Moist, rich, cupcakes with intense chocolate flavor in every bite, these are the Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes!
These chocolate cupcakes really are the ULTIMATE! They are filled with rich chocolate flavor, are perfect for any special occasion, or just a chocolate craving. For more chocolate try Chocolate Cheesecake, Chocolate Cake with Frosting, and Homemade Chocolate Pudding.
All things chocolate
I don’t know about you, but I love ALL THINGS chocolate! These cupcakes are a scaled-down version of my chocolate blackout cake. They’re perfect for classroom treats, a girls night in, or a romantic dinner.
If you know me, you know I’m pretty particular when it comes to cupcakes. They have to be moist, rich and perfectly sweet. These cupcakes check all of the boxes. They’ve quickly become my go-to recipe.
I’ve used them as a base for raspberry buttercream topped cupcakes, salted caramel buttercream topped cupcakes, and mint chocolate chip buttercream topped cupcakes. They’re the best!
Today I thought I’d go all chocolate… and let me tell you, I have no regrets! They are heavenly. You’ll start by making the cupcakes, then while they cool you’ll mix up the frosting and gather the garnishes.
Making Chocolate Cupcakes
PREP. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line one standard size cupcake pan with 12 liners, and an additional pan with four liners, set aside.
DRY INGREDIENTS. Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined.
WET INGREDIENTS. Add eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, warm water, oil, vanilla, and chopped chocolate. Beat on a medium speed until smooth, about a minute.
BAKE. Divide batter evenly between the liners (I prefer using a #20 scoop which is approximately ¼ cup of batter). Place in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched.
COOL. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 8 minutes. Remove and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
WET INGREDIENTS. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
DRY INGREDIENTS. Carefully add in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt, beat until combined.
CREAM. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. When all of the powdered sugar has been added, beat in heavy cream, then add more if necessary to create a spreadable consistency. The frosting should be on the thicker side.
PIPE. Using a piping bag fitted with an extra large piping tip (see NOTES below for suggestions), pipe onto cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with desired garnish.
Tips + Storing Info
To make your cupcakes fluffy and moist, be sure to use room temperature ingredients and use enough sour cream and buttermilk. These ingredients will create a soft and moist crumb.
Make your own buttermilk by following this recipe
To get a dark chocolate taste without it becoming bitter you need to make sure to use high-quality cocoa powder. Cheap cocoa powder could result in a bitter chocolate taste.
STORE cupcakes at room temperature or in the fridge, it is up to you. Either way make sure to keep them covered. Unfrosted cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container with a paper towel lining the bottom of the tupperware and on top of the cupcakes. They will last for about 2-3 days before becoming stale.
To FREEZE, wrap individual, unfrosted cupcakes in plastic wrap. Place all of the cupcakes in an airtight container/bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw to room temperature before frosting and serving.
CHECK OUT MORE AMAZING CHOCOLATE RECIPES:
- Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes
- Perfect Chocolate Cheesecake
- Double Chocolate French Silk Pie
- Healthier Homemade Nutella
Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
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Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1½ c. all-purpose flour
- 1½ c. granulated sugar
- 3/4 c. quality unsweetened cocoa powder*
- 1½ tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. coarse kosher sea salt - not fine
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 c. sour cream
- ½ c. buttermilk
- 3/4 c. warm water + ½ tsp. espresso powder - espresso is optional
- 1/4 c. vegetable oil
- 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 oz. finely chopped semisweet chocolate
For the frosting:
- 3/4 c. 1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz. ½ block cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 c. quality unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 3½ c. powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp. whole milk or heavy cream
For the garnish:
- 1/3 c. chocolate curls - mini chocolate chips or chocolate jimmies (sprinkles)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line one standard size cupcake pan with 12 liners, and an additional pan with four liners, set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined.
- Add eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, warm water, oil, vanilla, and chopped chocolate. Beat on a medium speed until smooth, about a minute.
- Divide batter evenly between the liners (I prefer using a #20 scoop which is approximately ¼ cup of batter).
- Place in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 8 minutes. Remove and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- For the frosting: in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Carefully add in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt, beat until combined.
- With mixing speed on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. When all of the powdered sugar has been added, beat in heavy cream, then add more if necessary to create a spreadable consistency. The frosting should be on the thicker side.
- Using a piping bag fitted with an extra large piping tip (see NOTES below for suggestions), pipe onto cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with desired garnish.
These truly are the ultimate in chocolate cupcakes. I ended up reducing the sugar by a quarter cup and bumping up the flour by a quarter cup, but WOW, they were delicious!❤
Hi Lisa, thanks for your 5 star review and for sharing your changes!
I’ve made these cupcakes before and they are my go to recipe for chocolate cupcakes! They are so light and fluffy and moist! I really wanna make them into a chocolate cake. Would you know about how many cups of batter this makes? Then I can try to figure out whether I need to double or triple or quadruple the recipe for a 8 inch layer cake. Thanks!! Making this tomorrow!!
Hi Lori, thanks for your question. Based on the information from this post: https://handletheheat.com/how-to-convert-cake-into-cupcakes/, you can use the recipe for 18-24 standard cupcakes to make two 8 inch round cake layers. The baking changes from 18 to 22 minutes at 350°F for the standard cupcakes to 30 to 35 minutes at 350°F for the 8-inch round cake.
So, you can easily make this change on the recipe card, by changing the servings from 16 cupcakes to whatever number you want to use from 18-24 and the recipe will automatically update the amounts of each ingredient. When I changed the servings, it looks like 21 servings might be the best to try as the ingredients are increased to near 2, 1, 1/3 and 2/3 amounts for easy measuring and it is halfway between 18 and 24. Please let us know how it turns out.
The are just incredible!! 10/10 you need this recipe
Hi Lily, so glad you loved them! They are so good!
I am looking for a dark chocolate cupcake, can I use dark cocoa powder to achieve this?
Hi Patricia, you can use dark cocoa powder, but it won’t taste as chocolatey. You might keep the regular cocoa powder and switch out the semi-sweet chocolate for dark chocolate. Whichever way you go, let us know how it turns out.
Am I missing the NOTES section? Lol. I have scrolled up and down this whole page and have yet to find the NOTES referred to in step 10. Lol. 😬
Hi Beth, thanks for letting us know. It has been added to the Notes section in the recipe card.