Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 364kcal
These Chocolate Cupcakes are full of rich chocolate flavor and are super moist and fluffy! For the best chocolate cupcakes, make sure to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder and top them with chocolate cream cheese frosting. This recipe can also easily be made both dairy-free and gluten-free.
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Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee
- ½ cup hot water
- ½ cup whole milk
For the frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and instant coffee. Pour the hot water on top and stir to let the cocoa powder bloom to maximize the chocolate flavor.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil.
- Add the eggs, milk, vinegar, and vanilla to the bowl with the sugars and oil. Stir until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
- Pour in the cooled cocoa powder mixture and stir.
- Pour evenly into the prepared muffin pan and bake for 16-18 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for a couple minutes before taking them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together softened butter and cream cheese. Once it’s fluffy, add ⅓ of the powdered sugar at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla, salt, and melted chocolate and whip again until fluffy and smooth.
- Add the frosting to a piping bag and decorate your cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Gluten-Free Cupcakes: Use your favorite measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend, and rest the batter 30 minutes before baking to avoid a gritty texture. I've tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 flour blend and it came out perfect!
Dairy-Free Cupcakes: Use dairy-free milk (e.g. oat, soy, almond) instead of whole milk. Don't forget to use vegan butter and vegan cream cheese for the frosting.
Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Cupcakes: Follow the gluten-free instructions and dairy-free instructions above to make these cupcakes both gluten-free and dairy-free!
Storage: These cupcakes will last for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you make them gluten-free, eat them within 2-3 days for the best consistency.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1frosted cupcake | Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 278mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 406IU | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg