This basic homemade Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe creates the best rich, moist, tender cupcakes and is easy to make. A classic done right!
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Made completely from scratch, these homemade chocolate cupcakes are delicious and a crowd favorite! They are super moist, pack tons of chocolate flavor and are so easy to make! Topped with a rich chocolate buttercream, these are amazing!
The Best Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes
There are certain recipes that every baker needs in their repertoire and an amazing chocolate cupcake is one of them. These cupcakes are insanely moist and so easy to make. They are the perfect starting point for any number of flavor combinations. I have used this chocolate cupcake recipe countless times and not only does it never let me down, it is always a hit.
These chocolate cupcakes are amazing in their cupcake form, but I’ve also shared them as my favorite layered Moist Chocolate Cake, in 6-Inch Chocolate Cake form, and many other ways. It’s easily adaptable and these are so good that after being asked many times for a vanilla version, I created these Easy Vanilla Cupcakes. So if you’re looking for an amazing easy vanilla cupcake, those are the way to go.
You may think you already have the perfect chocolate cupcake, but trust me. If you haven’t had these, you haven’t had perfection yet. It’s time to make them.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
So what sets these chocolate cupcakes apart from all the rest? You’ll see for yourself when you make them, but I’ll let you in on why I think they are so standout here.
So moist and tender. These are perhaps the moistest cupcake you’ll ever have. No cracked, dry cupcakes here. Just super tender chocolate goodness straight out of the oven.
Great to make ahead. These chocolate cupcakes are so moist that they do really well with making a day or two ahead.
Real chocolate frosting. I love that the frosting for these cupcakes uses real chocolate. The base of the frosting is made from semisweet chocolate chips that are melted and mixed into the butter. The real chocolate gives the frosting a fudge-y quality that makes it a chocolate lover’s dream.
A wonderfully simple recipe. No fancy mixing methods or complicated steps here. This recipe comes together quickly and is accessible to all skill levels. All you need is a couple bowls and a whisk!
What You’ll Need
Time to grab your ingredients and get started. Here’s what you’ll need to make these chocolate cupcakes from scratch. Have a look at the recipe card below for exact measurements.
Chocolate cupcakes
All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure this properly to get the right result. I always recommend a food scale, but the spoon and level method is fine as well. A quality 1:1 gluten-free flour should work also.
Sugar – Regular granulated sugar is used in these.
Unsweetened cocoa powder – Regular unsweetened cocoa is used in these cupcakes. You can used Dutch cocoa, but they don’t rise quite as high, so you’d need to fill them a little more and you’d probably get one or two less cupcakes.
Baking soda – This leavening gives the cupcakes the most amazingly tender texture.
Salt – This enhances the flavors already present in the cupcakes. Without it, your cupcakes would be a bit bland.
Egg – Large size eggs, not medium or extra large.
Milk – You can use regular milk (whole or 2%) or buttermilk. They all work! Buttermilk will make the cupcakes even more tender, but they don’t need it. They are so darn moist and tender even without it.
Vegetable oil – The use of oil in this recipe makes these cupcakes extra moist. It also means we don’t need to cream any butter and therefore don’t need a mixer. Score!
Vanilla extract
Hot water – The hot water allows the cocoa to “bloom”, which brings out a richer chocolate flavor in the cake. Cooler water will work just fine but the cocoa flavor will not be as strong in the finished product. The water also adds moisture without adding more fat that would weigh the cupcakes down and make them more dense.
Chocolate frosting
Unsalted butter – The butter must be at room temperature otherwise you run the risk of a lumpy frosting.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips – I used semi-sweet chocolate. It’s my favorite to use in recipes like this. It lends a richer chocolate flavor than milk chocolate but isn’t too bitter.
Unsweetened cocoa powder – Regular unsweetened cocoa is what I use, but feel free to use a darker version as well.
Powdered sugar – For volume and consistency. Feel free to reduce the amount to your preference, if needed.
Salt – You don’t have to add a touch of salt, but I do like the additional flavor it adds. Plus, it cuts down the sweetness a bit.
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes from Scratch
Here’s a quick look at how to make these moist chocolate cupcakes. For more detailed instructions, scroll to the recipe card below.
For the cupcakes
Prep. Preheat oven to 300°F and line a cupcake pan with liners.
Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium size mixing bowl.
Combine the wet ingredients. In another mixing bowl whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
Put it all together. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Add hot water. Add the hot water to the batter. It will be very thin.
Bake. Fill the cupcake liners halfway and bake for 18-23 minutes.
Cool. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
For the frosting
Make the base. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
Add some chocolate. Mix in the melted chocolate followed by the cocoa powder.
Pull it all together. Mix in half of the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream followed by the remaining powdered sugar and salt. Add more heavy cream if your frosting is too thick.
Decorate the cupcakes. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
Tips for Baking Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
You are about to experience the best homemade chocolate cupcakes you’ve ever tasted. Just follow these simple tips and tricks and you’ll see what I mean.
Don’t overmix. When mixing together the wet and dry ingredients, be careful not to overmix. This can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop, leaving you with a tough, dense cupcake.
Use hot water. Trust me. While you can use cooler water in the batter for this recipe, I highly suggest using hot water. It allows the cocoa to bloom, bringing out its full, rich, fudgy flavor.
Thin batter? Keep it that way. The cupcake batter should be very thin. They are loaded with moisture. Trust me. They will turn out just fine. Better than fine. Fluffy, moist, and delicious.
Bake at a low temperature. 300 degrees F to be exact. It is necessary to bake at a low temperature here because it gives the thin cupcake batter time to fluff up and cook evenly all the way through.
Let the cupcakes cool. Wait to frost the cupcakes until they have cooled completely. Otherwise, the frosting will slide right off!
How to Store Cupcakes
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before arranging them in a single layer in an airtight container (you can use an airtight cupcake carrier if you have one). Close the container and store the cupcakes at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Past that, store them in the refrigerator. They should be good for up to 5 days.
Can I Freeze These?
You can! Once cooled, arrange these moist chocolate cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) in a single layer in an airtight container. Close the container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the cupcakes to thaw in the refrigerator before frosting (if applicable) and serving.
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