The Best Homemade Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

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No need to continue searching for the best homemade chocolate cupcake recipe! These are hands down the yummiest, homemade moist chocolate cupcakes topped with the creamiest chocolate buttercream frosting.

We’re showing step-by-step instructions on how to make these chocolate cupcakes!

A chocolate cupcake with brown cupcake wrapper and blue and gold sprinkles.

Everyone needs a basic chocolate and vanilla cupcake recipe. These are the recipes that you can switch up, add a filling in the middle, top with different frostings, add sprinkles, or even edible flowers!

This recipe is our favorite because it’s incredibly moist and chocolaty! Exactly what you want when making a cupcake.

Always keep cupcake wrappers and sprinkles on hand to make cupcakes anytime! We used these tulip cupcake wrappers and Fancy Sprinkles.

Your extra sprinkles and wrappers will surely come in handy for these chocolate and vanilla cupcakes and lemon cupcakes with buttercream.

Chocolate cupcakes on a marble table with blue and gold sprinkles.

How Do I Bake the Perfect Chocolate Cupcake?

These are the best chocolate cupcakes. They’re especially good topped with our chocolate buttercream frosting! Here’s what you’ll need!

See the full recipe below.

Supplies

Sugar, flour, salt, eggs, cocoa powder and oil in bowls on a marble table.

Ingredients

  • Sugar
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt
  • Buttermilk
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Eggs

Directions

Melted chocolate in a saucepan
  • Boil the water in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, and add in cocoa powder whisking with a hand whisk constantly until the cocoa is melted. 
Flour, baking soda and sugar in a mixing bowl.
  • Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, sugar) in a mixing bowl.
Oil, buttermilk and eggs in a measuring cup.
  • Add liquid ingredients (eggs, oil, buttermilk) into a separate bowl. I add them in a liquid measuring cup.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry while the mixer is on medium. Mix until combined. 
  • Scrape in the melted chocolate and mix until combined.
  • Scoop the batter into a lined cupcake tin. Fill them 3/4 of the way full.
chocolate cupcake batter in a cupcake tin.
  • Bake in a 325-degree oven for 20-25 minutes until the cake is not jiggly in the center. 
Chocolate cupcakes with brown tulip cupcake wrappers.
  • Let the cupcakes cool while you make the chocolate frosting. 
The best chocolate cupcake recipe on a cooling rack.

We’re answering all your questions so that you can sink your teeth into some delicious cupcakes, so read on to get your bake (and your cake) on!

Chocolate cupcakes before frosting

How to Frost Chocolate Cupcakes

While the cupcakes are cooling, make our delicious buttercream frosting recipe! It’s literally the creamiest, most delicious chocolate frosting ever!

Using a piping bag and a large round tip, cut a hole at the end of the bag and put the tip inside so it sticks out of the bottom.

If you don’t have a piping tip, you can just cut a medium size hole at the bottom of the piping bag.

  • Fold the piping bag over a glass, then scoop in the chocolate frosting.
Piping on chocolate buttercream frosting to a chocolate cupcake.
  • Twist the top of the bag closed and hold your hand tightly around the top of the bag. Then begin piping on the frosting!
Chocolate cupcake recipe with buttercream frosting.

How Can I Make My Cupcakes Moister?

One of the best (and most little-known) ways to make cupcakes moister is to add a little more oil!

You can also add a tablespoon of cornstarch to a recipe.

Another idea is to add a tablespoon or two of mayonnaise to the batter.

Mayo is made up of oil, vinegar, and egg, which are all ingredients that retain moisture. The oil makes the cake super tender, and the vinegar’s acid brings out the chocolatiness of your recipe and the egg. Well, there’s no better way to fluff your cupcake up.

Make sure to mix it well with all the other ingredients before putting it into individual cupcake pans!

What Makes Cupcakes Light and Fluffy?

Short answer? A combination of moisture and skill.

Long answer?

Cupcakes become light and fluffy because of the eggs that you add for moisture. That’s why mayo works so well as a moisture-inducing force.

Chocolate cupcakes in brown tulip cupcake wrappers.

It has the eggs necessary to fluff up your cupcake and make it lighter and airier. But, yeah, it’s all in the eggs.

Cupcakes also become fluffier when you make air bubbles in the batter that expand in the oven. To do this, you’ll need to mix your batter for a longer period of time.

You’ll need to mix on a low speed and stop just as all of your ingredients blend together. Higher speeds will make your cupcakes denser, so that’s something to avoid!

Moist Chocolate cupcake cut in half.

What Frosting Goes With Chocolate Cupcakes?

There are a couple of different types of frosting that go amazingly with chocolate cupcakes, so you can take your pick!

The first is, of course, classic chocolate buttercream frosting. There are only six ingredients- butter, powdered sugar, chocolate morsels, espresso powder, vanilla extract, and milk- and the recipe only takes about 10 minutes to complete!

You can also add food coloring if you want your cupcakes to look decorative and funky!

You can also make a pretty great whipped chocolate sour cream frosting, which is one of our personal favorites.

Moist Chocolate cupcakes on a marble table with blue sprinkles

How Do You Tell if Cupcakes Are Done Without a Toothpick?

The age-old trick that lets you know whether or not cupcakes are done is to put a toothpick in it. If it comes out clean, it’s fully baked!

But what happens when you don’t have a toothpick handy? Here are some alternatives!

  • Perform the same test with a fork or knife.
  • Get a cake tester, which is a specific tool made for testing cakes! They’re basically metal picks that you can wash and reuse, so you’ll never need to worry about not having a toothpick handy again.
  • For something totally different, you can touch your cupcake lightly with the top of your finger. If it feels fluffy, light, and doesn’t jiggle/cave in, it’s done!
Moist Chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream and blue and gold sprinkles.

Can Chocolate Cupcakes Be Frozen?

Chocolate cupcakes can indeed be frozen. Here’s how!

  • Wrap each of your cupcakes individually in cellophane.
  • Place the individually-wrapped cupcakes in an airtight container. Make sure that this container is both airtight and sturdy. Pyrex generally works well.
  • It’s best to freeze unfrosted cupcakes, but if they are frosted, that’s also alright. Just make sure that they all sit side-by-side rather than on top of each other. You don’t want to mush your beautiful frosting!
  • Cupcakes can be stored like this for up to 4 months.

It’s important to note that they’ll lose a bit of flavor over time when you store them in the freezer. That’s why it’s best to only make what you can eat fresh. Still, if you’re making cupcakes for an event, this is an option.

Chocolate cupcake unwrapped with blue sprinkles.

How Long Do You Bake Cupcakes at 350 Degrees?

The time that you need to bake your cupcakes varies based on size. Classic 2.5-inch cupcakes bake for 15 to 22 minutes. If your cupcakes are smaller, you probably want to lean more toward 15 minutes. If they’re bigger, maybe go up to 25.

Get the Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

There are lots of recipes for chocolate cupcakes out there, but we guarantee that none are as good as this one.

Now that you know the most amazing chocolate cupcake recipe on the web, it’s time to put a twist on it! Toffee chocolate cupcakes are delicious and easy to make. You’re sure to enjoy the little burst of toffee flavor in the middle of them, so try it out!

More Cupcake Recipes You’ll Love!

Chocolate Toffee Cupcakes 

Pumpkin Spice Sunflower Cupcakes 

Lemon Cupcakes 

Chocolate Dragon Fruit Cupcakes 

Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes

Lucky Charms Cupcakes

Let us know if you make this chocolate-flavored cupcake recipe by leaving a comment and review below.

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Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes

This chocolate cupcake recipe is moist and rich in chocolate flavor. They are easy to make and delicious! Top them with the best chocolate buttercream frosting ever!
4.23 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 15 cupcakes
Calories: 154kcal
Author: Eden

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 6 ounces water
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup vegatbale oil

Instructions

  • Boil the water in a sauce pan. Move from heat, add in cocoa powder whisking with a hand whisk constantly until the cocoa is melted.
  • Add the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, sugar) in a mixing bowl together.
  • Add liquid ingredients (eggs, oil, buttermilk) into a separate bowl. I add them in a liquid measuring cup.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry while mixer is on medium. Mix until combined. 
  • Scrape in the melted chocolate and mix until combined.
  • Scoop the batter into a lined cupcake tin. Full them 3/4 of the way full.
  • Bake in a 325 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until the cake is not jiggly in the center. 
  • Let the cupcakes cool while you make the chocolate frosting. 

Notes

Always check the cupcakes after 15 minutes of cooking. Every oven is different so cooking times will always vary. 
Use a cookie scooper to scoop batter into the cupcake liners. We did 3 scoops for each cupcake in these larger tulip cupcake wrappers.

Nutrition

Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 469mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
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3 thoughts on “The Best Homemade Chocolate Cupcake Recipe”

  1. 5 stars
    We finally found our favorite homemade chocolate cupcake recipe! It is so moist, not too sweet but very delicious. My kids loved it so much.

    Reply
  2. 5 stars
    So yummy and such a classic! Thanks for this recipe. What my daughter wants to know, is where to get the cool cupcake liners. She thinks ours would taste better if they were in liners like your pictures! lol!

    Reply

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