Your search is over ~ these are the best chocolate cupcakes in the world!! Soft and moist, with the most outrageous chocolate cream cheese frosting (you’ll want to eat it with a spoon!)
This is IT! The chocolate cupcake recipe you’ll be making for the rest of your life. From birthdays and bake sales to holidays, special occasions, and romantic nights in, this is the recipe you’ll reach for. The cupcakes are soft, moist, and chocolatey ~ and the frosting? It will blow you away. When you want to share some love, bake these chocolate cupcakes 🙂
ingredients for the perfect frosted chocolate cupcakes
These ingredients are pantry staples, so let’s gather everything together and get ready to make these easy cupcakes!
- flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- sugar
- baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- buttermilk
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- hot coffee
- sub water instead if you prefer.
- butter
- powdered sugar
- cream cheese
this versatile chocolate cake recipe is my go-to
Whenever I need a chocolate cake, I come back to this classic recipe from Ina Garten. It’s become my go-to because it’s easy to mix up (no stand mixer required) and the flavor and texture are unbeatable. Think completely moist, fine-textured cake with a rich chocolate flavor. It’s simply the best.
I get asked all the time about scaling this recipe up or down, and often about whether it can be made as cupcakes, so I figured it was about time I showed you! This cupcake recipe makes 12 cupcakes, but you can easily double it to make 24 (or more!)
the secret to silky chocolate cream cheese frosting
A great chocolate cupcake deserves a great chocolate frosting ~ here’s how I do mine
- Like a lot of my frostings lately, I make this one in the food processor (yes, you read that right) which makes blending the cream cheese and butter a dream and ensures a silky smooth texture with no lumps. The food processor doesn’t incorporate as much air into the frosting because you’re not whipping it, so you get a silkier rather than fluffier texture.
- The flavor is rich and chocolatey thanks to cocoa powder which actually provides a stronger chocolate flavor due to the concentrated cocoa solids. This is ideal for frosting recipes where you want a robust chocolate taste.
- Cream cheese adds a pleasing tanginess, a soft spreadable texture, and a luxe mouthfeel. If you love cream cheese frosting (you might have had it on my Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting or my Classic Carrot Cake) I think you’ll really love this.
- That gloss! Sometimes a classic buttercream can be matte with a ‘crusty’ texture, but this frosting has a soft, glossy look that is so appealing and pretty whether you pipe it or swoop it onto your cakes and cupcakes.
chocolate cupcake faqs
- Can I make these chocolate cupcakes as a layer cake?
- Yes, just see this original recipe post for making Ina’s chocolate cake as a layer cake.
- Can I double this recipe for 24 cupcakes?
- Yes!
- Can I make these cupcakes ahead?
- You can make the cupcakes a day ahead, but I recommend making the frosting the day you plan to serve them. Keep the cupcakes covered in an airtight container or wrapped loosely in plastic wrap at room temperature until you are ready to frost them.
- What kind of cocoa powder do you use?
- You can use any kind of unsweetened cocoa powder you like, but I used a combination of regular cocoa powder and Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder for a rich color and flavor.
- I don’t have buttermilk, what can I use instead?
- You can easily make your own buttermilk replacement by adding 1 tbsp of white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Mix and let sit for 10 minutes before using. You may see a little curdling or separation but this is fine. You can also use milk or half and half.
- I don’t like cream cheese, can I leave it out of the frosting?
- You can definitely make a classic buttercream to frost chocolate cupcakes, but you’ll need to add more butter to the recipe.
why we love these easy chocolate cupcakes
This recipe really is special enough just as it is but also makes the perfect canvas for any chocolate cupcake ideas you can come up with! Add festive sprinkles for a party, add your favorite flavoring like almond extract, peppermint extract, or orange zest to the frosting, the possibilities are endless!
Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- cupcake pan
- paper cupcake liners
Ingredients
for the cupcakes
- 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup hot coffee or hot water
for the chocolate cream cheese frosting
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and fold together. When there are still a few streaks of dry flour left, add the hot coffee. Fold everything together until just combined, don't over mix.
- Divide the batter between the muffin tins, you want to fill your muffin tins about 2/3 full. (If you fill your muffin tins higher than 2/3 just be aware that your cupcakes might spill over the sides a little bit like a muffin.)
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out without wet batter clinging to it. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
to make the frosting
- Cut the butter and cream cheese into large chunks. Add to the bowl of a food processor along with the salt and vanilla extract, and blend until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, about 1 cup at a time, blending briefly between each addition. You made need to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to ensure everything is smooth.
to frost the cupcakes
- Add a large spoonful of frosting to the top of each cupcake and use a small spoon or butterknife to gently spread it out.
- You will likely have some frosting left over if you frost your cupcakes like I have here. If you are piping frosting onto your cupcake, you should still have enough frosting to pipe all 12 cupcakes, unless you are going for a very tall look with a lot of frosting on each cupcake, then you might want to make 1.5x or double the recipe.
Does it taste different if i use hot water instead of coffee
No, it will be fine.
I use a 1/4 tsp of cinnamon in the frosting for a Mexican chocolate frosting vibe. Nothing left of the cupcakes. Thanks for helping me solve my frosting crisis and with good taste
Can this recipe be used in either a 9×13 pan or 9×9 pan?
Yes, a 9×9, or double for a 9×13.
Made these On Sat for my grand babies. My grown son (42) took some home on Sun. Facetime called me tonight (Mon) to tell me how amazing they were!!! Fresh, moist & yummy even a few days later & he is picky about food!!!
What about making these into mini cupcakes? Is there a time difference in baking them? Thank you!!
No need die to reach heaven! Make these, eat these, enjoy heavenly chocolate bliss. I am no fan of white cream cheese frostings but *this* is magic, chocolate makes the frosting a silken cream cheese confection. So in love!
Haha, can I quote you??
Love this recipe… Easy and delicious 💕
Baking soda measurement reads 0g as of today 03/04…I see baking soda included in the method section. Can you clarify?
Thx
Sometimes the auto conversion misses something, that’s 1 teaspoon, and I fixed it. The conversion generally doesn’t convert amounts as small as teaspoons, so they stay the same between volume and metric.
Yes, I tossed my old recipe out that I’ve used for better than 70 years, (I’m 89).
Wow, that is high praise! So glad you loved it!
Whole family winner!
Woohoo ~ that’s awesome, thanks for the review 🙂
So moist and rich chocolate flavor
I’m so excited to see the first reviews come in on these cupcakes 🙂