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Classic Chocolate Cupcakes

Sometimes there's nothing better than a classic chocolate cupcake! This recipe will give you a soft and fluffy chocolate cupcake base and a delightfully creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. A must make for chocolate lovers!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
28 mins
Servings: 1 dozen cupcakes
Course: Dessert

Ingredients

For the Classic Chocolate Cupcakes:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, not packed
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 baking powder
  • 1 tsp instant espresso powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg (at room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup milk (I used whole, but reduced fat or even skim should work!)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Classic Chocolate Buttercream:
  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, very soft
  • 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder, sifted
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (more only if needed)
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely ground sea salt (table salt will work, too)

Instructions

For the cupcakes:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preeat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 12 mold cupcake tin with paper liners; lightly grease cupcake liners with non-stick spray; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, baking soda and salt; mix well to combine; set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat until well combined. Pour liquid mixture into the dry mixture and gently stir until just combined. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin); mix until combined.
  4. Fill each prepared muffin tin 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the tops are puffed up and a cake-tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling wrack to cool completely. Once cool, frost with chocolate buttercream and decorate as desired.
For the Classic Chocolate Buttercream:
  1. In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or in the body of a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy; about 2 minutes. On low speed, stir in cocoa powder. Alternately add powdered sugar and heavy cream, beating until smooth, and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add in vanilla and salt. Once smooth, beat on medium-high speed for two minutes.

Notes

  • Be sure your butter is very soft before making your buttercream. Hot coffee may be used in place of the water if you'd like a slightly mocha taste to your cupcakes.