Moist Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Being the chocolate fan that I am, I needed a really solid, moist chocolate cupcake recipe.
I wanted something that was rich, decadent, and packed with chocolate flavor.
After testing out several different recipes, this chocolate cupcake recipe is by far my favorite!
It’s a modified version of the Brown Eyed Baker’s recipe.
I am a huge fan of one-bowl recipes and have done my best to make this moist chocolate cupcake recipe come together as easily as possible.
Let’s Make These Chocolate Cupcakes Together!
Let’s walk through each step of this chocolate cupcake recipe to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible! I’ve also shared a video tutorial below.
Step 1: Make the Chocolate Cupcake Batter
Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F/175°C and lining a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
Add the warm water and espresso powder into a large bowl. Stir together until combined.
Whisk in the melted chocolate and cocoa powder and stir until smooth.
Next, mix in the eggs, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin!
Then sift the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt) in and stir until just combined.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
Step 2: Bake the Chocolate Cupcakes
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven.
Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.
If you’re in a rush, place the entire pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.
Step 3: Make the Chocolate Buttercream
While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the chocolate frosting.
If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it seems too thin, add in another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
Once the frosting is made, stir it by hand with a rubber spatula to get the frosting SUPER smooth.
Then place in a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M tip.
Step 4: Frost the Cupcakes
If you want to fill the cupcakes, remove the center of the cupcakes using the wide end of a frosting tip and add a scoop of chocolate ganache filling to the center of each cupcake.
Then pipe on a frosting swirl using a Wilton 1M tip.
If you don’t have any frosting tips, you can also use a Freezer ziplock bag and trim the corner to have a 2 cm opening.
No matter how you decorate them, they’re going to be incredibly moist and delicious. I mean, just look at that crumb!!
Substitutions and Swaps – Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
Now that we’ve covered how to make these cupcakes, let’s talk about the ingredients!!
This recipe uses quite a few ingredients, and I know you might not have them all on hand.
Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered. Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make.
- Chocolate Chips – You can use milk, dark or semi-sweet chocolate to make these chocolate cupcakes! Just be sure it’s a good quality chocolate so it will melt down smoothly.
- Instant Espresso or Coffee – You can omit the instant espresso if needed, but it really enhances the chocolate flavor in these cupcakes.
- All-Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten-free flour blend if needed.
- Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of these cupcakes.
- Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or sunflower oil would work great!
- Large Eggs – If you have an egg allergy, try using 2 flaxseed eggs or a vegan egg replacer like this one made by Bob’s Red Mill.
- Vinegar – This recipe needs a bit of vinegar because it uses baking soda as a leavening agent. The vinegar activates the baking soda and helps the cupcakes rise. You can also use white or apple cider vinegar.
Substitutions and Swaps – Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
- Heavy Cream – Whipping cream, coconut cream, or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat, coconut) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
- Vanilla Extract – Other extracts can also be used in place of the vanilla extract if needed.
Tips for Making the Best Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Ingredients at room temperature mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Mix your cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
- Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure your cupcakes end up being the same height.
- Seal off the top the piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from coming out the top of the bag and make the piping bags easier to use.
Making This Moist Chocolate Cupcake Recipe in Advance
You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature overnight or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
They can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to frost them until they’re thawed.
You can also make the buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. This buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month.
Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
You can also store buttercream in piping bags in the fridge. I find buttercream keeps its consistency well in piping bags and doesn’t require any mixing after it’s thawed.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you make this moist chocolate cupcake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating below.
Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media.
Moist Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Equipment
- Microwave or Double Boiler
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup water or buttermilk, warm 180g
- 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso or coffee – optional 3g
- 1/3 cup milk or dark chocolate chips, melted 60g
- 1/3 cup unsweetened or dark cocoa powder 30g
- 2 large eggs, room temperature 114g
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 75g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- 1 tsp white vinegar 4g
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 98g
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
- 1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
- 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa, sifted if lumpy 25g
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 2g
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 188g
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g
- 2/3 cups dark chocolate, melted and cooled 120g
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcake Recipe:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.
- Pour 3/4 cup of warm water or buttermilk into a large bowl. Mix in 1 1/2 tsp of coffee or espresso powder (optional) and stir until dissolved.
- Add 1/3 cup of chocolate chips that have been melted and 1/3 of cup cocoa powder. Whisk together until the ingredients are fully combined.
- Whisk 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp vinegar into the cocoa mixture.
- Sift the dry ingredients (3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt) into the chocolate espresso mixture and whisk until just combined. The batter will be thin, but that’s how it’s supposed to be.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for about 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven.
- Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to finish cooling. If you're in a rush, place the whole pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.
Chocolate Buttercream:
- Beat 1/2 cup of butter on medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
- Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix on low until the cocoa is fully incorporated and no clumps remain.
- Slowly mix in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar on the lowest speed. Halfway through add 1/3 cup heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
- Next, mix in 2/3 cup of melted and cooled chocolate on a low speed. Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
- If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
- Stir by hand with a rubber spatula for a couple of minutes to make the frosting SUPER smooth.
- Place the frosting in a piping bag fit with a Wilton 1M tip. Pipe a large swirl on top of each cupcake and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Making Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
If you want to make mini chocolate cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they only need to bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F/175°CTips for Making the Best Chocolate Cupcakes
- Ingredients at room temperature mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Once you add the flour, mix your cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
- Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure your cupcakes end up being the same height.
- Seal off the top of your piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out of the top of the bag and make the piping bag easier to use.
Chocolate Cupcake Variations
To make gluten-free chocolate cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten-free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for. Be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for the best results.Making These Chocolate Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips
You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a day or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. However, they taste best when they’re freshly baked! These cupcakes can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to frost them until they’re thawed. You can also make the buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. The buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month. Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again. You can also store buttercream in piping bags in the fridge. I find they keep their consistency well in piping bags and don’t require any mixing after they’ve thawed.Nutrition
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Wow…the ganache is a nice touch. Looks amazing!
Is this recipe able to be altered to make a cake? If so, what would the cooking times look like?
Used Dutch processed cocoa and bittersweet chocolate and these were sooooo good ? My new go to chocolate cupcake recipe!
so happy to hear that!! sounds amazing!!!
Do you have to use the instant expresso powder?
You can omit if you don’t like the taste of coffee!
Hi chealssweets, if im going to omit the expresso powder, do i have to take out the water too? Or just use the 3/4 cup water alone? ?
The recipe still needs the water! Just leave out the espresso powder!
What brand of black cocoa powder do you find best? Is it something you find in a store or online?
I ordered mine online from amazon, this is the brand that I got: https://jet.com/product/detail/391e19985c624cf0b1a4a640ebe61de7?jcmp=pla:ggl:NJ_cons_Gen_Grocery_a3:Grocery_Cooking_Baking_Supplies_Baking_Ingredients_a3:na:PLA_786070962_46630689488_pla-306643072203:na:na:na:2&code=PLA15&pid=kenshoo_int&c=786070962&is_retargeting=true&clickid=ec03468e-b5ae-41c2-9d4c-76e9dcb44b40
Hi! These look amazing! What is the difference in vanilla extract in the cake batter and vanilla in the buttercream?
No difference! sometimes I call it vanilla, sometimes vanilla extract! I updated it to make it less confusing 🙂
This might seem like a silly question but has anyone tried doing this recipe as a full 8″ cake? Does the recipe need to change at all?
The frosting is sublime! I thought it might be too butter heavy but it’s perfect. 🙂
just quick question what type of flour do you use, plain or self raising ?
plain!
Hello! Is this for 14 cupcakes or 12? thank you! 🙂
It can vary based on the size of you cupcake lines and tins, hence the 12-14 cupcake yield! I find I can usually make about 13 cupcakes in my tins
Would this cake translate into an 8″ round layer cake? I am looking for a good Dark Chocolate Cake to make. Thank you!
Yup! it should make 3, 8 inch cake layers <3
I want to make this recipe for a cake. Should I double the recipe?
I would recommend using either my chocolate layer cake recipe or my moist chocolate cake recipe instead, if you want to make a chocolate cake!!
Did you use a standard size cupcake pan or the large one? It looks like you used the large one?
I think my pans are standard, but I guess I’ve never seen a large cupcake pan, so I’m not sure! I ordered my pans on amazon!
I tried the cupcakes and was worried when I saw how runny the batter was, but I tried a batch and was amazed! The buttercream is so much sweeter than one I used to use, but the kiddos love it so much!! My husband too, but he won’t say it out loud. I’m still learning ganache, but it’s cooling in the fridge right now. Hoping to assemble these babies and treat the ladies at church tomorrow!
So happy to hear that!!! They really are so tasty! Ganache takes a bit of time to get comfortable with, but that’s just a great excuse to make it more often 🙂
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate chips?
you definitely can! 🙂
Unfortunately the black cocoa powder I ordered from Amazon is stuck at the shipping facility due to a snowstorm. I have Hershey dark cocoa powder and was going to try this instead. I wanted to make black frosting, not sure it will get dark enough without the black cocoa. What do you suggest?
that’s so sad! hershey’s dark cocoa should also be great! I think it might just need a little bit of extra food coloring, but should be fine!
Chelsey can I use a coffee instead of espresso??
Definitely!!
I want to make this recipe but for a cake. I’ve looked at the other recipes you recommend for cake but they’re not dark enough. I like the dark richness of this recipe. Any suggestion for a cake version of this?
I recommend just using my chocolate layer cake recipe! It uses black cocoa, which makes delicious (and dark) cake layers 🙂 here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/2018/05/08/my-go-to-chocolate-layer-cake-recipe/
If I use coffee instead of expresso, do I need to brew it? Or just use instant? Also, does using the coffee instead of the expresso change the taste?
you can just use instant! I like using espresso powder because i think it adds a richer taste, but coffee or instant coffee would have a similar effect 🙂
Do you have a recipe where the espresso is in the buttercream?
I don’t, but if you want to make espresso buttercream I’d recommend dissolving 2 tsp of instant espresso in 1 Tbsp of hot water (or just use 1 tbsp of real espresso), and adding It to one batch of my buttercream, in addition to the heavy cream. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi there I’d like to try this next week, but as far as I know chocolate chips are generally about 6 oz. per cup so 1/3 cup would be about 57 grams NOT 175 grams. Can you confirm whether we should go by the weight or volume for the chocolate chips in the cupcake recipe? Thanks!
you are 100% right! I am so sorry about that, thank you for catch it!!! <3 I rarely bake by weight, but add it in for all the international bakers out there!
Hello! How many cupcakes does this batter make for a single batch? I need to make 24 cupcakes.
This makes 12-14 cupcakes, so I’d recommend making a double batch 🙂
Can melted butter replace vegetable oil in the recepie?and please recommend the vegetable oil you use.
Melted butter could be used, but it will change the taste and texture of the cupcake. The recipe turns out best with vegetable oil! I just get the store brand of vegetable oil from my grocery store (ShopRite), but any brand of vegetable oil will work <3
Hi! Was wondering if this would be enough to make 3 4inch cake layers? They are awesome cupcakes!
Can I freeze these cakes before frosting? I am doing my suster in laws wedding and need a lot of cupcake and was hoping to get a head start. Thanks.
You definitely can, i do that all the time! I recommend placing them in an airtight container, and not frosting them until the day of. They keep for weeks in the freezer! Hope that helps <3
Would I be able to use reg cocoa powder instead of the dark cocoa powder?
Hi Sydnee! You can, but the cake will have a different color and taste! It will still taste great, but dark cocoa powder takes it to the next level!! <3
I love the texture of these when they’re baked so much that I want to use this recipe to make a cake. How should I alter the baking time? Thanks!
Are we using baking soda or baking powder? Your recipe hear say baking soda but your youtube video says baking powder. I followed this recipe but the vupcakes didnt rise to fill the liners. What did I do wrong? As well if were omitting the espresso, do we just melt the chocolate and the cocoa powder in the hot water?
Hi Dee! How many cupcakes did you make using the batter? I usually have enough to make 12, and the last one is sometimes a bit short.
The version in the recipe card is the most up to date! The video is from a couple years ago, which is why there’s a discrepancy! This recipe doesn’t rise a ton once they bake, but they should rise up to the top of the liners.
And yup! I would just dump the chocolate into the hot water to melt it, then add in the cocoa. Hope that helps!
What if i dont have enough chocolatee
Hi Chloe! The chocolate really makes this recipe, so it’s important that you have enough on hand to make it <3
BEST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES I HAVE EVER TASTED! I bake a lot for work and family. These are the best chocolate cupcakes i have eaten. I used a vanilla buttercream. Wish i could send pictures. So proud of how they turned out.
Hi Jenn! I am so happy to hear that 🙂 You can tag me in pictures on social media, or email me <3 I’d love to see them too!!
Hi there. I made theses cupcakes and I love them but I made them for a friend and they said they were not moist enough. Anything I can do to make it more moist?
Hi Brittany! If you want them to be more moist, you can try baking them slightly less longer. You don’t want to take them out so early that the centers sink, but you can take them out the second the centers seem baked. This should help them taste more moist 🙂 You also could add a filling to them, or add a little drizzle of simple syrup. Hope that helps, happy baking!!
I love this recipe! Never fails. Thank you for making it simple and delicious.
Aw thank you Kim!! You’re too sweet 🙂 Comments like this make my day!!! <3
I just took these out of the oven at about 20 minutes and the toothpick came out clean but then they sank in the middle really bad! What happened and what can I do next time so that doesn’t happen?
Hi Jess,
Sometimes sinking centers can be caused over mixing the batter, from old baking powder that’s lost its potency, or it could even be that your oven might run a little cool. Have you tested your oven with a thermometer? The last thing is that if you opened your oven door part way through, it can also cause the centers to sink.
Hopefully it’s one of those things, and will be an easy fix next time you make cake layers. Happy baking!
Hey Jess, I had the same problem with a different cake. Turned out I used self rising flour instead of all purpose. Check the flour? I know it sounds silly, but truly, it happens.
Hi, I want to make mini cupcakes how would I alter baking time?
Thank you!!
Hi Chana,
I find mini cupcakes usually bake up in 8-10 minutes. Hope that helps, happy baking!!
What would you use for a filling? Any help is much appreciated.
Hi Judith,
I love adding in either raspberry jam, or chocolate ganache! You can also add in caramel or even sprinkles! The options are limitless <3
thank you! They came out perfectly!
Aw so happy to hear that Chana!! 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Hi Chelsey,
I live in Colorado. Would you recommend any modifications for baking these (or any of your cupcake recipes) at high altitude?
Thanks!
Hi Kelsey,
It depends on how high up you are! Here are some general adjustment for 5000+ feet:
Reduce baking powder: for each teaspoon, decrease 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon.
Reduce sugar: for each cup, decrease 0 to 2 tablespoons.
Increase liquid: for each cup, add 2 to 4 tablespoons.
Increase oven temperature by 25 degrees F.
Hope that helps, happy baking! <3
Hi Chelsey ,
I have tried the recipe with normal cocoa powder
Taste heavenly but dont know y my cupcakes liners are too oily
Hi Vijaya,
So happy to hear this recipe tasted great! What type of cupcake liner are you using? I haven’t run into that issue but hopefully we’ll be able to figure it out together <3
Will this work as a cake recipe and if I double the recipe will it make two eight inch cakes?
Hi Elle,
I’d actually just suggest making my moist chocolate cake recipe instead! It can be used to make 3, 8″ cake layers or you could bake two thicker 8″ cake layers with it. The texture is very similar and it tastes delicious 🙂
Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/2016/09/15/the-best-chocolate-cake-recipe/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi, tried this recipe and the cupcakes turned out really yummy. However, is it supposed to be *that* oily? I found that after removing the cupcakes from the cupcake pan, there was a lot of leftover oil.
Hi Diane,
Happy to hear your cupcakes turned out delicious!! I don’t usually have much oil on my cupcake pans, what type of oil did you use?
Hi! I would love to try this, but we aren’t coffee drinkers and I just want to know if there is a way to make it without the coffee. I know it is supposed to enhance the chocolate flavor, but I am willing to have it not as intense. Thank you!
Hi Ashleigh,
For sure! just omit the instant espresso powder 🙂
These cupcakes are absolutely amazing! At first I was a bit nervous about the recipe being so thin but when they baked and came out I was shocked at how beautiful and smooth they were. This recipe is fun and easy and I would highly recommend it 🙂
Haha I totally know what you mean Izzie!! 🙂 And that’s wonderful to hear!
Also I didn’t use the espresso or coffee and it still turned out really good so anyone who doesn’t like coffee like me, this recipe is still really good 🙂
Hi! I would love to know what brand of black cocoa powder you would recommend? Thanks!
So sorry for the delayed response Tiffany!! I love the Wincrest brand, and order it on amazon! Here’s the link to the type I get: https://amzn.to/37XPS2J
Hope that helps, happy baking!
I love this recipe so much! I have to bake a bunch of them next week and wanted to make up the batter before hand, how long will the batter be good in the fridge before I bake them? Or is it best just to bake them the same day? Thank you!!! ??
Hi Amy,
I’ve baked cupcakes in advance, but I’ve never tried making just the batter in advance! I worry that they might not rise well if the batter is made ahead of time :/ I’d say it’s best to make the batter the day of, or bake the cupcakes in advance and freeze them once they’re baked.
Hello! Amazing recipe, so moist and chocolatey, I even put some chocolate ganache in the middle to make them even more rich! Only thing is mine don’t seem to cook flat, they mound which makes it hard to pipe buttercream. Is there anything you think effects this? Or has this happened to you? 🙂
I’ve made two batches of these in the past three days ? They are so good! I’ve been teaching myself to bake by looking at stuff on your website and instagram and it’s so fun. Can you make a tutorial with icing a cake? Every time I do mine it’s so thin and patchy, I think it’s just my technique as I follow the recipes to a t.
Hi Chelsweet! I am wondering why this recipe doesn’t need milk/buttermilk. Is there any alteration if I add this? Thank you.
Hi,
I just made these & they taste delicious, but the crumb doesn’t look like yours in the picture. It’s kind of clumpy & the cupcake broke off in the liner when I was pulling the liner away. My black cocoa powder is a couple of years old, could that be it? Also, I see baking powder mentioned a few times in the comments & I don’t see if written anywhere In the recipe. Is it supposed to include baking powder or is the recipe just relying on the alkali in the black cocoa powder? Thanks!
These are amazing!!! Used this recipe to make poop emoji cupcakes for a friends 50th birthday and they were delicious!!!
I have these in my fridge currently and they´re absolutely delicious! I couldn´t find the black cocoaa powder in shop, so I used the classic cocoa powder and cupcakes still turned out black as night! Also in my family we really do love fruits in our cakes, so I added chopped strowberries to the cream and so did I as a decorations. Needless to say: It was freaking amazing. Thank you for the recipe!
I made these tonight and they were fantastic. I didn’t have the espresso powder or black cocoa so I just brewed some coffee and subbed out Dutch process. I also used Ghirardelli 60% cocoa bars that I shaved on a zester rather than chips and it melted almost instantly. It was perfect! I will definitely be making these again for my daughter’s birthday in a couple weeks. I’ve made several of your recipes and you haven’t steered me wrong yet. Thank you so much!
Hi! I was wondering for the frosting, can I use black cocoa powder instead of Dutch cocoa powder so the frosting can be black as well? Or is it ok to just add black food coloring?
I tried this recipe after trying 5 other recipes. This will be my go-to recipe now! Black cocoa made a huge difference in taste. It was so much more flavorful. Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge. I made this for an order and it turned out fabulous! I like the honeycomb texture it created (air pockets) and the moistness! 🙂
These are so dang good! My new favorite and “go-to” cupcake from now on. I also especially love that I don’t need to use a mixer! Thanks for the great recipe! ??
Love this recipe and the cakes turned out super moist and soft. However in terms of the buttercream frosting do have a question . I used home ground powdered sugar the first time n store bought castor sugar the second time around n the frosting had an excellent taste though was grainy. Is the icing supposed to be grainy or smooth ? Can I use icing sugar instead or will this affect the sweetness? Pls advise
This is the most moist,soft and chocolatey cupcake I’ve made (I’ve made lots). It’s the best. I have never reviewed or commented on any recipe till date but this just calls for it. Thanks Chelsea for your recipe!
I’m making this for a kid’s birthday party. Have you ever used hot chocolate mix instead of the espresso powder?
Made these today and the cake is so delicious & moist! Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Awesome cupcakes. Is there any way What can substitute the eggs in the recipe? Being a vegetarian it’s hard to bake with eggs.
I’d suggest trying an egg replacer like the one made by bob’s redmill! here’s the link: https://amzn.to/3z7E1zo
Can I marble this with the classic vanilla cupcake with oil recipe?
Btw, I am so grateful for your recipes. Simple, good and wonderfully presented. Thank you. I always use the vanilla cupcake with oil recipe but I’d like to try a marble cupcake with this recipe that I also love to make 24 marble cupcakes. Would there be an issue with the baking process?
Hi Regan,
I haven’t tried that combination, but I think it should work great and bake up nicely. Now I want to try it! I’d love to hear how it goes if you do you try this combination <3
OMG I loved this recipe thx 4 sharing Chels!!!
So happy to hear that Erin! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I made these chocolate cupcakes as well as Chelsey’s vanilla cupcakes for my daughter’s baby shower and they were the stars of the dessert table. They were easy to make and dense, moist and delicious. I’ll be a follower of her recipes.
Thank you Deb!!! I love that you’re putting my recipes to good use 🙂
These taste wonderful! I have made them twice but for some reason my cupcakes are flat on top and I was wondering what I might be doing wrong that is keeping them from doming? I mixed by hand, checked my baking soda and vinegar. Any advice please?
Hi Dawn,
This recipe does bake up pretty flat, you’re probably not doing anything wrong!! If you want a slightly higher dome, you can use buttermilk or sour cream in place of the water in this recipe. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Could this recipe be used to make a cake? I like how it uses melted chocolate and coco powder. My family loved these and told me they were the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve done.
Hi Mea,
I’m so happy to hear that! I’d recommend just using my moist chocolate cake recipe. It has a super similar texture and flavor, and bakes up way better as cake layers than my cupcake recipe.
Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/the-best-chocolate-cake-recipe/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi! My 3/4 cup sugar was 175g. Are the measurements accurate?
Hi Melissa,
What type of measuring cup are you using? Are you using a US cup measure? 1 US cup of granulated sugar is 200g, so 3/4 of a cup should be 150g.
Loveeee the cupcakes. They were so soft and moist. I think they came out a little TOO soft lol. The ended up being a little crumbly and fell apart a bit while eating it. What would you suggest I do differently for them to come out more stable next time I bake them?
Hi Jasmine,
I hear ya, these cupcakes do bake up quite soft! If you want them to be a bit firmer, I’d recommend baking them for a minute longer to help them keep their shape better. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Amazing recipe, these were a huge hit, thank you! I used oatly cream in the frosting as that’s what I had on hand, it came out perfectly.
Hi Holly,
So happy to hear that, that’s wonderful to hear! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I made these tonight and was careful to distribute the batter evenly and it makes “exactly” 12. I purposely saved enough to make a little half cupcake so I could taste it and still have a dozen 🙂
The chocolate buttercream is soooo good I piped on the frosting and had a little bit left over, so perfect amount of both batter and buttercream!
Great recipe, easy to make, and super delicious! I can’t wait to eat a whole one tomorrow!
THANK YOU!! After a disaster of making 2 different batches of chocolate cupcakes for my son’s birthday party, I decided to try your recipe. I have been using your vanilla cake & cupcake recipes with great success. These cupcakes turned out beautifully! This will now be my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe, I even doubled the recipe and followed the metric measurements. Thank you again 🙂
Hi Sarah,
I’m so happy to hear that!! YAY!!! 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
I absolutely love this recipe! and am preparing to make a large quantity of cupcakes for both a wedding and birthday party I have in the new week. My question is regarding frosting the cupcakes and freezing them frosted. I noticed you mentioned frosting after removing these from the freezer. My concern with that is the complexity of the design and not having time to take them from the freezer, bring to room temperature, frost and deliver to the venues in time while the cupcakes are still “fresh”.
In the past I have frozen both cake and cupcakes frosted and never had a problem so I wasn’t sure if this recommendation was specific to this chocolate cupcake recipe, or what your expertise in this area would be.
Thank you!
Hi Nicola,
Great question! I get nervous sometimes that cupcakes / frosting will sweat as they thaw, but I totally get why you would want to do that in this situation and that should totally be fine to freeze them!
Did you used to use sour cream in this recipe? I can’t find that one anymore!
Hi Brittanie,
I did not use sour cream in this recipe, but you can swap out 1/2 cup of water in this recipe for sour cream if you want! Hope that helps, happy baking!
This cake and icing combo is a knockout!
Thank you Danielle 🙂
HI Liz HI Liz hope all is well. This is such a tasty soft moist and go to cupcake recipe but need your help please Our church has asked me to bake 160 cupcakes for one of our outreach programme for their Xmas get together – vulnerable abused and abandoned kids from 7rs to 15yrs old. Please could you help me with the recipe in terms of ingredients required for this amount including tthe buttercream please – I will have to do this in vanilla as well. We have another outreach programme of another group of children I think is around 300 but hasnt confirmed as yet – much appreciated Vanessa
Hi Vanessa,
That’s great that you’re baking for such a great cause! You’ll need to make 14 dozen cupcakes. The size of batches you can bake will vary based on your tools / kitchen, but I’d recommend making 3 batches of a batter that are 4x the original recipe, then making a double batch. The batter can sit out at room temperature for a bit as you bake all the trays.
For the frosting, you should be able to make 3-4 batches of my chocolate buttercream recipe (it will vary depending on how big of swirls you make), which is shared here: https://chelsweets.com/dark-chocolate-frosting/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Best,
Chelsey (Chelsweets)
I love this recipe as you add melted chocolates. Can this recipe be used to make Jumbo Muffins too? I could not find any rich Chocolate Muffins recipe in your blog
Hi Rose,
I haven’t tested this recipe out in a jumbo muffin tin, but I think that should work! I sadly don’t have a chocolate muffin recipe, so that would be a good work around! If you try this recipe in a jumbo muffin tin, I’d love to hear how it turns out!!
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate in the buttercream?
Hi Rida,
You can use milk chocolate in this recipe, the frosting will still turn out great! Hope that helps, happy baking!
This came out fabulous!!! Thank you ??
Yay!! So happy to hear that Sara 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
I made these cupcakes for Mother’s Day over the weekend, and they were literal perfection. The cupcakes were super moist and perfectly chocolatey and the buttercream was incredible. There was some icing left over in the piping bag, and I shamelessly ate as much as I could handle without getting a stomachache haha. I will be saving this recipe and making them again and again!
YAY!!! I am so happy to hear that 🙂 They are so hard to resist! Happy belated Mother’s Day!!!
These were great, but I have a question. When I measure 1/3rd cup of oil, the weight is closer to 50 grams, whereas your recipe says 75 grams. I always opt for weights, but I noticed my muffins seemed oily. So I’m wondering if you wrote the recipe using weights or volume? Is there possibly an error on that oil weight?
Hi Christie,
Great question! Are you filling the measuring cup all the way up to the top? A cup of oil is 225g, so 1/3 cup of oil is definitely 75g. What type of measuring cups are you using?
Hi, can thischocolate cupcake make into black velvet cupcakes – by adding dark cocoa powder and black gel? Thank u??
Hi Serene,
Great question! It absolutely can, that should work great and is exactly what I would recommend doing to make black velvet cupcakes. Happy baking!!
I just made these cupcakes. They are probably the best I’ve ever had! So moist…and the flavour?? Delicious!!
YAY! So happy to hear that Jan, thank you for sharing! Happy baking!
I have made these twice now, they are so moist and delicious! My go to chocolate cupcake recipe.
Aw so happy to hear that Lyndsay!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Your entire site is AMAZING!!! I’m planning on making these for Easter but wonder if they’ll taste sweet or tend more to be dark chocolate-y tasting. I’m thinking you use dark chocolate for the richness but the sugar in both the batter and frosting makes it more like a rich milk chocolate? Am I right about that?
Hi Maureen,
You just made my day—thank you!! You’re totally right! I like using dark chocolate to give the cake that deep, rich flavor, but the sugar in both the batter and frosting helps balance things out so it ends up tasting more like a rich milk chocolate overall—still indulgent, but not too bitter. Perfect for a holiday treat! I hope they were a hit at your Easter celebration! 🙂
Tbh this was soooo good like I was making for school but I finished it with my siblings before the next day lol
haha I love that!!! I don’t blame you, I’d do the same thing too 🙂
Can I make the batter a night before I bake the cupcakes and have it sit in the fridge overnight?
Hi Valerie,
Great question! I don’t recommend letting cupcake batter sit in the fridge overnight — it can affect the rise and texture since the leavening agents start reacting as soon as they’re mixed. For the best results, it’s better to bake the cupcakes right after mixing the batter. If you need to prep ahead, you can bake the cupcakes a day early and store them in an airtight container at room temp (or freeze them if it’s more than a day!). Then just frost and decorate when you’re ready! Hope that helps, happy baking!
This recipe is bomb dot com.. And i read a comment that the sponge was a little less sweet.. I agree but the buttercream balances it beautifully. Also when there was a little batter left i put it in the fridge for not 1, but 2 days and then baked it. Believe me i was so surprised to see that it actually puffed up and was moist and everything nice.. So ya.. Great recipe !! Thank you.. Lots of love from India.
Hi Sanjita,
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and that the buttercream balanced the less-sweet sponge for you. I’m also amazed the extra batter baked up so well after 2 days in the fridge! Sending lots of love to you in India 🙂
Does this recipe double well?
Hi Meagan,
It does! Just be sure to use a big mixing bowl so that everything gets mixed properly and is fully combined. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Sooo good! Used only have the coffee powder and it came out very soft and moist.
Yesss, love that!! I’m so glad it still came out soft and moist! Thanks for sharing Jazmin 🙂
Hello , I had a question about the cocoa powder can I use Hersey 100% cocoa natrual unsweetened for the recipe? Can’t find any other one at the moment.
Btw I love all the details and tips added to this recipe ,appreciate it!
Hi Rose,
Hi! Yes, you can absolutely use Hershey’s 100% natural unsweetened cocoa powder—it’s a great option and works well in most recipes that call for natural cocoa.
And thank you so much for the kind words—I’m so glad the tips have been helpful!! Happy baking!
This is the best recipe!!!! So moist, I made this for my boyfriends birthday and he said “this is the best cupcake I’ve ever had in my life”. I only go to this website for cake recipes and it never disappoints.
Hi Ally,
Ahhh this made my day!! I’m so happy to hear it was a hit. I’m honored you trust my site for your cake recipes, and it seriously means so much that it never disappoints. Thanks for taking the time to leave such a kind comment!
Hi ,
I made these cupcakes for my family using milk chocolate chips and regular cocoa powder and I omitted the espresso. They said they were good but they wanted to know if there was a way to make them sweeter. I would say just add more sugar but I don’t want to change the texture of the cupcakes. Just wanted to see if you had any suggestions on how to make them sweeter.
Hi Miriam,
That’s such great feedback to get from your family! You’re totally right that just adding extra sugar can throw off the texture. If you want to bump up the sweetness without changing the structure, you could try swapping the milk chocolate chips for white chocolate or semi-sweet chips (they’ll give little pockets of extra sweetness), or even add a bit of sweetened filling like a chocolate ganache made with milk chocolate, a caramel drizzle, or a swirl of Nutella or frosting baked inside. Another option is to pair the cupcakes with a sweeter frosting, since that’s often where most of the sweetness balance comes from. Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Can I use dutch processed cocoa powder?
Hi Mindy,
You absolutely can! It tastes amazing with dutch processed cocoa powder 🙂 Happy baking!
I absolutely love this recipe and have made it many times!! I wondered if you had a tip for not have chocolate chunks form in the frosting – I think the melted chocolate hardens in little pieces, which makes it tricky when piping. Not sure how to avoid that since we add it to the cold buttercream. Any advice? Thank you!
Hi Raashi,
Sometimes that can happen, especially if you’re kitchen is cold or you bowl is cold. It’s the worst with metal bowls! It helps to make sure your butter is fully at room temperature too. The buttercream should not be cold!
You can heat the chocolate and heavy cream together, stir them until the mixture is combined and smooth, and then mix that into the frosting at the end. That should help prevent that. Hope that helps, happy baking!
On your TikTok video you said you used buttermilk, I am not seeing buttermilk in this recipe though? How much buttermilk do you use?
Hi Karissa,
You can use either 3/4 cup of warm water or warm buttermilk! They cupcakes bake up slightly taller and fluffier with water, and slightly moister and a bit shorter with buttermilk. Hope that helps, happy baking!