These easy homemade chocolate cupcakes are intensely chocolate flavored, perfectly moist, made with just two mixing bowls (no mixer needed) and pantry staples!
This 12-cupcake recipe is just the foundational chocolate cupcake base so you can let your creativity run wild with fillings and frosting flavors! Of course, we have lots of recommendations for dressing up the perfect chocolate cupcake, but it's also exceptional just the way it is.
These chocolate cupcakes are a riff off of the most perfect chocolate cake recipe and after testing a few different versions, this is the one I landed one. This base recipe is used in these s'mores cupcakes, mocha cupcakes, and chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes.
They're SO much better than box mix and have a rich chocolate flavor where I feel like box mixes fall flat. These easy cupcakes are always a huge hit with everyone, they're light, spongey, yet structured enough to hold any sort of filling or topping and and is my favorite base recipe to follow.
Frost these with a strawberry swiss meringue buttercream or chocolate swiss meringue buttercream for a soft, silky bite each and every time.
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Why You Should Make the Best Chocolate Cupcakes
Perfectly domed - these chocolate cupcakes have a slight dome that you love to see on a cupcake, but not so much that they're hard to frost. If you picture a bare chocolate cupcake, I think these are truly the perfect rendition.
Rich chocolate flavor - the use of dutch processed cocoa powder provides a tender crumb and perfect chocolate flavor without being too robust.
Endless fillings - of course, you don't have to fill the cupcakes at all, but if you want a tasty cupcake core surprise, try filling them with your favorite jam, chocolate ganache, buttercream, sprinkles, or even chopped fresh fruit!
Versatile toppings - Frost them with strawberry frosting, chocolate cream cheese frosting, chocolate sour cream frosting, vanilla cream cheese frosting, brown butter cream cheese frosting, chocolate swiss meringue buttercream, strawberry swiss meringue buttercream, chocolate ganache, meringue topping, or even some coconut whipped cream!
Ingredients
- Dutch processed cocoa powder. This produces a rich, yet mellow chocolate flavor with a dark appearance.
- Neutral oil. Flavorless oils like canola, vegetable, avocado, or grapeseed oil can be used.
- Sour cream. This makes the cupcakes ultra moist and tender!
- Coffee. Hot coffee is used to bloom the cocoa and helps to bring out the chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla. Vanilla in a chocolate recipe? Yes. I'm a believer that it actually does make a different.
- Baking soda and baking powder. A bit of both ingredients help to produce the perfect amount of rise to the cupcakes.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Types of Cocoa Powder
It's important to note that cocoa powder cannot be substituated equally in every recipe, as they have properties that react differently to certain leaveners (ie baking soda and baking powder). However, in this recipe, you can use any type interchangeably without it affecting the final outcome. I have found that if you are using less than 1 cup of cocoa powder, it typically does not change the final bake.
Natural cocoa powder - the most common type of cocoa, this produces a very robust, intense chocolate flavor that is lighter in color.
Dutch processed cocoa powder - my favorite variety of cocoa (used in all of my recipe) because it produces a deep color and rich flavor but is perfectly balanced and not too chocolatey.
Black cocoa powder - used in this black velvet cake, this cocoa powder is the darkest of dark, yet has a mellow chocolate flavor just like an oreo cookie! It's the perfect swap for Halloween bakes and black hot chocolate.
Additionally, cocoa powder acts as a drying agent and needs to absorb a lot of liquid to bloom and get that really chocolately flavor. Because of this, most chocolate cake recipes will have quite a liquidy batter, but will bake up perfectly with the right combination of cocoa and leaveners.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use whole milk greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
- Swap full fat buttermilk in place of sour cream.
- Use natural cocoa or black cocoa powder instead of dutch-processed.
- Use hot water in place of hot coffee. Whatever the liquid, it needs to be hot to bloom the cocoa!
- If you don't want to use cupcake liners, be sure to thoroughly grease each muffin well.
- Add the batter to a mini muffin tin and start checking for doneness after 7 minutes!
How to Make This Recipe
One: Sift or whisk the dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl.
Two: In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until smooth.
Three: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold it together until a thick batter forms. Be sure to scrape down to the bottom of the bowl to get all the dry bits!
Four: Add the hot coffee or water and mix until a thin batter forms. Don't over mix!
Hot tip! Stir slowly after the coffee goes in so it doesn't slosh over the sides!
Five: Fill the cupcake liners evenly (about ½ - ⅔ of the way) until all batter is used.
Six: Carefully add the cupcakes in to the middle rack of a preheated 350℉ oven and bake for 11-13 minutes.
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Hot tip! Use a large triggered cookie or ice cream scoop to easily add the cupcake batter to the muffin tin.
Seven: When done, the cake will spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Eight: Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove them from the wells and let them finish cooling on a wire rack.
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, it's time to fill and frost them however your heart desires!
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature dairy ingredients (egg and sour cream) so the batter mixes up nicely.
- After adding the coffee, stir and fold slowly so you don't slosh the batter over the sides of the bowl.
- Use steaming hot coffee or water. The liquid needs to be hot in order to bloom the cocoa powder.
- Don't over mix the batter or else it will develop the gluten too much and result in a rubbery texture.
- Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin after cooling in the pan for 5 minutes and trasnfer to a wire rack. Leaving them in the pan will overcook them and create soggy bottoms.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before filling or frosting so it doesn't melt off.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, the recipe can easily be doubled to create 24 cupcakes instead of 12. Alternatively, the recipe can be halved to create 6 perfect chocolate cupcakes.
This could be for a couple of reasons: the cupcake batter was over mixed, the baking soda and/or baking powder was expired and not strong enough to leaven the batter, or the cupcakes were underbaked.
Yes. Cupcakes freeze exceptionally well. Flash freeze the cupcakes on a sheet pan for 15 minutes, then transfer them to a ziptop bag or sealed container and freeze for up to two months. Thaw the cupcakes uncovered at room temperature before filling or frosting.
You'll notice that this cupcake recipe only has oil and no butter. While you technically could substitute butter for oil without the final outcome being affected, you will lose out on some of the moisture, which is why oil is really the best fat for this recipe. Additionally, having a higher amount of sugar will keep cupcakes ultra-moist since it is hygroscopic and absorbs and holds liquid.
Yes, this recipe can be made into one 8" cake round. However, I suggest using this single-layer chocolate cake recipe which was designed specifically for an 8" cake pan.
Unfortunately, not all cupcake liners are created equal. Skip the super cheap version and go for something a bit higher in price like Wilton liners. If you're unsure, add a spritz of cooking spray to each liner just be to be sure the cupcake will remove nicely.
How to Store Cupcakes
Store the cupcakes in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days. While completely covered, the moisture will cause the tops of the cupcakes to become slightly sticky after about one day. They will dry out slightly after being uncovered for a few hours.
The cupcakes can be frozen after being baked and cooled by flash freezing for 15 minutes, then transfer to a ziptop bag or sealed container for up to two months. Thaw the cupcakes uncovered at room temperature for about an hour before filling or frosting.
What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum
- All recipes are created with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the least salty variety of kosher salt. If using Morton's, you'll need to cut the amount of salt in half as it's 2x as salty. This will be the same for sea salt. Please do not use table salt.
- Switch between Cups vs Metric using the toggle on the recipe card. Baking by weight using a digital scale will always produce the most accurate results.
- Scale the recipe using the '1X' '2X' '3X' buttons on the recipe card. Note that this does not make an adjustment for baking times, only quantities.
- If you'd like to make the recipe in a different pan, use the pan size converter.
Did you make this recipe? Share it with us! Tag @thecozyplum on Instagram & Facebook and leave a star rating ⭐️ below!
📖Recipe
Moist Chocolate Cupcakes (base cake recipe)
Equipment
- 12 hole muffin tin
- Whisk
- Sifter optional
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ⅓ cup full-fat sour cream room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup coffee or water steaming hot
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup dutch-process cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until a thick batter forms.1 large egg, ⅓ cup full-fat sour cream, ⅓ cup vegetable or canola oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the hot coffee or water and carefully stir to combine. The batter will turn quite thin (this is normal).½ cup coffee or water
- Fill each cupcake liner halfway full, and bake for 13-15 minutes. The top of the cupcake will spring back when touched. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove each cupcake from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Rachel F. says
Absolutely delish! Moist, great texture- my new favorite!
Callan Wenner says
So happy to hear this, Rachel! Thanks a bunch for trying them and reporting back!
Onee says
Thank you so much for this! Your chocolate cupcake recipe from the Mocha ones is the best, I always use it, so glad to see this solo for ease! Made some for the holidays, perfect as usual.
Callan Wenner says
Oh yay! This was the goal since I use them in a few recipes but didn't have a standalone. Glad this was helpful for you! Happy holidays!
Shelby D says
So easy a toddler can do it by themselves! Especially if you weigh the ingredients, I only used two bowls and a spatula for this entire recipe. So minimal dishes, my 3 year old did everything themselves, and the cupcakes are a perfect chocolate cake! Not too dense, rich flavor, fast bake! 10/10. I will say, it would be worth it to actually use a sifter for the dry ingredients because my baking powder is a bit old/clumpy, so a whisk didn’t fully do the job (or the 3 year old) but that’s mentioned as the first option in the directions.
Callan Wenner says
I wish I were baking with you two! So fun. Great tip on the sifting - sometimes my cocoa gets clumpy and I have to sift.