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These Chocolate Cupcakes are super moist and rich made with ingredients you already have in your pantry! These super simple cupcakes are topped with an amazing homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Chocolate Cupcake on wooden board with chocolate frosting and candy on top
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These Chocolate Cupcakes are to die for! Yes, they literally will be the best cupcake you have ever had! Made with items you probably already have in your cupboards these are very easy to make.

If you have been watching for a while, you know I have been on a cupcake kick lately. I’ve made Vanilla Cupcakes, Funfetti Cupcakes, and Oreo Cupcakes. Well I have to add a classic chocolate cupcake to the cookbook now as well!

How to make Chocolate Cupcakes?

Starting with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry or cupboards measure our your ingredients and mix the dry and wet ones separately. Then mix together and fill your cupcake liners. While these are baking prepare and make your frosting. Fill a piping bag for a more professional looking frosting, and you are good to go!

Ingredients:

Cupcake:

  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Baking Powder
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt
  • Eggs (room temperature)
  • Sugar
  • Brown Sugar
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Buttermilk (room temperature)

Directions:

Step One – Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
 
Step Two – Whisk together all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Once whisked together set aside.
whisking together dry ingredients

Step Three – In a separate mixing bowl mix eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until combined.

Step Four – Slowly add in about half of your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients along with about half of your buttermilk. Mix together then add in the other half of the wet and buttermilk. Mix until just combined being careful not to overmix.

  • Tip – A dense or dry cupcake is a result of not enough liquid in the batter. If you batter is really thick or dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to get to a nice smooth and creamy consistency.
mixing together wet ingredients for cupcakes

Step Five – Fill each cupcake liner in your prepared cupcake pan about half way but no more then ¾. Overfull cupcakes will spill over the sides. If you need grab another cupcake pan and and cook 2-4 more extra cupcakes in that one.
 
Step Six – Place in the oven to bake for 18-20 minutes or until cupcakes are cooked through and you could place a toothpick in the center and it would come out soon.
  • Tip – One thing an eager baker may do is check their cupcakes early. One big tip to help keep this moist and fluffy is to not open that oven until they have been in the over for about ¾ of the time. Opening the oven will offset the temperature by bringing in outside cool air, and this could affect the fluffiness
filling cupcake liners to no more than 3/4 full

Step Seven – Allow cupcakes to cool slightly then remove them from the pan to cool completely before frosting.

How to make Chocolate Frosting:

Having a great cupcake relies on 2 main components: the cake and the frosting. I love a good Buttercream frosting, so I had to make this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for this recipe. Once your cupcakes are fully cooled, you can then frost them. While the cupcakes are baking mix and prepare your frosting.

Ingredient Notes:

Frosting:

  • Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
  • Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (melted)
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Heavy Whipping Cream
  • Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Step One – To prepare your cream together softened butter and melted chocolate with an electric hand mixer until creamy.

Step Two – Add unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream.

Mix until well combined. Then add another 1 cup of powdered sugar and another 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream.

Mix and repeat until all powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream have been mixed into your frosting.

making the frosting for the cupcakes

Step Three – Last add vanilla extract and mix until your frosting is combined.

 Step Four – Place frosting into a piping bag and frost cupcakes once they have cooled.

chocolate cupcakes on wooden board frosted with candy

Tips for making a great cupcake:

  1. Use room temperature ingredients: Room temperature ingredients will not cause any drastic temperature changes to your batter when mixing. Yes, you need to melt the butter, but allow it to cool to room temperature before you mix it in with the ingredients.
  2. Make sure to use accurate measurements: If you do not measure accurately and use a heaping “cup” of flour you will have too much and your cupcakes will be dense and/or dry. One thing about this recipe is it is very simple to make but does need to be precise. Making a fluffy, moist cupcake is tough for a lot of people (including me), and using accurate measurements definitely helps!
  3. Allow to cool before icing: This may sound like a no-brainer, but icing these cupcakes that are still even a little warm will melt your frosting and make the frosting look runny. part of the appeal and deliciousness of cupcakes is how the frosting looks. Having beautiful frosting will make your mouth water before even tasting them!
closeup of chocolate cupcakes

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Chocolate Cupcake

Chocolate Cupcake

These Chocolate Cupcakes are super moist and rich made with ingredients you already have in your pantry! These super simple cupcakes are topped with an amazing homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
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Enter your email below and we’ll send the recipe straight to your inbox!
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Equipment

  • Stand Mixer

Ingredients 

Cupcake:

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk, (room temperature)

Frosting:

  • 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, (room temperature)
  • 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, (melted)
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

Cupcake:

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
  • Whisk together all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Once whisked together set aside.
  • In a separate mixing bowl mix eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until combined.
  • Slowly add in about half of your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients along with about half of your buttermilk. Mix together then add in the other half of the wet and buttermilk. Mix until just combined being careful not to overmix.
  • Fill each cupcake liner in your prepared cupcake pan about half way but no more then 3/4. Overfull cupcakes will spill over the sides. If you need grab another cupcake pan and and cook 2-4 more extra cupcakes in that one.
  • Place in the oven to bake for 18-20 minutes or until cupcakes are cooked through and you could place a toothpick in the center and it would come out soon.
  • Allow cupcakes to cool slightly then remove them from the pan to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

  • To prepare your cream together softened butter and melted chocolate with an electric hand mixer until creamy.
  • Add unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream. Mix until well combined. Then add another 1 cup of powdered sugar and another 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream. Mix and repeat until all powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream have been mixed into your frosting.
  • Last add vanilla extract and mix until your frosting is combined.
  • Place frosting into a piping bag and frost cupcakes once they have cooled.

Notes

Tip – A dense or dry cupcake is a result of not enough liquid in the batter. If you batter is really thick or dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to get to a nice smooth and creamy consistency.
Tip – One thing an eager baker may do is check their cupcakes early. One big tip to help keep this moist and fluffy is to not open that oven until they have been in the over for about ¾ of the time. Opening the oven will offset the temperature by bringing in outside cool air, and this could affect the fluffiness

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 727kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 77g | Vitamin A: 758IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg
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About Jennie

I'm Jennie!ย I'm a busy mom of three and I love cooking and sharing easy recipes. From slow cooker meals to casseroles all my recipes are simple to make and ones the entire family will love.

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