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These super moist dark chocolate cupcakes are easy to make and packed with tons of dark chocolate flavor. Made with everyday pantry ingredients like dark cocoa powder and topped with chocolate buttercream, this is the BEST chocolate cupcake recipe you have been looking for. Rich and decadent, this easy cupcake recipe will be your favorite go-to for homemade cupcakes.
When it comes to cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes are hands down my weakness. I mean, what’s not to love about a decadent moist chocolate cupcake slathered in chocolate buttercream? .. sprinkles optional but highly recommended!
So when I was deciding on what dessert recipe to make this past weekend, chocolate cupcakes were at the top of my list.
… because they are always at the top of my list …
Then it occurred to me that instead of just making plain chocolate cupcakes, why not kick that happiness radar up even more and make this an easy cupcake recipe for super moist dark chocolate cupcakes?
At that point you just need to commit to the insanity, top them off with dark chocolate buttercream frosting, grab your yoga pants and call it a day!
WHY THESE ARE THE BEST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- Say it with me … moist!! We all hate the word but it’s a must have component when it comes to baking cake and trust me, these cupcakes are super moist.
- These cupcakes are super easy to make and you probably already have all of the ingredients on hand.
- The best recipe for chocolate cupcakes is essential to living a balanced life. How many times have you bought them, made them or grabbed them off a dessert table? Learn to make your own and you never have to leave the house again… ever.
- These dark chocolate cupcakes are special because of the dark cocoa powder we are going to use in the chocolate cupcake batter and also in the chocolate buttercream.
- We have a secret ingredient and we are not afraid to use it #espressopowder
To make these super moist cupcakes (and the buttercream frosting), you will need:
- All purpose flour
- Unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Espresso powder (optional)
- Salt
- Buttermilk
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Hot water
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE
Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, espresso powder baking powder and salt. Add in the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.
Beat on a medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, pour in the hot water and combine until mixed.
Fill each cupcake 2/3 full and bake for 20-22 minutes then remove from tins and cool completely on a baking rack.
Once your cupcakes have completely cooked, make the chocolate buttercream frosting. Add butter to a large bowl and using a mixer, beat until fluffy.
Add in cocoa powder and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Mix in sifted powdered sugar slowly and in increments and then add in the milk until the desired consistency is reached.
Transfer frosting to a piping bag or large zip top bag with the corner snipped off and frost your dark chocolate cupcakes. Add sprinkles because you deserve them 🙂
OIL, BUTTER AND BUTTERMILK, OH MY!
When it comes to making super moist chocolate cupcakes, we are pulling out all the face cards on this cupcake recipe.
So many cake recipes use butter instead of oil and the secret to really moist cakes is using that oil instead of butter.
I get it .. we all love that buttery flavor that only real butter can bring but when it comes to cakes and cupcakes, you want to use vegetable or canola oil because that oil is what is going to give you the perfect moist cake.
We are also going to use buttermilk in this recipe and if I had a quarter for every time I bought buttermilk, used it for one recipe and then had to toss it out because it sat unused in the refrigerator too long…
Guess what? You don’t need to buy buttermilk if you don’t want to.. I am going to teach you a trick to make your own buttermilk with the milk you already have in your fridge.
PRO TIPS FOR MOIST CUPCAKES
- You always want to make sure you grab the dark unprocessed cocoa powder from your baking aisle because that cocoa powder is what really makes these dark chocolate cupcakes irresistible.
- Adding just a little bit of coffee flavor in our chocolate cupcakes by adding the espresso powder makes them super decadent and adds a rich flavor to the batter. But if you don’t care to add the espresso powder into the recipe, feel free to leave it out. These are mighty tasty chocolate cupcakes without the added ingredient.
- Bring your eggs and buttermilk to room temperature before using them. Room temp eggs emulsify better and are fluffier than eggs right out of the refrigerator.
- A trick for bringing refrigerated eggs to room temperature quicker is to let them sit in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
- You want to make sure you are measuring your flour correctly. If you scoop out a measuring cup of flour directly from the bag, you will pack in way too much flour. To avoid this, spoon the flour into the measuring cup until its overfilled and then use the back of a butter knife to level the measuring cup at the top. Now you have the perfect flour measurement!
- Don’t over-mix your chocolate cupcake batter. Once run your mixer long enough to incorporate the ingredients to avoid tough or dense cupcakes.
- Use a small measuring cup to add your batter to your cupcake tins. This way your cupcakes are all the same size and save on (most) of the mess.
- Buy milk while you are at the store. Chocolate cake needs to be eaten with a big glass of milk. Buy milk.
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, simply use 1/2 cup of whole milk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice instead of buttermilk. I learned this trick from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
- I can’t stress this one enough … kids, sift those dry ingredients when it comes to making the buttercream frosting. No one wants to serve up the perfect chocolate cupcakes slathered in a chocolate buttercream frosting with lumps of white powdered sugar speckled through out. Sift!!
MORE CUPCAKE RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE
- Shark Week Cupcakes
- Homemade Lemon Cupcakes
- Watermelon Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Red White and Blue Patriotic Cupcakes
Enjoy!
If you’ve tried these Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes or any other recipe on this website, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you it came out in the comments below.
Share a photo of your creation on my Facebook page, Instagram or save it to Pinterest and tag #AWICKEDWHISK. I can’t wait to see your work!
Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.09 ounce packet of espresso powder
- 34 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk .. room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs .. room temperature
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cup softened butter
- 3/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder .. sifted
- 4 cups powdered sugar .. sifted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- To make your Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes, start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, espresso powder, baking powder and salt. Add in the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat on a medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, pour in the hot water and combine until mixed. Fill each cupcake 2/3 full and bake for 20-22 minutes then remove from tins and cool completely on a baking rack.
- To make the chocolate buttercream frosting, add butter to a large bowl and using a mixer, beat until fluffy. Add in cocoa powder, salt and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Mix in sifted powdered sugar slowly and in increments and then add in the milk until the desired consistency is reached. Transfer frosting to a piping bag or large zip top bag and frost your completely cooled chocolate cupcakes.
Notes
PRO TIPS FOR MOIST CUPCAKES
- You always want to make sure you grab the dark unprocessed cocoa powder from your baking aisle because that cocoa powder is what really makes these dark chocolate cupcakes irresistible.
- Adding just a little bit of coffee flavor in our chocolate cupcakes by adding the espresso powder makes them super decadent and adds a rich flavor to the batter. But if you don’t care to add the espresso powder into the recipe, feel free to leave it out. These are mighty tasty chocolate cupcakes without the added ingredient.
- Bring your eggs and buttermilk to room temperature before using them. Room temp eggs emulsify better and are fluffier than eggs right out of the refrigerator.
- A trick for bringing refrigerated eggs to room temperature quicker is to let them sit in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
- You want to make sure you are measuring your flour correctly. If you scoop out a measuring cup of flour directly from the bag, you will pack in way too much flour. To avoid this, spoon the flour into the measuring cup until its overfilled and then use the back of a butter knife to level the measuring cup at the top. Now you have the perfect flour measurement!
- Don’t over-mix your chocolate cupcake batter. Once run your mixer long enough to incorporate the ingredients to avoid tough or dense cupcakes.
- Use a small measuring cup to add your batter to your cupcake tins. This way your cupcakes are all the same size and save on (most) of the mess.
- Buy milk while you are at the store. Chocolate cake needs to be eaten with a big glass of milk. Buy milk.
- If you don't have buttermilk on hand, simply use 1/2 cup of whole milk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice instead of buttermilk. I learned this trick from Sally's Baking Addiction.
- If you don't have everything on hand to make homemade chocolate buttercream, don't stress about it!! These are perfect with your favorite store bought frosting 🙂
- I can’t stress this one enough … kids, sift those dry ingredients when it comes to making the buttercream frosting. No one wants to serve up the perfect chocolate cupcakes slathered in a chocolate buttercream frosting with lumps of white powdered sugar speckled through out. Sift!!
- Cool completely before frosting your cupcakes otherwise the frosting will melt away and it will be a mess and you will be sad.
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Update Notes: This post was originally published in July of 2019 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in January of 2020.
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