Chocolate Cupcakes
User Reviews
4.9
Chocolate Cupcakes
Description
These cupcakes begin with a blend of dry ingredients including flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Wet ingredients—egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla—are combined separately and then mixed into the dry to form a thin batter. Hot water is folded in to deepen the chocolate flavor and break down the batter for a soft crumb. The cupcakes are baked in liners until the tops spring back lightly to the touch, signaling doneness.
The frosting is made by creaming softened salted butter and cocoa powder, then gradually mixing in powdered sugar with heavy cream and vanilla until smooth and spreadable. The contrast of the rich frosting with the softly textured cupcakes makes for a classic chocolate treat.
Buttermilk is preferred for moistness and tenderness, but can be substituted with milk combined with lemon juice or vinegar. Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to three months. The chocolate buttercream can be swapped with other frostings if desired.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (141g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 50g, natural
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup water very hot
Frosting
- 1 cup butter softened, salted
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder natural
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4-6 Tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and whisk together.
- Combine the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in another bowl and whisk together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix using a stand mixer until combined.
- Add the hot water to the batter and mix again, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, until combined. Batter will be thin.
- Fill cupcake liners only 1/2 full, then bake for 18-21 minutes, until the tops bounce back when you touch them with a finger or a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs when used to test a cupcake.
- Cool completely before frosting with chocolate frosting or your favorite frosting.
Frosting
- Cream butter and cocoa powder together until smooth in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer.
- Add half of the powdered sugar mixing on medium speed until combined. Add remaining powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, mixing well, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add heavy cream or milk, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, mixing between each addition until you reach the desired consistency that is easily spreadable or pipeable, but will still hold its shape.
- Transfer to a decorative piping bag and pipe swirls onto cooled cupcakes.
Notes
- If no buttermilk is available, make a substitute by adding 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1/2 cup milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to three months and thawed before frosting and serving.
- This frosting recipe is one option; other frostings can be used to suit preference.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 14cupcakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 381 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 381kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 60g | 20% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 275mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 145mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 49g | 98% |
| Vitamin A | 502IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 0.03mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 47mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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