These super moist chocolate cupcakes pack TONS of chocolate flavor in each cupcake wrapper! Made from simple everyday ingredients, this easy cupcake recipe will be your new favorite. For best results, use natural cocoa powder and buttermilk. These chocolate cupcakes taste completely over-the-top with chocolate buttercream!
Today we’re diving deep into what I like to call a “foundation recipe.” Basic chocolate cupcakes which are, indefinitely, anything but basic.
This is a solid base recipe that serves as a jumping off point for many others. Like my basic vanilla cupcakes recipe, these chocolate cupcakes hold a sacred spot in my desserts repertoire. There will never be a reason to find a better version—this is THE chocolate cupcake recipe I use time and time again.
I shared this recipe 3 years ago as chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting, but I want to walk you through the process (1) with step-by-step pictures, (2) with careful explanations, (3) and I want to emphasize one VERY crucial instruction. If you skip this instruction, your entire batch will be ruined. Trust me, the evidence has landed in my trashcan time and time again. It’s not pretty.
Curious about other foundation recipes?
- Vanilla cupcakes and vanilla cake
- Sugar cookies and chocolate sugar cookies
- Chocolate cake (try this!!)
- Chewy fudgy frosted brownies
- Peanut butter cookies (foundation for 6+ other cookies on my site!)
Today’s chocolate cupcakes are for true chocolate fans. I’m talking about those of you who don’t qualify an item as dessert unless there’s chocolate involved. Strawberry shortcake is a dessert impostor and forget about apple pie. That’s some sort of health food, right?
You need 2 bowls, 1 whisk, and 1 spatula. The base of these chocolate cupcakes, and what is responsible for the texture, is oil—the same powerhouse ingredient we use for a super moist chocolate cake roll. Like double chocolate muffins, we’re not creaming butter here, so there is no need to break out the mixer. Though you can absolutely use a hand or stand mixer if it’s easier for you.
We’re also achieving an incredibly moist texture with buttermilk. Just like in these cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, buttermilk also gives us the best flavor. I don’t typically have buttermilk in the fridge, so I sour whole milk instead. Check out my recipe notes for how to make a buttermilk substitute.
Another tip? Make sure you’re using natural unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutched cocoa. Why? Here’s the difference between dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder. And if you really want to learn today, here is the difference between baking soda vs. baking powder and why I use both in these chocolate cupcakes.
So there’s 1 bowl for dry ingredients and 1 bowl for wet ingredients. Gently mix the two together. The batter isn’t as thick as you would think. We don’t really want a super thick chocolate batter because that would yield a cupcake similar to brownies. Dense. We don’t want dense! We want spongey, cakey, and rich.
This Will Make or Break Your Recipe
Fill the cupcake liners only halfway full. Not 2/3, not 3/4, not all the way to the top. Half full. You will question yourself as you pour in the batter. Really? This is ALL that I’m using for each cupcake? The answer is yes, that is all you are using for each cupcake.
- If you fill the liners too full, the cupcakes will overflow.
- Too full = crisp mushroom tops
- Too full = sinking in the center
Got that? Halfway full! Halfway full!
Now that the cupcakes are baked and your self control is fading quickly, it’s time to frost them. The frosting flavor is completely up to you. We have a plethora of options on this site from chocolate buttercream and rainbow chip frosting to strawberry frosting, vanilla buttercream, salted caramel frosting, and cream cheese frosting. Keeping things even (though highly indulgent) with chocolate buttercream and a friendly dose of chocolate sprinkles.
And layer that buttercream on nice and tall. (I used Wilton 1M!)
I don’t normally reach for chocolate desserts if there’s a fruity one on the menu, but I would gladly unwrap one of these over any other choice.
By the way, this recipe transfers beautifully into cake pans to make a 6-inch cake.
Print
Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 35 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: 12-14 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made from simple everyday ingredients, this easy chocolate cupcake recipe will be your new favorite. For best results, use natural cocoa powder and buttermilk. These chocolate cupcakes taste completely over-the-top with chocolate buttercream!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder*
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant espresso*
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature*
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable or canola oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
- chocolate buttercream and sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners—this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until *just* combined; do not overmix. The batter will be thin.
- Pour or spoon the batter into the liners. Fill only halfway (this is imperative! only halfway!) to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking. Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost cooled cupcakes with chocolate buttercream. You can swipe the frosting on with an icing knife or use a piping tip such as Wilton 1M. Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for 3 days. I recommend a cupcake carrier for storing and transporting decorated cupcakes.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can bake the cupcakes 1 day in advance. Keep cupcakes covered tightly at room temperature and frost the day of serving. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before frosting and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-cup Cupcake Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Piping Bags (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 1M Piping Tip | Icing Knife | Cupcake Carrier (for storage)
- Mini Cupcakes: Fill mini liners only halfway and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F (177°C).
- Cake: Here’s my chocolate layer cake recipe.
- Cocoa Powder: Use natural cocoa powder, not Dutch-process. See Dutch-process vs natural cocoa powder for more information.
- Espresso Powder: Espresso powder deepens the chocolate flavor. You can skip it or use 1 teaspoon of instant coffee powder instead.
- Why Room Temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about the importance of room temperature ingredients.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cupcakes won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin!
Hi! How much would halfway exactly be? I have tried using the ice cream scooper, one spoon of it (I have a 4 cm and 5 cm scoop), and they sink most of the time. The taste is incredible, but they sink. How many tablespoons of batter would you recommend for each cupcake?
Hi EM, you’ll need about 2 full Tablespoons of batter per cupcake liner/cavity. Be sure that the cupcakes aren’t undercooked either, which can also cause sinking. Hope this helps!
I love this recipe so much they turned out perfect
Very yummy, will make again! Made these to test for an event where I needed chocolate cupcakes. I personally think they are better the next day and would recommend making the night before. They work quickly and taste great!
Hi, i only have dutch cocoa powder and im wondering.. do i omit the baking soda completely and use the baking powder only….and if then how many teaspoon should i use? thank you so much… i just really need to make cupcakes for a meeting suddenly
Hi Stella, It’s really best to use natural cocoa powder in this recipe. If using dutched cocoa, you would need to switch out the baking soda (or some of the baking soda) for baking powder. Increase the amount of baking powder in the substitution since it isn’t quite as strong as baking soda. We haven’t tested it ourselves, so it will take some trial and error. Let us know if you decide to try it!
Delicious !! I’ve made these a few times and just recently at my daughter’s 2nd birthday party for the kids . I just left out the espresso . They were a hit !! I added a vanilla buttercream . They were perfect !
I loved this recipe so much! Thankyou!
How long could you store these?? If I had a party on Saturday could I bake them on Tuesday and then still taste good on Saturday??
Hi Elissa, see recipe notes for recommended make ahead details.
You should Google tag these as nut free so they pop up on searches. Baking for a school event and have to be sensitive to the needs of some in the classroom
why did the tops of these cupcakes cracked after baking?
This is a favorite in my house. Can I substitute dark cocoa powder for the regular? If so, would I need to add anything extra?
Hi Virginia, that should work okay here. Enjoy!
Can I leave out the espresso powder
Hi Joann, Yes, you can.
My new go-to recipe! Amazing! I made them as written except I had to substitute the coffee for a little more cocoa powder due to an allergy to coffee. It was still amazing Thank you!
I like the re pipe except for the bitter choclate taste. Is there something that I can do to reduce the bitter taste?
Hi Lynn, A bitter flavor could come from the brand of cocoa powder used or even expired baking powder or soda. We’ve never had an issue with a bitter flavor in these cupcakes, but those are the ingredients we would investigate first!
Am making for the first time but only 14 cupcakes? Lotta’ work for just 14. Going to a casual dinner for 10 tonight and I bet more than 4 would want a second.
Wish the recipe was for more, guess I could double and freeze some.
Hi Pam, you could also use our chocolate cake batter which produces 2-3 dozen cupcakes. See recipe notes there for more details.
I followed the recipe to the letter, including making *14* cupcakes and I got sunken, horrible looking little disasters.
please check on your baking powder. I just found out, that after a short period of time it becomes almost useless.
I always love your recipes. I have so many as firm favs in our house. Thanks for including metric for us here in the UK. These were amazing. Iced with white choc whipped ganache…. oh my days. Perfection.
Can I use this recipe to make mini bundt cakes?
Hi Kay, that should work just fine. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, as it will depend on the exact size of your pans. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Hi there can i use dairy free milk?
Hi Queenie, see recipe notes for details about using dairy-free milk to create a buttermilk substitute. Hope you enjoy the cupcakes!
Hi i just to know that i don’t have brown sugar and i don’t have baking soda so can u tell me that can i use plain granulated sugar instead of brown sugar? what is it’s quantity if i make 12 piece cupcakes and frosted them with butter cream then can i store it in refrigerator and for how long? or should i just put the frosting in the refrigerator and use them on cupcakes whenever i want to use them? can i also keep these cupcakes in my kitchen counter top would that be a problem?
Hi Kara, the cupcakes won’t rise properly without baking soda, so we recommend waiting until you have some to make this recipe. You can use all white sugar in place of the brown sugar. You can store the frosted cupcakes at room temperature for up to a day, but after that we recommend storing the frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator.
Hello!
I was thinking of filling these with a peanut butter buttercream. Will that work?
Sandy, absolutely! Check out our How to Fill Cupcakes post for our best tips!
Can you use sour cream instead of buttermilk?
Hi Tas, yes, you can try replacing the buttermilk with the same amount of sour cream for a sturdier cupcake.
Do yourself a favor and bake these in a convection oven! I am an avid baker (owned a bakery, and have created many recipes on my own), and I live to troll the internet looking for others recipes to try…just for fun. I weighed all ingredients, followed to a “T”, have an oven thermometer and good pans (tried and true pans that I always use). When a recipe is written for small batch and has the oven preheat temp to 350, I’ll assume a regular oven. I filled exactly as instructed (I came out with exactly 14 cupcakes). The first go around, the cupcakes were flat and mostly sank in the middle. Although, perfectly baked and tasty. I wanted these to work, so I remade them and this time turned my oven to 350 convection. They are now perfect little domes with no spread or dipping. So…to sum it up…don’t change a thing, except bake at 350 on Convection.
Half full truly means half full. All the things that go wrong when you don’t listen carefully to a T, this science experiment will not have good results. I know. I made them today and both pans had similar results. Sunken. Over run. Oye yoy yoy! However all the beautiful flavours and crumb were there. Made for a gender reveal party this Friday.
Lee Anne, it is imperative to only fill halfway! Hope you still get to enjoy the cupcakes!
I am a seasoned amateur, and similar to one of the comments, I like to try new recipes. I made these before and they were unreal. Did the exact thing this time and like a few other readers, they sunk in the middle. Terrible looking! The only thing I can think of is my oven. I always used electric fan but I moved home and I have gas now. So I just did a straight conversion from F to Gas mark. Maybe it was too hot. I obviously cannot use them but the sponge tasted unreal!
Hi Derekblake, yes, the new oven could certainly be the culprit. Every oven can be a bit different, so you may need to extend the bake time by a minute or two. Excess sinking in the middle usually means that they cupcakes are slightly under baked. Hope this helps for next time!
I always use this recipe and its the best tasting one, problem is that the cupcake eventually separates from the paper every time, any clue to why that might be?
Hi Alaa, what kind of cupcake liners are you using? Some are better than others, so trying a different brand may work better for you. Glad you’re enjoying the cupcakes!