These Classic Chocolate Cupcakes are tender and fluffy in texture, full of deep chocolate flavor, and topped with a creamy chocolate buttercream.
Are you looking for a good staple chocolate cupcake recipe? Look no further, this recipe is the only one you will need! These cupcakes are moist and tender, not crumbly and dry. They have a deep chocolate flavor from the Dutch-processed cocoa in the recipe.
From yummy Cookies and Cream Cupcakes to cozy Fall Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting or indulgent Cheesecake Brownie Cupcakes, there are so many delicious cupcakes to enjoy. Sometimes, the best things are the most classic and ordinary, though, like a good old chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting!
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⭐️ Why You Need to Make This Recipe
- Texture - Ridiculously tender and fluffy, these cupcakes are very similar in texture to my Hot Chocolate Cupcakes!
- Flavor - Chocolate on chocolate is always a good idea! These cupcakes have great cocoa flavor.
- Method - This recipe is simple to whip together and SO much better than boxed cake and store-bought frosting! You don't need to be intimidated by making amazing cupcakes from scratch!
🧈 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make these homemade chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting.
Ingredient Notes
- Sugar - Granulated white sugar is used to sweeten the cupcakes and powdered sugar is used to make the frosting.
- Fat - A combination of butter and oil makes for a superior texture and flavor!
- Flour - Simple all-purpose flour works great to make this recipe.
- Cocoa - Unsweetened cocoa powder makes these cupcakes and frosting so chocolatey are tasty. I buy this Dutch-processed cocoa at Costco.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients with measurements.
📃 Instructions
Step 1: Whisk together the melted butter, oil, sugar, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla until incorporated.
Step 2: Add the sour cream and milk and whisk until smooth.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 4: Sift the combined dry ingredients through a mesh sieve into the bowl of combined wet ingredients.
Step 5: Whisk just until all the flour mixture is incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
Step 6: Fill each cupcake liner half full with batter. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire to to finish cooling completely before frosting.
Step 7: Make the frosting by creaming together the softened butter and sifted cocoa until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time and mix at low speed until incorporated.
Step 8: Add 2-3 tablespoons of milk and beat at high speed until fluffy and smooth.
Frost the fully cooled cupcakes with the frosting using a piping bag fitted with your desired piping tip. I used a Wilton 1M for the pictured cupcakes.
🍫 More Chocolate Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried these Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and write a little note telling me how it went in the comments below. Thank you!!
📖 Recipe
Classic Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-count muffin tin(s)
- cupcake liners or non-stick spray
- whisk
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups & spoons
- electric handheld mixer
- piping bag fitted with large open star tip (I used a Wilton 1M for the cupcakes pictured)
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- ¼ cup salted butter * melted
- ⅓ cup neutral-flavoured cooking oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Dutch-processed cocoa)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Frosting:
- ¾ cup salted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- optional: chocolate shavings for topping
Instructions
To make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Prepare muffin tins with 18 cupcake liners or grease with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, vinegar, and eggs until well combined. Add the sour cream and milk and whisk until incorporated.¼ cup salted butter, ⅓ cup neutral-flavoured cooking oil, 1 cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 2 eggs, ¾ cup sour cream, ½ cup milk
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift the dry ingredient mixture through a wire sieve into the bowl with the combined wet ingredients and stir just until no streaks or clumps of flour remain. Do not overmix!1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Distribute the batter evenly between the 18 cupcake liners in the prepared pans, filling each liner about ½ full. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
To make the Frosting:
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sifted cocoa using an electric handheld mixer on medium-high speed. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on low between each addition. Add 2-3 tablespoons of milk and beat the frosting at high speed until fluffy.¾ cup salted butter, softened, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 cups powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons milk
- Frost the fully cooled cupcakes using a piping bag fitted with your desired tip. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, if using. Enjoy!optional: chocolate shavings for topping
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