best chocolate cupcakes

These Moist Chocolate Cupcakes are made completely from scratch! The cupcake is made with oil and is so moist, it melts in your mouth with a fudgy frosting!

Moist Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes

(130 grams) all purpose flour

(207 grams) sugar

tbsp (43 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder*

tsp baking soda

tsp salt

(120 milliliters) buttermilk

(120 milliliters) vegetable oil

vanilla

(120 milliliters) hot water*

(280 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

oz semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

tbsp (22 grams) Hershey’s dark cocoa powder

(575 grams) powdered sugar

salt

4-5 tbsp (60-75 milliliters) heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with liners.

. Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

. Combine the egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla in another medium sized bowl.

. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

. Add the water to the batter and mix until well combined. Batter will be thin.

. Fill the cupcake liners about half way and bake for 18-23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

. Remove the cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

. To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth.

. Add the melted chocolate and mix until well combined.

0. Add the cocoa powder and mix until well combined.

1. Add about half of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and mix until well combined.

2. Add remaining powdered sugar and salt and mix until smooth.

3. Add remaining heavy cream as needed to get the right consistency of frosting.
1

. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844.


*You can also use regular unsweetened cocoa powder

These were awesome! I used hot coffee instead of water. Love, love your recipes!  Thank you so much! 

Hi quick question if 1cup of sugar is 207g then why is the flour 1cup and you say its 130g shouldn't they weigh the same as they both are 1cup???

Made these for my daughter's birthday. They were amazing. Thank you for posting.

Hi, I’m looking to adapt this recipe for a wedding cake. Do you have a layer cake version of this recipe and does the sponge freeze well? Any advise would be great. Thank you 

Absolutely loved the recipe! Thank you for sharing. Was a complete hit with my friends and family. 
Wanted to know if I want to make the same without egg, what can I use as a replacement to get the same softness and consistency. 

These cupcakes were very good, but were sticky and fell apart. I’m not sure if I added too much of something. I would definitely make again. 

Used this recipe to the T.. what a beautiful recipe! Thank you so much!

I don't really comment on recipes but this is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I love the kitchen. Always cooking/baking, I've been through a ton of chocolate cake/cupcake recipes. This is by far the best! Everyone swoons over them EVERY TIME!
Tip: Be sure to fill your liners only half way! These can overflow pretty quickly! And be sure to add at least a teaspoon of good instant coffee to your hot water!

I have made lots of chocolate cupcakes, but this by far is the best recipe I've tried! The cupcakes are sooo moist. Will definitely make again. Thank you.

Hi Lindsay 
Recipe was great. Clear and easy to follow.

The cupcakes turned out great,  as far as I know. 
Haven't tried one yet. 😊
They're for my DIL for her birthday.

I get they are super moist but what will be proper way to store them?
There kind of sticky ontop.

Thanks for the great recipe.

made these and they turned out so good only thing was that my frosting was still abit grainy :( like you could still feel the powdered sugar not sure how to fix it for next time?

This is my latest cupcake attempt as i work my way through your sweets!  So far, i've tried the Moist Vanilla, Boston Cream, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip, and now this one. Each and every time, i think the latest one is the best, and this one is no different.  It is super moist, tender, and amazingly rich without being overpowering.  it is definitely dark--but perfectly so.  I love it and will add it to my permanent cook-book, just as i did the other three!  Cant wait for what's next! I think it's gong to be the Pina Colada one!

This was the best chocolate cupcake recipe I have ever had in my life, and I use to work at a cupcake shop that supposedly had the best. This was just so moist and delicious! The only thing I changed was the hot water for coffee and other than that I kept it the same recipe. Seriously take it from me, this is the best recipe hands down right here. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and I am going to share this recipe with my family and friends if that is okay with you.

Realy good recipe!  I made it yesterday and it turns out to be my favourite ! :)  Thank you very much for sharing it  :)

Not the best recipe. Flour/sugar measurements don’t make sense. Batter is runny. Doesn’t make standard 24 so was annoying when I had to make more to get 24. Cupcakes overflowed all over and I was sure not to overfill. Now I just have a mess and have to start all over. Won’t be making these again. 

Just a follow up to say that I've tried out yogurt now a few times and it works beautifully. 

Also, not necessary, but using hot coffee instead of hot water just helps boost the chocolate flavor even further. I personally like to have some fun with a hazelnut coffee to add a little bit of a nutty taste when I make this into a bundt. Thanks again for this family favorite!

can you leave the frosting out ? Or does it need to be refrigerated?

This is my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe of all time!!! Absolutely delicious. Thank you!

Your cupcakes looks really good,can't wait to try them out. But can I replace buttermilk with normal milk?

Hey Lindsay,
Further to my previous query I tried the recipe without egg, just added a little extra buttermilk and 2-3 chocolate chips per cup cake and it turned out just amazing. 
I used the recipe to make a double layered cake as well which turned out yumm.. 
thank you so much for sharing. Will be trying more of your recipes soon 🤗

Simply the best moist, fluffy chocolate cupcakes I have ever tasted!  I have tried many and this recipe is sure a keeper.  I don't even need frosting to compliment this as it's already a very yummy cake but I am sure with frosting it would be even more delicious,  Would make a lovely dessert for any occasions, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.  Easy with minimal ingredients too.  I don't have buttermilk and subsituted with making my own, 2 teaspoon of apple vider cider to 1 cup of milk and let stand for a few mins.  I even used a cupcake maker to make this and they came out beatifully, just keep popping each cake into my mouth!

I am so glad I came across this recipe. It is by far the best and most moist batter for chocolate I have ever made. I made cupcakes last week with this recipe and 5 days later my Husband said they are just as moist as the day I baked them. I am going to make this batter today to make a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling and a chocolate whipped cream icing. MMMMM chocolate lover's delight!!! Thanks again for this wonderful, wonderful recipe!

This recipe is awesome!!!❤️ I baked it today and its amazing!!! Moist and rich. But instead of buttermilk i used lactose free normal milk and still taste good thank you so much for sharing❤️ Me and my daughter love it!!

I have made these a few times and always get compliments. Someone even said they’re the best chocolate cupcake they’ve ever had!! I’ve baked at least 6 of your cupcake recipes and some cookie recipes. All have been soooo good. I can’t wait to try the next one. I love your recipes 😍

Oh my! I used this recipe for my daughter's first birthday. They were a hit! I've been looking for the perfect chocolate cupcake for a long time and I think I have finally found it! Thank you so much. 
They are delicious, moist and very chocolatey. I can't fault it and neither could and neither could any of my guests! I am looking forward to trying your layer cake recipe next!

The best chocolate cupcakes ever, these will definitely be my go to.  Will this recipe double well, and have the same results as a single batch?  By the way that Bailey's Cake out of this world.  Thank you Lindsay.

These were easy to make and the people at work raved about them! This will be my go to from now on. Now to try the layer cake version! Thanks!

Hands down these are  the best cupcakes I’ve ever made. Turned out extremely moist, rich and fluffy. Delicious even without frosting! Thanks for the recipe❤️ Lots of love from Russia❤️

Can you post the recipe for these as a cake? In the comment where you put a link, it would not let me access it. I really want to make these cupcakes into a cake for my son’s birthday. These are by far the best cupcakes ever!

It was a hit with everyone that tried them!  Do you have a recipe for vanilla cupcakes that are just as moist?

Made these today. Love how moist these are. I used coffee in place of water like others.  This is my go to chocolate cupcake. It can't be messed up. Thanks so much for this recipe Lindsay. I have your beautiful cake book. Love your recipes. Take care

Hello from Malta. It's been quite a while since the first time I tried this recipe and have never looked up another one since, as these cupcakes are absolutely gorgeous, so soft and moist and stay good for days, my favourites ever. I have a bit of a problem though, I have tried various vanilla cupcake recipes but they never turn out good..... usually they have a doughy taste and start to harden from the very next day..... I was wondering could I use this exact recipe, increase the vanilla essence and replace the cocoa powder with additional all purpose flour? I'm no expert baker so excuse me if what I asked sounds stupid.

You are right,  I'm with you....if I can only make one kind of chocolate cupcake for the rest of my life, THIS WOULD BE IT !
I just finished eating my second one.  It is moist, light and airy, and chocolatey.  Also..super easy to throw together.  Thank you and my grandchildren will thank you too.  

I have made A LOT of cupcake and cake recipes in my life but NONE compare to the moistness and flavor of this recipe! Thank you so much! You’ve changed my life!

Hi Lindsay, the cake turned out amazing thank you for sharing the recipe. Have been totally loved by my friends and family. I wanted to do an eggless version of the same. Could you help me with a replacement so it maintains the same softness and texture. Thank you. 

These were perfect! I will say I did  use heavy cream because I didn’t have buttermilk on hand and They turned out just fine! I also halved the frosting recipe and it was plenty for me. I will be sharing the recipe and making again! Yummm

best cupcakes i have ever tasted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These were fabulous!!!  End of story.  Lol!!

Hands down the best chocolate cupcake base I've ever had. Thank you!

Also which of your vanilla recipes would be the most similar to this one? Thanks!

Hi, 

I just tried the frosting but the color didn't turn out brown like yours. I used milk chocolate chips( the brown ones), melted them using hot heavy whipping cream. Then used dark cocoa powder not Hershey's but a different brand. Did you use milk chocolate or dark one? Also how did you melt it? What did I do wrong 😔

Lindsay,
I made these cupcakes last week and they were so yummy!  I am not a huge chocolate cake fan, but these cupcakes won me over.  I passed some on to friends and neighbors and received rave reviews.  I kept one back and ate it this morning...  it's a few days old and the cupcake was still as moist as day one and I think it actually tasted better. All of those wonderful flavors hanging out together just made it extra yummy.  Thanks for sharing all of your tips and tricks. God bless!

These were such a hit recently, thank you! I already passed the recipe on to a friend. SUPER fluffy and light but uber chocolately. I subbed hot coffee instead of water since I was drinking it as I baked and I think it did the trick.

Hello Lindsay, I made these cupcakes today. and they were so extremely delicious, and they were SUPER fluffy and moist. My family and I love this recipe very, very much. Thank you for sharing.

Super soft and moist, my kids liked it very much  .

Made the cupcakes today for my grandson's birthday.    I've baked many, many cupcakes over the last 40 years, and these are some of the best!        Very tender, very intense chocolate flavor, very simple to make.   The only change I made was to cut the amount of  hot water to 1/3 cup.

My 12 year old daughter has recently acquired a love of baking. She made these today and they were fantastic!  Deliciously soft, moist and chocolatey. Thanks for the recipe!

These cupcakes were awesome in texture and taste. Not very sweet and moist. Mine cld have been a bit darker but I didn’t use Hershey’s. Definitely a keeper.

WOW! Just made these last night with my 7 yr old, and not only were they super easy and fast, but also DELICIOUS :) Thanks for sharing a simple and very tasty cupcake recipe! We used cream cheese frosting, but will try the chocolate frosting next time! Happy end of summer everyone!

We really enjoy this recipe and would like to make a birthday cake with it.  I saw your link to the cake recipe where the frosting is more like a buttercream frosting.  Can I use the frosting from the cupcake recipe for cake or will it be too light to hold up the cake hence the butter / shortening based frosting in the cake version of the recipe?  Really appreciate your thoughts.

These turned out very well and stayed moist for many days!  I would like to make this as a cake. Would I just double the recipe?  Would I bake it at the temperature and do you know approximately how long I should bake it for? Thank you so much! 

Hi wonderful recipe, that pic made me to bake these for my little one, only I have a doubt, if I want to bake only half of the recipe as it's too many cupcakes, should I use half egg or full? Waiting for your response 🙂

Replace the hot water with fresh brewed coffee. You won't be sorry!

These were the best cupcakes I've ever made. 😁 Even my daughter who has never liked chocolate cake thought they were amazing.

Delicious!!! Thanks for sharing, these taste exactly like the popular box mix we use. Will be replacing that with this easy to follow recipe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxus_jgxB6w

These Moist Chocolate Cupcakes are completely from scratch and full of chocolate flavor! The cupcake is so moist, it melts in your mouth and the frosting is made with real melted chocolate for a silky smooth, super chocolatey frosting you won’t want to stop eating! Recipe: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/moist-homemade-chocolate-cupcakes/

These are the best chocolate cupcakes you will ever eat!

The Best Chocolate Cupcakes

all-purpose flour

baking soda

cocoa powder (natural

unsalted butter (room temperature)

sugar

chocolate

eggs (room temperature)

egg yolks (room temperature)

vegetable oil

vanilla extract

sour cream

water (room temperature, measured

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder into a separate medium-sized bowl.  Use a fork or a whisk to ensure that the ingredients are mixed well after sifting. Set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter and sugar until fully combined.  The end result should look like wet sand.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler.

Once the melted chocolate is cool enough to touch, add it to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until just combined.

Mix in eggs and egg yolks one at a time until just combined.

Mix in oil, vanilla, and sour cream until just combined.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three additions, mixing until just combined after each addition.

Mix in water until just combined.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and put in the oven.

Check for doneness at 18 minutes - a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake should come out clean.  If they are not done, check again every three minutes until they are done.

Immediately remove cupcakes from the cupcake tin and place on a cooling rack or on the counter to cool to room temperature.  Although they are really good when they are hot, be sure to wait until they are room temperature to give your evaluation.

https://embed.mediavine.com/videos/hzakdc7q1i5wy19aar30

Learn to make the best chocolate cupcakes cupcakes!

Best Chocolate Cupcakes

Get this easy recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

cocoa

baking powder

espresso powder

milk

water

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (half of full recipe)

Preheat oven to 325º F.

Place cupcake liners in muffin tin. Spray lightly with cooking spray.

Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.

Add milk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.

Evenly distribute cake batter. Each cupcake liner should be about 1/2 full.

Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes

Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

Prepare Buttercream Frosting according to instructions.

These decadent scratch chocolate cupcakes are so moist and taste fantastic with all sorts of frostings from vanilla buttercream to mint chocolate chip, coconut, or chocolate!

Classic Chocolate Cupcake Recipe from Scratch

(2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, softened

(400 grams) sugar

eggs

(54 grams) vegetable oil

(322 grams) all purpose flour

(82 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (don't skip the sifting)

(10 grams) baking soda

(2 grams) baking powder

(2 grams) salt

(220 grams) milk

(4 grams) vanilla extract

(220 grams) hot coffee, it can be instant or brewed (coffee does need to be hot)

cupcake liners

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (If making a...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (If making a cake rather than cupcakes, grease and flour three 8 inch cake pans). In a separate bowl, add the flour, sifted cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend and set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the...

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until light and creamy. Add the oil and vanilla. Gradually add the sugar and mix until light and fluffy, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing after each egg just until the yellow disappears. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Mixing on medium speed, alternately add the flour...

Mixing on medium speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 additions of milk)

Add the cup of hot coffee at this...

Add the cup of hot coffee at this time. The batter will be very thin. Don't worry this is how it should be.

Pour into 3 prepared 8 inch pans. Bake...

Pour into 3 prepared 8 inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Check for doneness at 30 min. by putting a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with only a few drums attached, it is done.

Makes 9 cups of batter

FOR CUPCAKES: Bake at 350 degrees for 18...

FOR CUPCAKES: Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. The recipe will make 2 dozen plus cupcakes

These S'mores Cupcakes are to die for! Super moist chocolate cupcakes with a graham cracker crust, topped with a super light and airy marshmallow frosting!

S'mores Cupcakes

(168 grams) graham cracker crumbs

tbsp (70 grams) butter, melted

tbsp (65 grams) sugar

tbsp (43 grams) Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder

(120 milliliters) boiling water

tsp cream of tarter

tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate sauce (I used Hershey’s Hot Fudge topping)

Graham cracker crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a cupcake pan with liners.

2. In a small bowl, combine crust ingredients and mix well.

3. Press about 1 1/2 tbsp of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner.

4. Bake crusts for 7 minutes then remove and set aside.

5. To make the cupcakes, add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.

6. Add egg, buttermilk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.

7. Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture. Mix well.

8. Pour batter into cupcake pan, filling a little more than half way, and bake at 300 degrees for about 17-19 minutes.

9. When done, remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Then remove from cupcake tin and allow to cool.

10. While cupcakes cool, make the meringue frosting. Combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla extract in a metal, heatproof mixer bowl.

11. Place over a saucepan with simmering water (or use a double boiler).

12. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm, to between 120 and 140 degrees on a thermometer, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat.

13. Using the whisk attachment, beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes.

14. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes (I used Ateco tip 808) and top with chocolate sauce and graham cracker crumbs, if desired.

Made these for the first time and they were fabulous! I didn’t have chocolate syrup, so I instead toasted the frosting with my kitchen torch. Thank you for such a delicious recipe. I will definitely make these again.

Made these cupcakes and they were fso good! The only thing is I don’t know what I did wrong with the frosting? It is too runny? It taste amazing though haha My family still ate the cupcakes..I just wanted to have it more presentable like yours. Can you tell me what I possibly did wrong? Not sure if next time I should just try again. Thank you!! 

This recipe is a keeper! I made them this morning. The only things I changed were that I used half regular and half black cocoa powder as I didn't have Hershey's and I drizzled with ganache. The graham cracker crust is genius!! Very moist chocolate cupcake as well. Thank you so much :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKkM2fK6dG0

These S'mores Cupcakes are a super moist chocolate cupcake with a graham cracker crust, topped with a super light and airy marshmallow frosting! So good!

Recipe: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/smores-cupcakes/

These rich and moist chocolate cupcakes are made with cocoa powder, buttermilk, and a hint of coffee for depth. Baked to perfection with a quick temperature change, they’re fluffy with a tender crumb. Perfect for frosting and serving as a sweet treat for any occasion!

Chocolate Cupcakes

cocoa powder

white sugar

tsp baking powder

buttermilk

coffee

butter

eggs (at room temperature)

Preheat

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

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