Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Chocolate overload in the best possible way!
Texture: Moist and tender without being too delicate or crumbly, topped with a beautifully light and creamy frosting.
Ease: The cupcakes are super simple, and although the frosting may seem complicated, I promise it’s super straightforward.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: These are truly my favorite cupcakes EVER!
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These cupcakes are seriously the BEST Chocolate Cupcakes you’ll ever try!
I love to utilize Baking Science to tweak and test recipes until I think they’re the ULTIMATE version of that recipe.
I’ve done it with my ultra-fudgy Ultimate Brownies, my perfectly chewy Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, and my heavenly Ultimate Classic Cheesecake. What better recipe to perfect next than Chocolate Cupcakes?!
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It took about 5 straight batches over a couple days, after previous casual tests over several months, to finally nail the recipe.
These cupcakes are perfectly moist and tender. They’re sturdy enough to hold up to plenty of frosting, with TONS of chocolate flavor. There are three kinds of chocolate in here in total!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make the BEST Chocolate Cupcakes
The Chocolate
We can’t make stellar homemade Chocolate Cupcakes without first considering the chocolate! The cupcakes themselves use a whole 5 ounces of bittersweet chocolate AND Dutch-process cocoa powder, for as much chocolate flavor as possible.
Make sure to use freshly chopped baking chocolate and not chocolate chips, which don’t melt down as smoothly. Learn more about Chocolate in Baking here.
Do I Have to Use Dutch Process Cocoa Powder?
I recommend sticking with Dutch-process cocoa as it works differently on a chemical level compared to natural cocoa. You can find it at many gourmet food stores or online via Amazon.
Dutch Process Cocoa typically contains more cocoa butter (fat!) than your typical grocery store cocoa powder. This means more moisture, richness, and rich chocolate flavor! Learn more about cocoa powder’s fat content here.
Help! I Only Have Natural Cocoa Powder!
If you must use regular unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe, then omit the vinegar – just note that your cupcakes may be a little more dry. Learn more about the differences between cocoa powders here.
The Secret to Super MOIST Chocolate Cupcakes
- This recipe calls for vegetable oil instead of butter. This creates an ultra-moist texture and an open, slightly spongy crumb. For more details on how these two fats work in baking, check out my Butter vs. Oil in Baking article.
- Since oil is liquid at room temperature, it leaves a sensation of moistness on the palate.
- Be sure to also use full-fat ingredients and don’t reduce the sugar in this recipe. Sugar actually helps contribute to moistness! Learn more about the role sugar plays in baking here.
- Be sure to measure your flour and cocoa powder correctly. Use a digital kitchen scale, or the spoon and level method if you don’t have a scale.
Hot Water and Espresso Powder in Chocolate Cupcakes
- If you bake chocolate cakes or cupcakes a lot, you’ve probably seen quite a few recipes that utilize hot water, or even hot coffee.
- This helps to dissolve and ‘bloom’ the cocoa powder to bring out as much flavor with as few cocoa lumps as possible.
- The espresso simply enhances the chocolate flavor without actually being perceptible.
Do I Have to Use Espresso Powder?
Feel free to use hot coffee in place of the hot water and espresso powder. Instant coffee and water will also work. If preferred, simply omit the espresso powder – no modifications needed.
The Eggs
The more whole eggs a cake recipe has, the richer it’ll be. I used one of my favorite baking tricks and added an extra egg yolk. This works beautifully for brownies and cookies, so why not chocolate cupcakes? It adds more richness, chewiness, and structure so the cupcake can stand up to a generous or heavy frosting.
Be sure to use large eggs – about 56 grams in shell. Don’t use eggs larger or smaller than this, as this will impact your cupcakes.
Egg Substitute For Chocolate Cupcakes?
I have yet to find an amazing egg substitute for this recipe. I recently experimented with egg substitutes in cookies, but I haven’t found any great substitutes in cupcakes yet. Let me know in the comments below if you experiment with that!
The Leavener
After much experimentation, I chose to use baking soda, so I had to add vinegar to the recipe. Why? Because without it, there wasn’t enough acid for the baking soda to react with. Dutch-process cocoa powder has been neutralized of its acid, so it was only the sour cream and the small amount of brown sugar.
For tall, tender, light cupcakes, we need the right amount of leavening, so baking soda + vinegar does the trick. This is why you omit the vinegar if you’re using natural cocoa powder.
The Flour
After testing all-purpose vs. bread flour, I found that all-purpose worked just as well. Since AP flour is more readily available, I stuck with that to make this recipe as simple as possible.
Sour Cream in Chocolate Cupcakes?
I find that sour cream adds such a lovely richness and balance of flavor to Chocolate Cupcakes. Full-fat plain yogurt makes a good alternative if needed.
The Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
When I originally published this recipe, it used a more complicated Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream as the frosting. Although delicious, it’s more advanced and requires more time and special equipment.
In the interest of making this recipe simpler but still delicious, I swapped in a special version of American-style chocolate buttercream.
The frosting contains cooled chocolate ganache for pure chocolate flavor and fudgy richness. I like to use semisweet chocolate, but feel free to use milk or bittersweet chocolate instead.
For an extra smooth, flavorful, rich frosting, opt for organic powdered sugar and high-fat cocoa powder.
My Favorite Cupcake Tools:
- Cupcake liners: These cupcake liners are my favorite for cupcakes that don’t stick to the liner.
- Piping tip: I used the Ateco #828 piping tip for swirling the chocolate frosting on these cupcakes – but any large open star tip will work.
- Piping bags: I love these disposable piping bags.
Can I Make a Layer Cake with This Recipe?
Check out my Best Chocolate Cake recipe for that! It’s very similar to this recipe. You can also check out my guide for How to Convert Cupcakes Into Cake (and vice versa!).
How to Store Chocolate Cupcakes
Complately cooled Chocolate Cupcakes can be stored inside an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
Can You Freeze Chocolate Cupcakes?
- If storing for longer than a week, wrap unfrosted cupcakes individually in plastic wrap, to prevent freezer burn and taste transference.
- Place cupcakes inside a freezer bag on a shelf in your freezer where they won’t get smashed.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Unwrap the cupcakes and allow them to defrost at room temperature for about 1 to 2 hours.
More Cupcakes Recipes You’ll Love:
More Frosting Recipes:
Best Chocolate Cupcakes
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Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 5 ounces (142 grams) bittersweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup (28 grams) Dutch-process cocoa
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 cup (118 grams) boiling water
- 3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) sour cream (or plain full-fat yogurt), at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs plus one egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup (119 grams) cold heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces (113 grams) finely chopped semisweet chocolate (don't use chocolate chips)
- 3 sticks (340 grams) unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature
- 2 cups (250 grams) powdered sugar, sifted (preferably organic*)
- 1 cup (85 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
Make the cupcakes:
- In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Pour hot water over mixture. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk mixture gently until smooth, then set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, salt, and baking soda.
- Whisk sour cream, oil, eggs, egg yolk, vinegar, and vanilla into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you mix. Stir in the flour mixture until smooth, being careful not to overmix.
- Using a spring-loaded scoop, divide the batter evenly among prepared muffin cups until 3/4 full. Bake until cupcakes are set and firm to the touch, about 17 to 18 minutes.
- Let cupcakes cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely, about 1 hour. Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
Make the frosting:
- In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let stand for a few minutes before stirring until smooth. Set aside and cool to approximately 75°F or until thickened but still pourable.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase the speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes, or until very well blended, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Reduce speed to medium-low and add the cooled chocolate cream mixture. Continue beating until the frosting has lightened in color and texture, about 2 minutes more, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Frosting can be made 1 day ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm frosting in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds and stir until creamy again before frosting cupcakes.
- Frosting can also be transferred to a ziptop bag and frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge overnight then rewhip in the stand mixer until light and smooth.
Recipe Notes
The Ultimate Cookie Handbook
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This recipe was originally published in 2016 and updated to make the cupcakes more moist and tender, with an easier frosting. New photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
I made them today and I can say only one thing: DELICIOUS!
Do you know if anyone has tried this recipe using gluten free cup for cup flour? I’m making these for a party tomorrow but I have celiac and hoping I can try them out too! Would love to know if you’ve tried or had anyone comment that they tried.
Hi Ana! We don’t bake with gluten-free ingredients, so I can’t say for sure – but hopefully one of our other readers may be able to help you here. Let us know how it goes if you give these a try 🙂
Wonderful recipe…comes together so well…you’ve done all the homework
These cupcakes are excellent! Rich flavour and texture is perfect! I did them as a trial for a gender reveal party and they were a huge hit to all my taste testers. I used hot coffee instead of the water.
Can’t wait to make them next week for the gender reveal for my daughter and son in law!!!
I made a trial run of these today for my son’s birthday party next weekend. They turned out perfect!! I really love the texture of the cupcakes themselves especially the tops. The frosting is light and delicious. Can’t wait to make them again next weekend and share them with others!
Hello! I am making these soon and was wondering what kind of baking chocolate is recommended? Thank you!
Hi Emily! Any baking chocolate will work just fine, but Tessa typically opts for Ghirardelli, or if you’re wanting to splurge for a special occasion, go for Valrhona or Callebaut chocolate! I hope that helps. Let us know what you think of these cupcakes once you give them a try! 🙂
hello and thx for the hard work ,, i have two question first can i use 54% callebaut dark chocolate because i dont wanna use 70% callebaut chocolate because the bitterness inside the chocolate what do u think ?
second question which brand tessa used ap flour is it king arthur because it contain two spring and winter hard wheat so its so close to bread flour which means more proteins more structure from our country that contain soft and hard wheat so can i add more flour like 10 grams and what do u think about it ? best regards and thanks
Hi John! Feel free to experiment with your chocolate types, but just note that any alterations may impact the flavor and texture of the finished cupcakes. Tessa prefers Gold Medal Bleached All-Purpose Flour, so that’s what was used in testing these cupcakes. Learn more about the science behind this recipe in the Baking Science section above the recipe. I hope that helps! Happy baking 🙂
hello and thx for the hard work , i have two question which flour did tessa work with, because king arthur ap flour have hard red winter and spring so its so close to bread flour here in my country ap have soft and hard wheat so i am gonna increase it 10 or 15 grams what do u think ? my second question i have 2 blocks, the first is (811) 54% cocoa solids and 70% 70-30-38 callebaut can i use dark 54% for this recipe because iam afraid to use 70% and gets too bitter the cupcakes ,, and sry for my bad english ,, best regards
Hi Wael! It’s tough to say for sure regarding the increase in flour as I’m not familiar with the flour you use in your country, though I wouldn’t recommend using bread flour in cupcakes as it can alter the texture completely. Tessa creates all of our recipes with Gold Medal Bleached All-Purpose Flour, though our recipes have also been tested with King Arthur Baking Unbleached All-Purpose Flour. Regarding the baking chocolate bars, I’d recommend using the 70% option. We included brown sugar in this recipe to assist in sweetening the cupcakes, so the cupcakes won’t be bitter in the slightest. I hope that helps! Please let us know how it goes if you give our recipe a try 🙂
I doubled the batch for a party and got 21 regular cupcakes and 24 minis. this is the best cake and best frosting I’ve ever made. The cake is so moist and the icing chocolatey and decadent.
Dear Lord so good! I can’t rate the frosting because I made these to use up left over frosting I had in my freezer, but these cupcakes are so good… the texture is heavenly. I’ve been looking for a cupcake that’s not too dense but not too spongy and this is perfect. I didn’t have sour cream so I used mayo, but. seriously. will be using this recipe so many more times.
Tastes better than the store bought, and super easy to make! I only had fat free yogurt and it worked perfectly. I used a bar of Lindor milk chocolate instead of semi sweet, and it was incredibly luxurious but still not overly sweet. Can’t wait to try the chocolate cake version! Thanks for the recipe, it’s my new go-to!
Another question I had was regarding the storage temperature for the frosted cupcakes. I am planning to make the cupcakes, and frost and store them overnight in the refrigerator. The next day morning I have to drive about 2 hrs to the party venue. Will the frosting hold up? Thanks!
Yes, that should be just fine! Let us know how it goes 🙂