Best Chocolate Cupcakes

This is the Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake Recipe, with a rich, moist chocolate cake with a tender crumb and a velvet chocolate frosting. These are the best chocolate cupcakes you’ll ever taste, with a deep cocoa flavor that melts in your mouth. Not only are they delicious, but this easy chocolate cupcake recipe takes just minutes to prepare. If you are looking for moist chocolate cupcakes that are 5-star rated, this is the recipe for you!

I was that kid who spent countless afternoons in an apron, turning my mom’s kitchen into a whirlwind of flour, sugar, and creativity. Every single time I began to bake, I promised my Mom over and over that I would clean the kitchen until it was spic and span.

But here’s what would happen. I would get so excited about getting my cupcakes or cookies in the oven that I would neglect washing the dishes. I would be sitting with a big piece of chocolate cake and a glass of milk at the kitchen table and would put blinders on in an attempt to block out the mixing bowls piled in the sink.

My Mom somehow would let me bake again! So I would say that I have eaten my fair share of chocolate cakes in my years and am definitely a cake snob.

Chocolate Birthday Cupcakes

After much kitchen research, my favorite all-time chocolate cake was born — Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake. It is the best chocolate cake recipe! However, sometimes you need an out-of-this-world chocolate cake in cupcake form.

So let me present the Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes — rich, tender, and fluffy chocolate cake topped with a heavenly chocolate buttercream frosting. This isn’t your average grocery store cupcake! You could even call these Black Velvet Cupcakes or Bombshell Chocolate Cupcakes because they are everything an amazing chocolate cupcake should be.

For every birthday party I ever had growing up, my request was simple — bring on the chocolate! These moist chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting are not only easy but everyone is always begging for the recipe!

What is the secret to making the best chocolate cupcakes?

I recipe tested these over and over again to get them just perfect. To make moist chocolate cupcakes, you need a combination of ingredients and there are without a doubt some STAR INGREDIENTS — oil, buttermilk, cocoa powder, and hot water. I will explain down below what makes this such a perfect chocolate cupcake recipe.

Oh and let’s not forget about the homemade chocolate frosting! It is made with creamy butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and heavy cream. It is rich, decadent, and velvety smooth.

Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients:

Flour: I suggest using all-purpose flour or cake flour or a mix of both flours. Cake flour has a lower gluten percentage so it will create a more tender crumb.
Sugar: The sugar is important to balance out the bitterness of the unsweetened cocoa powder. I suggest using granulated sugar.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: One of the most crucial ingredients in a chocolate cake because it delivers concentrated chocolate flavor without the addition of sugar or fat. See below for more information on choosing the right cocoa powder.
Baking Soda: To allow the cake to rise once it hits the oven, leavening agents are so important.
Baking Powder
Salt: One of the most important ingredients in baking is salt. It is a flavor enhancer and essential in baking.
Oil: I love using oil in cake recipes. Oil is essential for creating a moist and tender crumb in chocolate cupcakes. I suggest using your favorite type of neutral oil — canola, vegetable, coconut, etc.
Eggs: Use large-sized eggs in this recipe. Eggs add moisture and help bind the ingredients together
Buttermilk: Buttermilk provides both moisture and acidity in a chocolate cupcake recipe. The acidity reacts with baking soda to create carbon dioxide, which helps the cake rise, resulting in a soft, airy texture. The fat helps to create a tender texture.
Vanilla Extract: It adds depth and complexity by amplifying the chocolate flavor.
Hot Water: Why do you use hot water when baking chocolate cupcakes? Hot water is critical for blooming the cocoa powder, which intensifies the chocolate flavor. When mixed with hot water, the cocoa dissolves more thoroughly. Also, the hot liquid helps activate the baking soda, ensuring the cake rises properly.

Best Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:

Butter softened
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Powdered Sugar
Heavy Cream, Half n Half or Whole Milk
Garnish:
Chocolate Shavings, Chocolate Sprinkles or Chocolate Chips

What type of cocoa powder should I use in chocolate cake?

Unsweetened cocoa powder is a powerhouse of flavor, structure, and color in a chocolate cake. It ensures you get a deeply chocolatey, rich cake with the perfect balance of texture and appearance. Here’s how to choose the best cocoa powder in cakes. There are two main types of unsweetened cocoa powder: natural cocoa powder and Dutch-processed cocoa powder, each with distinct characteristics:

Natural Cocoa Powder:

• Acidic and Sharp Flavor: Natural cocoa powder is more acidic, with a strong, bright chocolate flavor. It’s often described as having a slightly fruity or sharp taste.
• Leavening Interaction: Because of its acidity, natural cocoa powder is typically used in recipes that call for baking soda. The acid in the cocoa powder reacts with the alkaline baking soda, which helps the cake rise.
• Color: Natural cocoa powder is usually lighter in color, more reddish-brown.

Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder:

• Neutral and Milder Flavor: Dutch-processed cocoa powder is treated with an alkaline solution to neutralize its acidity. This results in a smoother, milder chocolate flavor with less acidity, often described as earthy or deeper.
• Leavening Interaction: Because it is neutral in pH, Dutch-processed cocoa powder is usually paired with baking powder in recipes, since it doesn’t need the acid to activate a leavening reaction.
• Color: Dutch-processed cocoa powder has a darker, almost black hue, which can give your cake a richer, more luxurious look.

Here are some popular brands of unsweetened cocoa powder…

1. Hershey’s Natural Unsweetened Cocoa – Widely available, it has a balanced flavor and works well in most recipes that call for natural cocoa.
2. Ghirardelli Premium Baking Cocoa – Known for its rich flavor and high-quality ingredients, this cocoa delivers a strong chocolate taste.
3. Valrhona Pure Cocoa Powder – A more premium option with a bright, intense cocoa flavor, often praised for its high quality and refined taste.
4. Guittard Cocoa Rouge – Loved by many professional bakers, this cocoa powder has a rich, full-bodied chocolate flavor and deep red-brown color.
5. Callebaut Cocoa Powder – A premium brand with a smooth, deep flavor, perfect for giving baked goods a luxurious chocolate note. This is the one that I use the most.

How to make the Best Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting:

This is such an easy chocolate cupcake recipe. Here’s how to make homemade birthday chocolate cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. If you have a flour sifter, sift all dry ingredients.

• In mixing bowl, beat oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla for 1 minute. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour in hot water and mix together.

• Lightly spray cupcake liners with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter evenly into each cupcake liner filling 3/4 full.

• Bake at 18-22 minutes. Place toothpick or cake tester in the center of cupcake to check if it comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.

• To make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
• In mixing bowl, cream together butter, cocoa, powdered Sugar, and cream until light and fluffy. You may want to add more cream or milk depending on consistency. Once cake has cooled and has been removed from cupcake pans, top with frosting.
• Top with chocolate shavings, chocolate chips, or chocolate sprinkles.

FAQ’s:

Can I double the recipe?
Yes! You can easily double or even triple the recipe. Just ensure your batter remains smooth and well-mixed by gradually adding ingredients and stirring gently.

Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake the cupcakes a day ahead. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze them (unfrosted) for up to 3 months.

Check for Doneness Early: Cupcakes can dry out quickly if overbaked. Start checking for doneness at the 18-minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs, they’re done!

TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE BOMBSHELL BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES:

• Cake flour does make a difference in the tender crumb of the cake but you can substitute all-purpose flour.
• High-quality cocoa powder can change the depth of chocolate flavor. I use Callebaut Cocoa (which I find in the bulk section at Winco). Ghirardelli and Trader Joe’s make good ones as well. Always use unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Using both baking soda and baking powder gives it the best rise.
• Buttermilk is a must because it gives it the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Even though I am the biggest butter fan in the world, oil just works best in chocolate cakes (in my humble opinion). I have used both canola and coconut oils and both turn out beautifully. When I use melted coconut oil, there is surprisingly no coconut oil taste in the cake.
• Don’t overbake your cake. You want that moist, tender crumb so watch it carefully and test it with a cake tester or toothpick.
• When making your chocolate buttercream, you may substitute half and half or whole milk for the cream.  If you are using whole milk, use a little less as it is thinner than cream.

Substitutions:

Using Coffee Instead of Water: For a richer, more intense chocolate flavor, you can substitute the boiling water with hot coffee. The coffee deepens the flavor without overpowering it.

Chocolate Dessert Recipes:

Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Sheet Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

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Happy Baking, my friends! xo

For a highly rated Yellow Birthday Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting — click HERE.