Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Indulge in these incredibly Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Full of rich, chocolatey goodness, this is the best chocolate cupcake recipe you will ever make from scratch! Buttermilk and coffee are the two key ingredients for their fluffy texture and delicious flavor that make these homemade chocolate cupcakes impossible to resist!
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup hot coffee (or hot water)
For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups confectioners powdered sugar (sifted)
- 2 Tablespoons whole milk
For Frosting and Decorating the Cupcakes
- large piping bag (16-inch)
- large star piping tip (I used a Wilton 1M)
- chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Start by sifting the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a medium mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until well combined. Slowly whisk in the hot coffee until completely incorporated.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined; don't overmix.
- Add cupcake liners to a 12-cup muffin pan. Fill each liner only ½ full with cupcake batter.
- Place the muffin pan into the oven on a center oven rack. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a center cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Make sure they have cooled completely before frosting.
Make the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Using either a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or an electric handheld mixer, beat the softened butter on high speed until creamy and lightened in color (about 2 minutes).
- Scrape the mixing bowl down and add cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix together until incorporated.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until just combined.
- Scrape the bowl down and add 2 Tablespoons of milk. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute just until smooth (don't overmix). If the frosting is too thick to pipe, mix in 1 more Tablespoon of milk. If the frosting is too thin to hold its shape, mix in ¼ cup more powdered sugar.
Frost and Decorate the Cupcakes
- Spoon the chocolate buttercream frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip (I used a Wilton 1M).
- Make a swirl on top of a cupcake by starting in the middle and then circling around the edge of the cupcake and then back toward the center again until the desired height is reached. Repeat for all 12 cupcakes.
- Top with chocolate sprinkles. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container for 3 days at room temperature or for 7 days in the refrigerator.
- Buttermilk - No buttermilk on hand? No problem! You can make your own by adding one teaspoon of vinegar to one-third cup of whole milk. Then, let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle slightly.
- Make ahead instructions:
- 1 day: You can bake these cupcakes 1 day ahead of time and store them (unfrosted) in an airtight container at room temperature. On the next day, frost and serve.
- 3 months: Place unfrosted cupcakes onto a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Then, seal them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter at room temperature for 1 hour before frosting and serving.