and consistency.
- Mix the frosting together on low speed. This will keep your powdered sugar from going everywhere and also prevent air bubbles from ending up in your finished frosting.
Can I Use This Recipe To Make Mini Cupcakes?
Yes! Just use a mini cupcake pan, fill each liner a little over halfway full, and reduce the baking time to 10 to 12 minutes.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Absolutely! You can double the ingredients to make twice the amount of cupcakes, or bake the batter in two 9-inch round cake pans. (If you want to make things a little easier though, I’d suggest just following my chocolate layer cake recipe instead.)
Different Frosting Options
I paired these cupcakes with my favorite chocolate frosting, but you’re welcome to use another flavor.
If you’re looking for something more classic, my vanilla buttercream frosting, strawberry buttercream frosting, and cream cheese frosting are all good options.
For something a little more fun or unique, I’d recommend using Oreo frosting, coffee frosting, or cookie dough frosting!
I guarantee that once you try this chocolate cupcake recipe, you’ll never want to use a box mix again!
If you make them, don’t forget to leave a comment below to let me know how they turned out. I’d love to hear what frosting you use too!
Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (125 grams)
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder (30 grams)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil (80 ml)
- ½ cup buttermilk (120 ml)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup boiling water (120 ml)
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder optional, but recommended
For the chocolate frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (226 grams; 2 sticks)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (360 grams)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted (42 grams)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (45 to 60 ml)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- To make the chocolate cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 12-count muffin pans with 16 cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined. Add the oil, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.1 cup all-purpose flour,¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder,¾ teaspoon baking powder,½ teaspoon baking soda,½ teaspoon salt,½ cup packed light brown sugar,½ cup granulated sugar,⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil,½ cup buttermilk,1 large egg,1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the instant espresso powder to the ½ cup of boiling water and mix until fully dissolved. Add to the mixing bowl and mix until everything is just combined. The batter will be thin, this is normal!½ cup boiling water,1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- Evenly distribute the batter between all 16 cupcake liners, making sure to just fill each one a little over halfway full. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and remove the cupcakes from the pan. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the chocolate frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth.1 cup unsalted butter
- Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until fully combined, then mix in the remaining half of the powdered sugar. Add the sifted cocoa powder and mix until fully combined.3 cups powdered sugar,½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low speed until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk,1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract,pinch of salt
- Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.
OH MY GOSH!!!!!! Made these chocolate cupcakes with your chocolate frosting exactly as you had and they were GONE in ten minutes!! Not only did my family LOVE them, but my neighbor popped over and had TWO!!! haha I bake ALOT and have tried sooooo many recipes for this and yours is my FAVORITE go-to from now on!! They are so light and airy and the frosting is wonderful….I licked the entire bowl when nobody was around:) I printed the recipes and laminated them…that’s a keeper!! Going to try your carrot cake this weekend…thanks for being AWESOME and making us home baking mommas look good with the fam!!!
Thank you, Brenda! So happy to hear that!
Hi, I just made a batch of your vanilla and want to do a batch of chocolate in the morning, however I don’t have buttermilk, can I substitute with sour cream in some way?? Thanks so much for the awesome recipes!
You can make a buttermilk substitute, I have a tutorial here.
What kind of expresso did you use?
I used Medaglia D’Oro Espresso Instant Coffee, I linked to it in the post too.
I’m excited to try this recipe this weekend! Could you confirm though that the boiling water is added even if you omit the espresso? Thanks in advance!
Yes, you still add the boiling water even if you omit the espresso. Hope you enjoy the cupcakes!
Hi I tried the cupcakes …delicious. But cupcakes didn’t rise and stuck to the liner ! Any tips? I follow the recipe exactly ?
Sorry to hear that! I’ve never had these stick to the liners, so I’m not sure what would cause that. Did you wait for them to cool completely? Also, have you tested your baking powder and soda to make sure they’re fresh? If so, do you think you may have overmixed the batter?
Yeah I did all of that. Maybe I overmixed it. I’m not sure. I’m going to try again
Turned out so good. I tried another cupcake recipe and it was awful. These were by far the best cupcakes I have ever made!
So glad you liked the cupcakes, Hailee!
Is this enough to make an 11×13 cake? I need a rectangle. Thanks!
This wouldn’t be enough batter. You can use my chocolate cake recipe here: https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/chocolate-layer-cake/. It’s enough for a 9×13 pan, but I imagine you could make it in an 11×13 pan.
Hi! I’m about to try these cupcakes which I’m so excited about but two questions, Will the expresso powder make the kids caffeinated? Lol also can I replace it with instant coffee powder since I don’t have the espresso powder. Thank you!
It does have caffeine in it, but you can leave it out if you prefer. You can also replace it with instant coffee!
What is your technique for piping either the frosting or stabilized whipped cream? What do you use and how?
I haven’t made the chocolate cupcakes or mini blueberry cheesecakes yet because I want to be proficient at putting on the frosting/whipped cream.
Thanks
For these cupcakes, I used the Wilton 1M piping tip. I have a post here for how to frost cupcakes too: https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/how-to-frost-cupcakes/.
Hi im a new baker and a want to try your recipe, is it ok to use powder buttermilk?
If you mix the powder with water and make a buttermilk substitute that should be fine.
Hi, does the type of cocoa powder you use affect the cupcake? I bought no name brand.. would that work?
Just make sure you use unsweetened natural cocoa powder, not dutch processed. If it’s dutch processed, it should specify on the container.
Hi
Can i add chocolate chips in the middle…will it affect the cupcakes
Do you mean before or after baking them? If you add them before you bake the cupcakes, they’ll probably sink to the bottom.
hi, what kind of heavy cream should i use? double cream??
I use heavy whipping cream, which is 36% fat. I believe double cream is similar, so that would be fine!
Getting ready to try the chocolate cupcake recipe but trying to decide whether to use the Espresso powder? Does it give it a coffee taste or is it subtle?
Hi, Nancy! I’ve never been able to taste it in these cupcakes. I do find that some brands of instant espresso powder can be a little stronger than others though, so if you’re concerned about it you can reduce it to 1/2 teaspoon.
I already know these are going to be great which is why I checked here first BUT, I want to fill some cupcakes with chocolate ganache. Will these work well for this do you think? And if so do you have a favorite method for filling cupcakes? I’ve found 4 and have no idea which to use.
Thank you!
I’ve filled them with cherry pie filling before and it worked fine, so I think it would work. I just use a knife and cut a circle out in the center (just don’t go all the way to the bottom of the cupcake), then fill it, then cut off the bottom of the piece I cut out and place the top back on. Hopefully that makes sense!
Just made the chocolate cupcakes this afternoon and they turned out just perfect. My husband who has sweet tooth ate 3 of them before they were even frosted. Your recipes are fantastic and truly make baking fun. You should definitely have a baking show on the cooking network. Thanks again for the yummy recipes.
Thank you, Patty! That’s so kind of you! I’m glad to hear that you and your husband enjoyed the cupcakes 🙂
Is this 3/4 powder sugar or 3-4 cups. Big difference
It’s 3 to 4 cups.
Hi! Would it be ok to subtitude the buttermilk for milk I don’t have buttermilk and need to make them last minute
If you just have regular milk, you can sour it and make a buttermilk subsitute. You can add 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup, fill to the 1/2 cup line with milk, stir and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Omg these were amazing the milk with the vinegar worked great, the only problem I have is I ate 3 my son 2 and now have to make more for my client cause I don’t have the complete dozen, thank u soo much for responding !!!
So glad you and your son enjoyed the cupcakes, Ada!
I made these today for my daughter’s birthday and they turned out PERFECT! The cupcakes are light and moist and the frosting is delicious! This is going to be my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe from now on. 🙂
Thank you, Kristine! I’m so glad you liked them! 🙂
When you say this batter is thin, what do you mean? We just made these cupcakes and the batter is difficult to put into the cupcake cups because the batter is so thick.
The batter should be thin enough to pour. Did you mix in the boiling water?
Thank you for your quick response . We actually added the buttermilk as powder. We just tried again by adding the correct portioned buttermilk to the mix – they’re good this time !
That makes sense now, Laura. I’m glad to hear that it worked out the second time!
Can we melt chocolate chips instead of cocoa powder? If so, how many cups would we need?
Melted chocolate chips won’t work well in place of the cocoa powder in this recipe. I suggest sticking with cocoa powder for these cupcakes.
I got exactly 14 beautiful, decadent, perfect sized cupcakes from this recipe. Completely scrumptious and easy to throw together (who doesn’t love a one-bowl recipe? Bless you!)
As a side note, I’m making a mental note that this is a recipe that doesn’t require significant forethought since the batter doesn’t require softened butter, just the frosting. Nice to have in the recipe box for spur-of-the-moment cravings.
I’m so glad you liked the cupcakes, Rachel!
Hi,
I just made your chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting .. came out really well. Just one thing though the top of cupcakes became bit hard wonder is it because I left them in the oven after being baked for about 10 Exea minutes? Will try it out again and see. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
I’m glad you liked the cupcakes! The tops are pretty soft. If you left them in the oven longer, that’s probably why they were hard.
I forgot to add the boiling water will this make a difference in the cupcakes?
Yes, the batter will be thicker and it will affect the texture of the cupcakes. If you haven’t put them in the oven yet, I would make sure to add it.
Thank you. We did already bake them but we remade them and they turned out great.
Glad to hear that they turned out great, Heather! 🙂
Be careful not to over mix the batter ,especially , the WET stuff, and eggs. It incorporates air into the batter. You do want things completely incorporated, BUT NOT OVER MIXED. Also have your oven preheated and put cake into over as soon ad filled. Do not let them sit. , cool in a draft free area Do not open oven to “test/ check” UNTIL the cakes have set…..1 to 2ish minutes before stated time. DO not let oven door slam shut. These are just some reasons why cakes fall.
I made these twice- the first time they fell, as the other commenter described. The second time I made them I mixed them a lot less using just a whisk instead of my stand or handheld mixer, & guess what- perfect cupcakes! I read that if batter is mixed too much it creates tiny air pockets that collapse when batter is baked. That seemed to solve my issue. I absolutely love the flavor of these. They’re chocolatey but not dense. Thanks for sharing such yumminess!
So glad to hear the cupcakes turned out great the second time, Dara! That’s why I note in the recipe to mix everything until just combined, overmixing usually doesn’t work well with cupcakes.
Wow. I made both the vanilla and chocolate cupcakes – both topped with the vanilla buttercream. I am a not an experienced baker and everyone was asking what bakery they came from! Beautiful and delicious! Thank you!
That’s so wonderful to hear, Blair! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed the cupcakes! 🙂
What kind of cocoa powder is used? Regular or Dutch processed?
Hi, Ann! I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder in these cupcakes, not Dutch processed.
I am a semi-beginner baker. I baked cookies for years, and some cakes and pies but really basic Betty Crocker-type recipes.
I just retired and we built a house with a nice kitchen so I decided my hobby will be baking :). I bought a fancy cookbook with beautiful pictures and amazing recipes and my first batch of cupcakes took me 3 hours to make! After a few other complex recipes from that book, I found your web site and made the chocolate cupcakes. Wow! My husband flipped over these and they were so much easier to make than the others I’ve tried. I just printed the vanilla and raspberry cupcake recipes and will make the vanilla for my birthday (today), and then I’ll make the raspberry ones on Monday for my husband’s birthday.
Is it easy enough to use the same recipe but make a sheet cake instead of cupcakes?
Thank you so much! (I just signed up for the newsletter, fun, fun, fun!)
Dana
How fun, Dana! I’m sure it’s wonderful having a new kitchen! My husband and I are hoping to build a house this year and I’m looking forward to it. I’m so glad to hear that you and your husband loved the chocolate cupcake recipe too, I make these all of the time! I’d love to hear how the others turn out if you give them a try. And as far as making a sheet cake, you probably can. You’ll just need to increase the baking time as needed. If I’ve tested the recipes in another pan, I’ll usually add it in the notes of the recipe too 🙂
Oh, have fun designing your house. The building part isn’t so much fun, but moving in is! Thanks for the cupcake-to-cake modification feedback. I’ll be sure to let you know how your recipes turn out.
I have tried to make these twice without the expresso because I’m don’t like coffee and both times they have fallen in the middle and don’t look pretty. I made sure to use new baking powder and soda. I’m sad it didn’t work. I LOVE your buttercream frosting recipes and was happy with how the vanilla cupcake worked out.
I’m so sorry to hear that these cupcakes didn’t turn out quite right for you, Julie. I’ve never had these fall in the middle, so maybe we can work together to figure out what happened. Are they falling quite a bit in the middle or just slightly? Did you make any other adjustments to the recipe besides the coffee? I know you mentioned that you used new baking powder/soda, so I wouldn’t think it would be that. Have you tested them for freshness just to make sure? Also, did you use natural unsweetened natural cocoa powder or did you happen to use dutch process?
I wonder if she used full fat buttermilk instead of reduced fat buttermilk as you did not specify which to use. I personally have had this issue of the center fallen whenever I use whole buttermilk.
I typically use low-fat, but I’ve used full fat and never had that issue.
maybe the confectioner’s,you put 3-4 cups,how many sis you use yourself?thank you!
I typically use 3 cups.
You make the prettiest cupcakes! I have NONE on my site because I’m so horrible at frosting. I need to work on that! I love the tips that you give, too. Definitely remembering these! And that buttercream, might just become my favorite!
You’re so kind, Gayle! Thank you! Piping isn’t too hard after a little practice, if I can do it I think anyone can 😉
These cupcakes are some of the prettiest ones I’ve ever seen, and I wish I could pipe my frosting that perfectly! I love all of your tips Danielle — great post!
Thank you, Marcie! I appreciate it! 🙂
I’m a brand new baker and I Just made your vanilla cupcakes and they turned out AMAZING! Now I’m going to try these chocolate ones.
Thanks so much!!
I’m so happy to hear that! I’d love to hear how the chocolate cupcakes turn out for you. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail or comment if you ever have questions, I’m always happy to help!
For how many days do the cupcakes stay fresh?
They will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Hi, I just made your vanilla cupcakes and they turned out incredible! I’m about to try your chocolate. My question is, could Iuse sour cream as well in the chocolate recipe or would it not work? I’m anxious to try your other recipes!
Do you mean in place of the buttermilk? I would suggest sticking with the buttermilk because it makes them a little lighter and keeps them moist (just like the sour cream does with the vanilla cupcakes). I have a tutorial for how to make buttermilk here if you don’t have any on hand.