Best Chocolate Cupcake RecIpe

Look no further—this is the best chocolate cupcake recipe! They’re moist, decadent, and utterly delicious!

We love cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, but they’re also delicious with Vanilla Buttercream, Peanut Butter Frosting, or Marshmallow Frosting!

We Loooove Chocolate Cupcakes!

These are seriously THE BEST chocolate cupcakes!

This is my go-to recipe. I know you’re going to love this easy and tasty cupcake recipe!

I am always craving Chocolate Cake and these cupcakes make the perfect little alternative.

Why we love them:

• Easy. Make these ahead of time or store them for when you need them.
• Delicious. Cupcakes are one dessert that EVERYONE loves, especially these chocolate cupcakes!
• Celebrate. They are also great for birthday parties, dinner parties, or any holiday throughout the year.

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Ingredients

• unsalted butter 
• vegetable oil – or coconut oil
• water
• all-purpose flour – be sure to measure the flour correctly
• white sugar
• unsweetened natural cocoa powder – Because the cake uses baking soda you must use regular cocoa powder to get the correct chemical reaction. However, for the frosting you can use natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
• baking soda
• salt
• large egg
• buttermilk – or buttermilk substitute
• vanilla extract
• powdered sugar – sifted to remove clumps
• milk – whole milk or half and half for the creamiest frosting

How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes

1. PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. WET INGREDIENTS. Add the butter, vegetable oil, and water to a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted. Remove and let cool.
3. DRY INGREDIENTS. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients, and mix until well combined. Add the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla, and mix until blended.
4. BAKE. Scoop the cupcake batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling ¾ full. Bake 25 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
5. FROSTING. To make the buttercream, beat together the butter and cocoa powder until light and fluffy. Add other ingredients and mix until well blended, adding additional milk if needed to bring the frosting together. Continue to beat for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.

Storing Tips

• STORE unfrosted chocolate cupcakes recipe, in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature.
• STORE frosted homemade chocolate cupcakes for 2 days in an airtight container. After 2 days they can still be eaten, but will become dry and stale. 
• FREEZE for up to 3 months.
• Store buttercream frosting separately in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw if applicable, and give it a good whipping before frosting the cupcake.

For More Cupcakes:

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

30 mins

Strawberry Cupcakes

25 mins

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

35 mins

Cherry Almond Cupcakes

30 mins

5 from 5 votes

Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna

Look no further—these are the best chocolate cupcakes you will ever make! They're moist, decadent, and utterly delicious!

Servings: 12

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

for the cupcakes:

• ▢ 4 tablespoons butter cut into pieces
• ▢ ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ pinch salt
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ ¼ cup buttermilk
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

for the chocolate buttercream:

• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons milk or half and half
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ pinch salt

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
• Add the butter, vegetable oil, and water to a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted. Remove and let cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients, and mix until well combined. Add the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla, and mix until blended.
• Scoop the cupcake batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling ¾ full. Bake 25 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
• To make the buttercream, beat together the butter and cocoa powder until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt, and mix until well blended, adding additional milk if needed to bring the frosting together. Continue to beat for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.

Video

Notes

• STORE unfrosted chocolate cupcakes recipe, in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature.
• STORE frosted homemade chocolate cupcakes for 2 days in an airtight container. After 2 days they can still be eaten, but will become dry and stale. 
• FREEZE for up to 3 months.
• Store buttercream frosting separately in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw if applicable, and give it a good whipping before frosting the cupcake.

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 45mg, Sodium: 183mg, Potassium: 90mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 32g, Vitamin A: 381IU, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.