This Chocolate Cupcake recipe is so easy and the results are amazing every time. Top them with our 6-minute Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and you have the ultimate chocolate lovers cupcake! Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is.
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We love homemade cupcake recipes from Vanilla Cupcakes to Pumpkin Cupcakes. They are always the first dessert to disappear at birthday parties. If you are a fan of cupcakes made from scratch, this Chocolate Cupcake Recipe is a must-try!
Chocolate Cupcake Video Tutorial
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Why you will Love these Chocolate Cupcakes
First, this recipe is SO EASY! Simply mix the dry ingredients, then mix the wet ingredients, and whisk them together. They bake up with a beautiful domed top.
These chocolate cupcakes are moist and fluffy at the same time with a tender crumb. The coffee is the secret ingredient here and makes these intensely chocolatey and gives the cupcakes a deeper color. You can’t really taste the coffee in these and you probably wouldn’t know it’s there if you didn’t read the recipe, but it really makes the chocolate flavor shine.
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes
- Quick prep – Preheat the oven and line a 12-count cupcake pan.
- Mix dry ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt), breaking up any big clumps of cocoa.
- Mix wet ingredients – In a second bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (warm coffee, vinegar, oil, egg, vanilla)
- Combine batter – Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. The batter will be a little loose with small lumps.
- Fill and bake – Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full and bake at 350˚F for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer the cupcakes to a rack to cool before frosting.
Pro Tip: Do not overfill cupcake tin. If you add more than 2/3, it will flow over, get stuck to the tin, and won’t form that perfect dome top. It’s better to have a little batter left over than to overflow the pan.
Common Questions
What is the best cocoa to use?
For best results, use unsweetened natural cocoa powder.
What oven settings do you recommend?
Our recipes are written for using a conventional oven. We bake at 350˚F on the center rack of the oven for exactly 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Can I make this into a Cake?
This cupcake batter converts well to a cake and you will want to double the recipe for a 9-inch, 2-layer cake. See our Chocolate Cake Recipe for guidance on baking the cake.
Can I Substitute the Coffee?
You can substitute 1 cup coffee with 1 cup room temperature buttermilk. In my tests, the coffee gave the best color and more chocolate flavor (see photo below). If you are concerned about caffeine, decaf coffee will also work.
The Best Frosting for Chocolate Cupcakes
There are so many ways to frost a cupcake. We love them with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. You could also make Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting, or any of these cupcake icings:
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Vanilla Cupcake Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Swiss Merignue Buttercream Recipe
- Chocolate Ganache
Make-Ahead
- Storing at Room Temperature: Make the cupcakes a day in advance, cool completely to room temperature then cover and store at room temperature until ready to frost and serve.
- Freezing: Freeze un-frosted cupcakes for up to 2 months in a freezer safe zip bag or storage container.
- To Thaw: Defrost cupcakes in the refrigerator overnight. For the softest texture, allow the cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving.
I hope this Chocolate Cupcake recipe becomes a go-to favorite for you! I cranked out 8 batches of cupcakes when I was developing the recipe and I am confident these are the ultimate chocolate cupcakes.
Easy Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
4.98 from 654 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
This Chocolate Cupcake recipe is easy with great results every time. A surprising ingredient makes these moist, fluffy and super chocolatey cupcakes. Try these with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 30 minutes mins
Ingredients
Servings: 12 cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, measured correctly
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup warm coffee, or 8 fluid oz
- 1 Tbsp white distilled vinegar
- 1/3 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350˚F with the rack in the center of the oven. Fill a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together dry ingredients, breaking up most of the cocoa clumps.
In a second mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk just until the ingredients come together and no dry streaks remain. Batter will be a little loose and lumpy.
Use an ice cream scoop to portion batter, filling each cup 2/3 full (do not over-fill). Bake 18-22 min (20 minutes was perfect), until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan then transfer to a rack to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
Nutrition Per Serving
187kcal Calories30g Carbs3g Protein7g Fat1g Saturated Fat1g Trans Fat14mg Cholesterol195mg Sodium69mg Potassium1g Fiber17g Sugar20IU Vitamin A8mg Calcium1mg Iron
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Nutrition Facts
Easy Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
187
% Daily Value*
Fat
7
g
11
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
14
mg
Sodium
195
mg
8
%
Potassium
69
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
30
g
10
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
17
g
19
%
Protein
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
20
IU
%
Calcium
8
mg
1
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate cupcakes
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 187
Natasha Kravchuk
