Chocolate Cupcake Recipe with Silky Chocolate Buttercream

Name: Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups All-purpose Flour (240g); 2 cups Granulated Sugar (400g); 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder (50g); 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder; 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda; 1/2 cup Whole Milk (120g); 2 Large Eggs; 1/2 cup Sour Cream (128g); 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil (110g / 120ml); 1 tsp Espresso Powder; 1 tsp Vanilla Extract; 1/2 tsp Salt; 3/4 cup Hot Water (180ml); 2 sticks Unsalted Butter (227g (room temperature)); 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14oz / 395ml); 5.5 oz Dark Chocolate (155g); 1 tsp Vanilla Extract; 1 pinch Salt

Chocolate Cupcakes recipe from scratch, with rich chocolate cake and easy chocolate buttercream frosting.

Three chocolate cupcakes on a table with chocolate buttercream frosting and a tiny chocolate bar sticking out the side.

Reader Review:

Made this and it turned out amazing! Highly recommend!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Shivangi

I don't mess around when it comes to chocolate. Running a bakery for 10 years, I made it my mission to have the very best chocolate cupcake recipe out there, and this is the result!

These homemade chocolate cupcakes are a chocolate lover's dream come true. They're moist and rich without being too sweet, and I'll show you my technique for an easy chocolate buttercream that has the same glossy texture as Swiss meringue but is much easier to make. You'll be shocked by how gourmet they taste for being so simple!

This is the best chocolate cupcake recipe, and you'll feel the same way after the first bite!

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients for Chocolate Cupcakes
How To Make Chocolate Cupcakes
How To Make Chocolate Frosting For Cupcakes
Decorate the Chocolate Cupcakes
Easy Chocolate Cupcake Recipe Variations
How To Store Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcake Recipe FAQs
More Cupcake Recipes
Recipe

Why You'll Love This Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

The ultra-moist texture lets the rich chocolate flavor truly shine
This easy Russian buttercream is made with real melted chocolate and a secret ingredient that gives it a silky, glossy texture
Use the easy two-bowl method for moist cupcakes every time - no fussy creaming method needed

Chocolate cupcake with a bite taken out of it to show silky smooth chocolate buttercream.

Ingredients for Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate needs fat for flavor, and the sour cream and vegetable oil let that rich chocolate flavor shine while making the cupcakes super tender and moist. The ingredients below are to make the chocolate cupcakes and chocolate buttercream from scratch.

Ingredients to make chocolate cupcakes - flour, sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, eggs, milk, espresso powder.

All-purpose Flour - This is the perfect base for the chocolate cupcake batter. Since the batter is so moist on its own, there's no need to use cake flour.
Granulated Sugar - This will add just enough sweetness to let the chocolate flavor stand out.
Cocoa Powder (Dutch processed) - Dutch-process cocoa powder has the boldest chocolate flavor, perfect for this cake. Natural Cocoa Powder can be used instead but it may make the cupcakes a little more dense and dry.
Whole Milk - For a tender, moist texture. You can also substitute for a dairy-free milk of your choice.
Eggs - Use large eggs, and free-range if possible.
Sour Cream - This is a great ingredient to make sure your cupcake batter is moist every time. You can substitute for Greek yogurt if you prefer.
Oil - Using oil rather than butter makes for super moist chocolate cupcakes. I use vegetable oil, but you can use any flavorless oil.
Espresso Powder - The bitterness of coffee enhances the chocolate flavor of the cupcakes. Look for instant espresso (not instant coffee granules).
Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste provides a balanced flavor base to build the chocolate flavor on.
Sweetened Condensed Milk - This is the canned stuff from the store! It helps bring this chocolate frosting together really quickly without being overly sweet.
Unsalted Butter - It's very, very important to make sure the butter is at room temperature. Try to use a high-quality butter.
Dark Chocolate - There's no cocoa powder here! The buttercream is flavored with real chocolate. Make sure it's real chocolate and not chocolate chips or a chocolate candy bar. The higher the cocoa content, the deeper in flavor your chocolate frosting will be.

Make sure the milk, eggs, sour cream, and butter are all at room temperature before beginning.

See recipe card for quantities and full recipe.

Measuring Ingredients

I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale, rather than using measuring cups. It's very difficult to measure accurately with cups and this can mess up your bakes.

Recommended Equipment

To make the ultimate chocolate cupcakes at home, you'll need a few different baking tools and supplies:

Cupcake pan with liners
Mixing bowls (large and medium for the cake)
Whisk
Stand Mixer with whisk attachment or electric mixer to make the chocolate buttercream frosting

How To Make Chocolate Cupcakes

There are two components to make these chocolate cupcakes from scratch - and both of them are really simple! Just follow the step-by-step directions below for the best results.

Dry Ingredients

Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients, including the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
(But not the espresso powder). Whisk everything together.

Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, except the hot water. This includes the eggs, milk, sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla. Whisk together lightly until it makes a homogeneous mixture.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and whisk until everything is combined and there are no lumps. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl.

pouring hot water and espresso powder into cake batter to make tuxedo cake.

Add Coffee

In a small bowl or a glass, combine the boiling water with the espresso powder and mix until completely dissolved. Pour the hot coffee into the cake batter and mix until combined.

This helps make super moist cupcakes, and the hot liquid also blooms the cocoa powder.

Chocolate cupcake with the center cored out, being filled with chocolate ganache through a piping bag.

Bake and Cool

Divide the chocolate batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about ⅔ full. The batter is very liquid, so it may be easiest to pour it in or use a batter dispenser.

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the cupcakes are springy and a skewer inserted comes out with moist crumbs.

Let the cupcakes sit in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely before adding any filling or frosting.

How To Make Chocolate Frosting For Cupcakes

I cannot say enough good things about this easy chocolate buttercream frosting. Sometimes it feels a bit like cheating because it's so simple to make. You don't have to mess around with whipping egg whites or pouring hot syrup, and it's not sickly sweet like American buttercream. It's also made with real chocolate for a truly decadent flavor.

Note: Before beginning, make sure the butter is at room temperature - it's really important that it is not too cold and not too warm as this will stop the buttercream from forming properly.

Creaming butter to make russian buttercream.

Cream the Butter

Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments until totally melted. Set aside to cool.

Whip the butter on high speed for a full 5 minutes. You can use a handheld mixer for this, but your arm may get tired so I recommend a stand mixer if you have one.

I like to pause every 90 seconds or so to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Russian buttercream being made in a glass bowl.

Add Condensed Milk

Turn the mixer down to medium-high speed and slowly drizzle in the sweetened condensed milk while it whips.

It's so important not to rush this step or the buttercream might split - go slowly and gradually, pausing occasionally if necessary to let it incorporate.

Once all the condensed milk is incorporated, turn the mixer up to max speed for 1 minute.

Easy chocolate buttercream frosting on a whisk.

Add Melted Chocolate

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour in the cooled melted chocolate, vanilla and and a pinch of salt - continue to whip until incorporated.

I have a whole tutorial about making Russian buttercream that's loaded with helpful tips and suggestions, as well as a troubleshooting guide for if your buttercream has gone wrong! The secret is to make sure the butter is truly at room temperature and to follow the instructions carefully.

Decorate the Chocolate Cupcakes

Once the cupcakes have cooled, pipe or spread the chocolate buttercream onto the tops of the cupcakes. I used a piping bag with an open star tip to get this result.

Decorate with chocolate sprinkles and a piece of chocolate for a finishing touch. I made these mini chocolate bars with this mini chocolate bar mold - if you do this, make sure you follow my guide for tempering chocolate easily.

Top down view of a chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream piped in a swirl on top and a mini chocolate bar sticking out the top.

Easy Chocolate Cupcake Recipe Variations

I use these homemade chocolate cupcakes as a base for so many other cupcake recipes. Here are a few ideas to tweak the recipe to make it your own:

Fold in some crunch - For extra texture, add some mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts to either the frosting or the cake batter.

Change the frosting - I have lots of delicious frosting recipes on the blog, and you can certainly try any you'd like! This French buttercream has a rich, custardy flavor that's perfect for chocolate.

Mocha Cupcakes - Use the espresso buttercream from my Chocolate Espresso Cake for a latte-inspired bake.

Add a filling - I often will core out the center of these cupcakes with a cupcake corer and put a filling in the middle. You could fill them with strawberry coulis, Nutella, homemade caramel sauce, or chocolate ganache for the perfect chocolate cupcake!

Black Forest Cupcakes - Fill each cupcake with a boozy, sweet cherry filling and creamy vanilla frosting for a fun twist on the classic.

S'mores Cupcakes - Top these cupcakes with my marshmallow frosting for delicious s'mores cupcakes.

Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes - Decorate each cupcake with the Strawberry Buttercream from my Chocolate Strawberry Cake and garnish with a chocolate-covered strawberry.

Make a whole cake - If you want a whole chocolate cake recipe, you can use this same one! I use it to make my Chocolate Fudge Cake and Death by Chocolate Cake recipes.

German Chocolate Cupcakes - Add some German Chocolate Cake Frosting for a tasty coconut and pecan treat!

Seasonal Decorations - You can put whatever you like on top of these cupcakes. They are super fun to use for themed parties. I'm making them with mini eggs for Easter dessert this year!

Chocolate cupcake decorated with mini eggs and a chocolate bunny to make Easter cupcakes.

How To Store Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes

Store any undecorated extra cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Once decorated, the cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.

I like to add some paper towels to the bottom of the container to absorb any extra moisture. If you have extra frosting, store it in a sealed jar or container in the fridge for up to one week.

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe FAQs

How long do you bake cupcakes at 350 degrees?

This recipe only requires 18-22 minutes in the oven at this temperature, although you should always check for doneness using a toothpick or skewer.

How can I make my cupcakes moist?

If you want moist chocolate cupcakes, you need to use the right recipe! You're looking for a recipe that includes plenty of fat, ideally in the form of vegetable oil and sour cream or yogurt. These ingredients almost always result in the softest, moistest cakes and cupcakes without much fuss. I also recommend being careful not to overbake the cupcakes, as this can cause the cake itself to dry out and become crumbly. Otherwise, just follow the recipe precisely for the best results.

What is the best frosting for chocolate cupcakes?

There are so many flavor combinations that taste amazing with chocolate cupcakes. If you want the perfect chocolate cupcakes, I recommend chocolate Russian buttercream. It's extremely glossy and smooth, with just enough sweetness and chocolate flavor. It's like Swiss meringue buttercream (another go-to), but is much easier to make! You can even use vanilla buttercream (or stripe it with strawberry coulis!) or classic cream cheese frosting.

Why You'll Love This Chocolate Cupcake Recipe