I’ve been craving a chocolate cupcake for a few days, now. When I say this is the best chocolate cupcake recipe, know that I’m not messing around! Super moist on the inside, with a wonderful chocolate buttercream icing/frosting, this perfect dessert will definitely satisfy your craving for chocolate.
It took me less than ten minutes to mix up the batter for these cupcakes. The addition of boiling water to the batter helps the cocoa to “bloom”, creating a richer chocolate flavour. I bet you didn’t know that! Neither did I until I just googled it. 😉 The cake part of the cupcake is super moist, and the icing is really a no-fail chocolate buttercream that I found on Sally’s Baking Addiction. Thanks Sally!
What you’re going to need for making chocolate cupcakes.
- 2 cups of white sugar. 1 3/4 cups of all purpose flour.
- 3/4 cups of unsweetened cocoa powder. That stuff looks like some serious cocoa. Oh, yeah.
- 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder.
- 1 1/2 tsp of baking soda.
- 2 eggs.
- 1 tsp of salt.
- 1 cup of milk. I use whatever milk I have in the fridge, as far as what fat content.
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. Just steer away from using olive oil – the flavour is a bit weird in this chocolate cake.
- 2 tsp of vanilla. If you have pure vanilla extract, that is the best.
- 1 cup of boiling water right at the end.
Chocolate buttercream ingredients.
- 1 cup of room temperature butter. I used unsalted.
- 3 1/2 cups of icing sugar.
- 1/2 cup of cocoa powder – unsweetened.
- 3 tbsp of cream or milk. I used milk, because that is what I had in the fridge.
- 1/8 tsp of salt. Salt in a sweet dessert always brings out the flavour.
- 2 tsp of vanilla. Again, if you can get your hands on pure vanilla extract, go for it!
Let’s make some chocolate cupcake goodness!
- If you have a stand mixer, or just a bowl, place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl. Mix on low until combined.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.
- Turn mixer on to medium speed or mix by hand for two minutes.
- Boil the water in a kettle or on the stove in a heavy pot.
- Add the boiling water to the batter very carefully. If you are using a stand mixer, turn the mixer off and on slowly to combine the water in with the batter. If by hand, stir slowly so the boiling water doesn’t splash out on you.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a muffin tin with muffin papers.
- Pour the batter (it will be quite thin) into the muffin papers about 1/2 to 2/3rds full.
- Place in hot oven for 20 minutes.
- Take out and place on cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting with chocolate buttercream.
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Now for the exciting part…chocolate buttercream time!
- Place the butter in the mixer bowl and beat with the whisk attachment until whipped. This will look creamy and a lighter colour than it started out as.
- Beat for 2 minutes.
- Add 3 1/2 cups of icing sugar, 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 tbsp of cream or milk, 1/8 tsp of salt and 2 tsp of vanilla.
- Beat this combination thoroughly until the icing looks whipped.
- Now you are ready to ice/frost your cupcakes!
A few things to pay attention to.
- Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature. Otherwise, it will not whip.
- Be very careful with the batter after you pour in the boiling water. You don’t want to be splashed and burned.
- Try not to overbake the cupcakes. If you have an oven that runs hot, set your timer to 15 minutes and check with a cake tester. If no cake batter is stuck on the cake tester, it is done!
- Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder for perfect results.
- Don’t skip the salt in the icing. Salt brings out flavours, although it doesn’t make sense to add it to an icing, please don’t leave it out.
- Have fun decorating!
Chocolate cupcake recipe
Moist and delicious, this chocolate cupcake makes all your chocolate dreams come true!
Ingredients
Chocolate cupcake batter
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup boiling water
Chocolate buttercream icing
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups icing sugar/confectioners sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp cream or milk
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Chocolate cupcake batter
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Combine thoroughly.
- Add the eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for two minutes.
- While the batter is mixing, boil one cup of water.
- Add the boiling water to the batter, and mix very carefully to combine.
- Place muffin papers in a muffin tin.
- Pour the cupcake batter carefully into the muffin papers. Fill to half or two-thirds full only.
- Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes. Check around 15 minutes for doneness.
- Take out of oven, and out of the muffin tin. Place on cooling rack to cool completely before icing them.
Chocolate buttercream icing/frosting
- Beat the butter in a stand mixer with the wire whisk attachment. Beat until whipped and a lighter colour than what the butter started out as.
- Add icing sugar, cocoa powder, cream or milk, salt and vanilla.
- Whip until combined and fluffy looking.
- Spread or pipe on cooled cupcakes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature. Otherwise, it will not whip.
- Be very careful with the batter after you pour in the boiling water. You don’t want to be splashed and burned.
- Try not to overbake the cupcakes. If you have an oven that runs hot, set your timer to 15 minutes and check with a cake tester. If no cake batter is stuck on the cake tester, it is done!
- Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder for perfect results.
- Don’t skip the salt in the icing. Salt brings out flavours, although it doesn’t make sense to add it to an icing, please don’t leave it out.
- Have fun decorating!
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