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Made completely from scratch, these moist 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!
Table of Contents
- The Best Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes
- Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
- What You’ll Need
- How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes from Scratch
- Tips for Baking Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Serving Suggestions
- How to Store Cupcakes
- Can I Freeze These?
- More Chocolate Cupcake Recipes
- Watch How to Make Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Get the Recipe
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 Moist Vanilla Cupcakes. So if you’re looking for an amazing oil-based 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.
- Combine the wet ingredients. 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. 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!
Serving Suggestions
Looking to add a little extra flair? Here are some fun ways to serve these moist chocolate cupcakes that will take them from amazing to heavenly.
- Frosting. Change up the frosting on top for something a little different. Try my Strawberry Buttercream, Cream Cheese Frosting, regular Chocolate Buttercream, Vanilla Buttercream or Ermine Frosting.
- Ice cream. Serve these cupcakes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Want to make your own ice cream? Try my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream, Strawberry Ice Cream or Birthday Cake Remix Ice Cream.
- Sauce. I love drizzling a fruity sauce over these cupcakes or filling them. Try my Easy Strawberry Sauce or this Easy Raspberry Sauce. Not in a fruity mood? My Easy Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce, Chocolate Ganache or this Salted Caramel Sauce would work beautifully as well.
- Cookies. Wedge half an Oreo or chocolate chip cookie into the frosting.
- Sprinkles. Add a dash of crunch and a little extra sweetness with rainbow or chocolate.
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.
More Chocolate Cupcake Recipes
I have done a lot of playing with chocolate cupcake recipes. This one is definitely my favorite and is used as the base of some of the ones below. But here are a variety of other chocolatey options.
- Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Filling
- Baileys Chocolate Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Buckeye Cupcakes
- Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
- Nutella Chocolate Cupcakes
- S’mores Cupcakes
- Snickers Cupcakes
- Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
- Oreo Chocolate Cupcakes
Watch How to Make Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
PrintHomemade Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 14-16 Cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made completely from scratch, these moist 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!
Ingredients
Chocolate cupcakes
- 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- 6 tbsp (43g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk or buttermilk*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water*
Chocolate buttercream
- 1 1/4 cups (280g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
- 3 tbsp (22g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 cups (575g) powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2–4 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with liners.
- Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl and combine. Set aside.
- Add the egg, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract to another medium sized bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Add the water to the batter and mix until well combined. The batter will be very 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.
For the buttercream
- To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large mixer bowl until smooth.
- Add the melted chocolate and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add the cocoa powder and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add about half of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add remaining powdered sugar and salt and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add remaining heavy cream as needed to get the right consistency of frosting.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 847.
- Store cupcakes at room temperature for up to 24 hours, then refrigerate. Cupcakes are best served at room temperature. Best eaten within 4-5 days.
Notes
- I have previously used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder for these cupcakes, but Hershey’s has changed it and it doesn’t work quite the same in these. They don’t rise as well. I recommend regular unsweetened cocoa powder, but you can technically use either.
- This recipe calls for hot water. You don’t have to use hot water – the cake will still bake fine – but the hot water allows the cocoa to “bloom”, which brings out a richer chocolate flavor in the cake.
- Milk and buttermilk both work great in these cupcakes. I don’t notice much difference between the two, other than that the buttermilk makes them even more tender (and they are already super tender).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 55.8 g
- Sodium: 168.3 mg
- Fat: 29.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 65.6 g
- Protein: 3.8 g
- Cholesterol: 54.8 mg
Can you make heavy cream from scratch?
loving it..must try it very soon
Hi. What can I replace buttermilk with?
You can use regular milk, if you prefer.
You can make buttermilk. If you have sugar milk take 2 tablespoons out per cup and replace with vinegar. Let sit for like 5 minutes don’t stir.
Thank you for sharing your nice and delicious recipe.????.God bless you
Hi, thanks for this recipe! I have made these, and realised the cupcakes taste much better the next day! However, they were a little greasy. Comparing this recipe to the moist vanilla cupcake, can I cut the oil here by half? Thanks!
This is definitely similar to the vanilla cupcake, but I haven’t tried just reducing the oil by half. If you want a version more like the vanilla cupcakes (as in reduced liquid), I’d suggest this recipe but made as cupcakes with instructions like the vanilla cupcakes. I personally prefer these chocolate cupcakes because I find they are really the moistest ever. 🙂 But both are great options.
Hi! Its my sisters birthday this coming January 24. I just want to ask if I can use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
Yes, you can.
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!
Glad you enjoyed them!
Does the batter call for white sugar or brown sugar? What do you usually use?
White sugar
Gracias por compartir sus recetas, voy hacer mis primeras Magdalena de chocolate.
Hi Lindsay, I made your cupcakes and it was insanely delicious and super moist! Gosh! I could eat a dozen of these cupcakes! Very irresistible! Thank you very much for sharing this. And I have a question. How could u turn the recipe into 2 6×3inches round cake pan? Or 2 8×3inches round cake pan? Please help me. Im dying with your recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂 You can find the recipe for an 8 inch cake here.
Hi, if I reduce the sugar quantity will it impact the consistency or quality of the cake. I don’t want it to be too sweet
Sugar not only adds sweetness but moisture, so yes, reducing it by too much could adversely affect the texture of the cupcakes.
Thank you for this delicious recipe. i made these for a friends birthday yesterday and they were a huge hit. Definitely the best chocolate cupcake and frosting recipe that I have ever made. Do you also have an equally moist vanilla cupcake recipe? My grandson prefers vanilla and I would like to make him some.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them! These Vanilla Cupcakes are basically like a vanilla version of these – very similar. 🙂
VERY GOOD ????????????????
Thanks for sharing. Just tried making them. They r delicious – but I found mine come out the oven all puffy and perfect looking and collapsed two mins later. Any idea why? Also love all ur recipes!!!!
Hmmm, did they overflow the cupcake liners a bit? I haven’t have them fall with this recipe, but I’ve had cupcakes fall before when they overflow.
yes. it happened to me doing this recipe. can you tell me why?
This happened to me too! It was wayyy to liquidy. I noticed some parts of the cupcake were baked and some not. I had to keep them in for over 40 minutes and they still didnt get made all the way through. Had a ton of bubbles at the top after coming down. I have found other recipes that work a lot easier and quicker, with a similar result. I loved the flavour of these though, so I really wanted it to work.
hey girl- these look so good!
Hey , how do I store the cupcakes after making them ? Should I leave it in the fridge or room temperature is fine ? Cuz I am worried that the frosting will melt
You should be able to leave them at room temperature for about 24 hours. After that you might want to refrigerate them, but bring them back to room temperature to serve them.
Love the recipes.
I absolutely love this recipe!! It’s my all-time favorite chocolate cake/cupcake recipe!!! I always hear that it’s the best chocolate cake/cupcake they have ever had whenever I make it. This chocolate frosting looks so delicious!!!! I definitely need to make it!!!
Thanks for making me a really good baker now with all your amazing recipes, I know my family would thank you too haha!!
Thanks Brittany! So glad to hear you love the chocolate cupcakes/cake as much as I do! 🙂
What substitute can I use for the buttermilk?
Regular milk is fine.
What temperature would you bake a pan of 24 mini cupcakes at and how long. Thanks
Barb
I’d use the same temperature. Not sure about baking time, but I’d probably start with 8-10 minutes and go up from there.
Could you use this recipe in a cake pan? The cupcakes were amazing and I don’t even want to try any other recipe for a cake!
Absolutely! You can find a layer cake version of it here. I’m glad you enjoyed the cupcakes!
These were the best cupcakes I have ever eaten in my life! Thank you for this recipe!
So glad to hear that!
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.
So glad you enjoyed them! I don’t really work with egg substitutes so I’m not sure. Sorry!
Hey, is the frosting stiff enough to hold little tempered chocolate decorations? Or will it not go together on this cupcake?
The frosting is plenty stiff, so it should be able to hold decorations just fine.
I only got 10 cupcakes from this batter. Cups only half filled. What’s up???????
Wow! These look AMAZING! I want one. 🙂
I’ve noticed you always put water in at the end of all your cake and cupcakes. Does the water make them not as heavy and dense?
Thanks!
It depends on the recipe, but yes I do tend to use water. I find that it lightens up the cake a bit. It could probably be replaced with more milk in some cases, but I prefer the lightness from the water. 🙂
Worst recipe ever!!! Followed to the letter. Boiled over in the pan and burnt on the bottom of the oven.
That doesn’t sound like the recipe, but that the cupcake liners were over filled. I’m sorry you had trouble with it.
Mine overfilled too and they were less than half filled 😭
OH MY GOSH THAT PICTURE !!
you can almost taste it …
that frosting looks like a chocolate cloud & the cake looks so dark & inviting … excuse me while I wipe away the drool…
I just can’t wait to make these…… Thank You for sharing !!
Thanks Abby! 🙂 I hope you enjoy them!
can i use cake flour instead
I do believe it would work with these cupcakes.
These were awesome! I used hot coffee instead of water. Love, love your recipes! Thank you so much!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Will the results be the same if I double the recipe?
Thank you. 🧁
Yes, you can double it.
I am wanting to try this out today. Am I bake to use regular milk and still have the same consistency as if I were to use the buttermilk? Also am I bake to use sweetened cocoa powder?
Regular milk is fine. Not sure about sweetened cocoa. You may need to reduce the sugar.
Why is 1 cup of flour 130g and 1 cup of sugar 207g? Doesn’t make any sense.
It does make sense because different ingredients weight differently. Those measurements are correct.
CAN YOU USE AN ORDINARY COCOA POWDER AND NOT FROM HERSHEY????
Yes, another brand should be fine.
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???
No, they don’t weigh the same. They amounts are correct.
Made these for my daughter’s birthday. They were amazing. Thank you for posting.
Glad to hear it!
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
Yes, here’s the layer cake version. And it does freeze well.
Hello
I was wondering if I can use sweetened whipped cream?
How much would I need to reduce the powdered sugar in the frosting?
Do you recommend?
You cannot replace powdered sugar with whipped cream in buttercream. You can use whipped cream on the cupcakes, but not in buttercream.
Question, What do I preheat the oven to.
300 degrees
The best I’ve ever had. Big fan from the Caribbean xoxo