Easy Chocolate Cupcake Recipe (VIDEO)
This Chocolate Cupcake recipe is so easy and the results are amazing every time. Top them with our 6-minute Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and you have the ultimate chocolate lovers cupcake! Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is.
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We love homemade cupcake recipes from Vanilla Cupcakes to Pumpkin Cupcakes. They are always the first dessert to disappear at birthday parties. If you are a fan of cupcakes made from scratch, this Chocolate Cupcake Recipe is a must-try!
Chocolate Cupcake Video Tutorial
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Why you will Love these Chocolate Cupcakes
First, this recipe is SO EASY! Simply mix the dry ingredients, then mix the wet ingredients, and whisk them together. They bake up with a beautiful domed top.
These chocolate cupcakes are moist and fluffy at the same time with a tender crumb. The coffee is the secret ingredient here and makes these intensely chocolatey and gives the cupcakes a deeper color. You can’t really taste the coffee in these and you probably wouldn’t know it’s there if you didn’t read the recipe, but it really makes the chocolate flavor shine.
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes
- Quick prep – Preheat the oven and line a 12-count cupcake pan.
- Mix dry ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt), breaking up any big clumps of cocoa.
- Mix wet ingredients – In a second bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (warm coffee, vinegar, oil, egg, vanilla)
- Combine batter – Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. The batter will be a little loose with small lumps.
- Fill and bake – Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full and bake at 350˚F for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer the cupcakes to a rack to cool before frosting.
Pro Tip: Do not overfill cupcake tin. If you add more than 2/3, it will flow over, get stuck to the tin, and won’t form that perfect dome top. It’s better to have a little batter left over than to overflow the pan.
Common Questions
For best results, use unsweetened natural cocoa powder.
Our recipes are written for using a conventional oven. We bake at 350˚F on the center rack of the oven for exactly 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
This cupcake batter converts well to a cake and you will want to double the recipe for a 9-inch, 2-layer cake. See our Chocolate Cake Recipe for guidance on baking the cake.
You can substitute 1 cup coffee with 1 cup room temperature buttermilk. In my tests, the coffee gave the best color and more chocolate flavor (see photo below). If you are concerned about caffeine, decaf coffee will also work.
The Best Frosting for Chocolate Cupcakes
There are so many ways to frost a cupcake. We love them with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. You could also make Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting, or any of these cupcake icings:
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Vanilla Cupcake Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Swiss Merignue Buttercream Recipe
- Chocolate Ganache
Make-Ahead
- Storing at Room Temperature: Make the cupcakes a day in advance, cool completely to room temperature then cover and store at room temperature until ready to frost and serve.
- Freezing: Freeze un-frosted cupcakes for up to 2 months in a freezer safe zip bag or storage container.
- To Thaw: Defrost cupcakes in the refrigerator overnight. For the softest texture, allow the cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving.
I hope this Chocolate Cupcake recipe becomes a go-to favorite for you! I cranked out 8 batches of cupcakes when I was developing the recipe and I am confident these are the ultimate chocolate cupcakes.
Easy Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
This Chocolate Cupcake recipe is easy with great results every time. A surprising ingredient makes these moist, fluffy and super chocolatey cupcakes. Try these with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, measured correctly
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup warm coffee, or 8 fluid oz
- 1 Tbsp white distilled vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350˚F with the rack in the center of the oven. Fill a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners.
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In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together dry ingredients, breaking up most of the cocoa clumps.
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In a second mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
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Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk just until the ingredients come together and no dry streaks remain. Batter will be a little loose and lumpy.
-
Use an ice cream scoop to portion batter, filling each cup 2/3 full (do not over-fill). Bake 18-22 min (20 minutes was perfect), until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan then transfer to a rack to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
on your Chocolate Cake Recipe no Eggs are included, but in Chocolate Cupcake Recipe it does use Egg. Why is there No Egg in Cake Recipe? TIA Alex G.
Hi Alex, the cake is made specifically to be an egg-free cake.
Hi there I have a few questions when using Canadian measurements what is the difference? Also what is the difference between regular white vinegar and distilled vinegar I can’t seem to find distilled vinegar
Hi Kim, white vinegar is the same as distilled vinegar. I believe in Canada you use the metric system. You can convert most of my recipes to metric by clicking “metric” on the recipe card.
This was an amazing recipe! I was a little worried in the beginning that the vinegar and coffee taste would be in the cupcake but it wasn’t! and when I tasted it, it was like magic! thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
Thank you for following the recipe as suggested, great to hear that you enjoyed it!
They were amazing, but the sugar in the frosting was SO MUCH, and I didn’t follow my common sense and followed your recipe, and the product was SO SUGARY, but… who cares about some sugar?! Great to make. I highly recommend it.
I doubled the recipe expecting to get 24 cupcakes but only got about 21.. not a big deal but I wonder if the Canadian flour would have anything to do with it? I put a mini Reese’s cup in the middle of the batter before baking for a nice peanut butter surprise 😋
Most likely, if that is the only change that you did to the recipe then that might be the reason for it. I’m still glad you enjoyed the cupcakes!
I’ve made these several times with various frostings. I use avocado oil instead of olive oil (don’t like the taste of olive oil in sweet baking though it’s great in bread recipes). Love how light they are and yet how richly chocolate flavored. They are always a hit. The vinegar and baking soda rise creates such a fluffy texture!
I also used this as a base to make earl grey cupcakes as well. Brewed earl grey tea in place of coffee, almond flour in place of cocoa, some ground earl grey tea in with the dry ingredients for flavor, and replaced 1 tsp vanilla with almond extract. They were great!
Will probably experiment with other flavors as well. Thanks for this!
Thank you for the awesome feedback. I appreciate you sharing your experimentation with the recipe.
I don’t care for coffee flavor, can I just substitute water?
Hi Cindy, that would be fine. The coffee is the secret ingredient here and makes these intensely chocolatey and gives the cupcakes a deeper color. You can’t really taste the coffee in these and you probably wouldn’t know it’s there if you didn’t read the recipe, but it really makes the chocolate flavor shine.
Hi Natasha I want to make easy chocolate cupcakes. can I use white distilled malt vinegar or can I replace with something else. Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
Hi Cath, I haven’t tried those substitutions, so I can’t speak to that. Substitutions may hinder the recipe outcome. I always suggest making a recipe as written the first time around.
Hi, Natasha. I used olive oil in my batter, and it tasted horrible. The olive oil was too strong. I think vegetable oil would’ve been a better choice. I re-did the recipe and it was delicious!
Thanks!
Hello Keesha, did you use plain olive oil? It has to be the plain now and not extra virgin but canola or vegetable oil works well!
Hi Natasha. I have used this recipe multiple times just as written. They turn out great every time! I take these to parties & family events. They disappear fast! Thanks for the great recipe.
Great to hear that, Susie! Thank you for the wonderful feedback.
I made these and they turned out beautifully and taste really good! Thank you for the recipe! They were perfect!
So glad you enjoyed these.
Hi Natasha I love your recipes and videos. Can I use caster sugar instead of granulated, thank you.
Hi Catherine, I haven’t tried a caster sugar substitutions, so I can’t speak to that. Substitutions may hinder the recipe outcome. I always suggest making a recipe as written if possible.
Hello natasha, I need help please. Can i make it in one go for 75 cupcakes? Or should I make in batches of 12 or 24? Am afraid 75 can alter the texture n quality of them, it’s for tonight. Help me out please.
Hi Juana, you can adjust the servings by clicking “servings” in the recipe card and it should adjust the ingredients too.
Hello Natasha, have 75 cupcakes to do. Can I make them in batches of 24. Or adjust the measurements to 75 directly? Am afraid 75 at one go will be too much. Help me out please, it’s for tonight.
Hi Juana, you can click “servings” on the recipe card to adjust the serving size and it will also adjust the ingredients. I hope that helps.
Hello young lady I am having problems downloading your danish cheese recipe can you help me what’s going on
The print-friendly recipe is at the bottom of each post. Once you scroll there, click on the print icon in that recipe card which will open a print screen, then you would need to click file —> print. I hope that helps! If not, please let me know exactly what steps you are taking and where you are navigating to print our recipes.
You have 1 egg in this chocolate cupcake recipe but no eggs in your chocolate cake recipe. How can the cake rise with no egg or baking powder?
We use a different ingredient that helps with the rise for the Chocolate Cake.
I have been using this recipe for years and its perfect. I used whipping cream instead of your frosting and thought it turned out great. My family doesn’t eat sugar so I used honey instead.
Great to hear that honey works well too! Thank you for sharing.
Love this recipe.
Can I swap all purpose flour to self raising flour? Is so, do I use the same amount?
I have not tested this to advise.
Hi Natasha may I know what is the ratio of coffee:warm water? Is it 3 tsp instant coffee into 1cup of warm water? TIA
Hi Roxanne, we used brewed coffee but I suggest following the package instructions which will usually give you a fairly strong coffee.
Hi Natasha, these are the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve made and the icing is amazing, definitely going to try the vanilla cupcakes today thankyou for your amazing recipes
Hello Margaret, thank you for the awesome feedback! That is so inspiring for us to receive some good reviews, thanks for sharing!
My 11yo and I made these but threw in some chocolate chips and made a lemon-cream cheese frosting. Also, the coffee I had was lavender infused and the faint lavender flavor was wonderful.
Hello Jessica, that’s great to hear! Thanks for sharing and glad you had a good time making this recipe with your 11-year-old.
Hi Natasha I want to make these for Easter, I have a question on one of your comments I read you used espresso for your coffee correct. Is that one cup?
Thank you
Hi Francesca, we used brewed coffee but I suggest following the package instructions which will usually give you a fairly strong cup of coffee.
Hi Natasha, I just made your easy chocolate cupcake recipe ( double recipe) it yielded 48 wonderful , delicious cupcakes… ( even the second batch that I had to wait for the first ones to be cooked), puffed up beautifully.. I’ll know for next time, one recipe yields 24… easy-peasy recipe, I can’t wait to frost them and serve them at my daughter’s baby shower tomorrow. Thank you Natasha for your great recipe, next I’m going to make your vanilla ones… 🙏🏼💝
Hi Maria, I am so happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing and I hope you love the vanilla ones as well!
Best chocolate cupcake recipe ever!! So easy and the coffee really does enhance the chocolate flavour. The only issue I ran into was thinking that I would overfill my cupcake pan, so I ended up making 17 cupcakes instead of 12, which was a mistake because some were too small in the end. Don’t be scared to fill them up – the recipe mentions 2/3 of the way but I could go a bit more than that without mess.
Hi Kristen, thanks for sharing your experience. I will these 2/3 of the way every time and have great results.
I had such high hopes for these cupcakes, and seeing the raving reviews I can only wonder what error I made. I ended up making three separate batches, and agonized over the measuring for the ingredients, the temperatures and the timing, and every batch failed miserably.
I followed the recipe to a T, and when I didn’t get good results, I changed my baking time, to see if that would improve them, as I have a gas stove and perhaps it was baking them too fast, too hot.
I’m not sure what went wrong, but they ended up sticking horribly to the cupcake wrappers, and tasted vaguely of the white vinegar! After trying to peel them from the wrapper, and ending up with a crumbly mess, I had to admit that the texture was good, but then the vinegar aftertaste nailed the coffin on this one.
So sad, it must be my user error, as these worked for so many others. Back to the drawing table I go!
Hi Rachel, I’m sorry to hear that! What a bummer after 3 batches. I will do my best to troubleshoot. This has been a popular recipe for us. Did you possibly swap the leavening and use baking powder instead of soda? Baking soda is 4x stronger and does not substitute straight across. It sounds like you suspect the issue is with the oven – this recipe is not written for convection baking so adjustments would have to be made in that case. Also, you should not be able to sense the vinegar at all. It helps activate the baking soda but should not be noted in the final cupcake.
Hi Natasha!
Thank you so much for replying, I want to work out the wrinkles and have amazing cupcakes! 🙂
Oh, nope I double checked the soda vs powder (I’ve made that mistake before and learned!). My oven is gas, I’m not sure if it’s a convection but I’ll definitely check that now! That could be the culprit.
For the vinegar, I read in the comments about substituting for buttermilk instead of vinegar and milk, so I’ll try that!
Thank you so much for your help in troubleshooting, I hope this batch is the winner!
Hi Natasha,
I tried out this recipe and it turned out terrible. It tasted like raw dough. When I make it again, is there anything I can substitute the coffee with, like water or milk? Thanks 🙂
Lots of Love from London
Hi Anita, I’m sorry that it did not work out well for you. I have so many great reviews about this recipe. Did you make any substitutions? I hope you try again, look over the steps and ingredients recommended. I have not tested this but one of my readers said they used buttermilk instead of coffee and her family loved it. Also, be sure you are measuring your flour correctly as this could alter the taste and texture of the cupcakes. I hope this helps. https://natashaskitchen.com/how-to-measure-ingredients-video/
I accidentally put regular sugar instead of powdered sugar for the frosting so I decided I’ll make cookies out of it and it actually came out pretty good.
Great to hear that, Abby! Thank you for sharing.
I used these as the base for “Ding Dong” cupcakes with an ermine frosting and whipped ganache. They were delicious.
Thank you for your easy, excellent cupcakes. Much better than a box mix!
Yum! That sounds amazing, Kathy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha, with 1 cup of warm coffee.. what is the ratio of warm water and instant coffee (brand?)
Thank you
Hi Roxanne, we used espresso, but instant/ brewed works also and I recommend following the coffee packaging instructions to make a cup. I hope you love this recipe!
These are the BEST chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever eaten and made. Thank you so much for such an amazing recipe.
Wow! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Tina!
Hello natacha, these cup cakes look good…kisses from Portugal
These are the best chocolate cupcakes EVER!! Thank you so much! (And by the way, I am Russian😊) Definitely making these again!
Thanks a lot for your great comments and feedback, Isabela!
why did they turn out dry for what reason? what did i do wrong?
Both, Vanilla and Chocolate cupcakes 🙁
Hi Angelina, a dry cupcake is usually the result of under-baking. The process is pretty fail-proof, but make sure to measure ingredients correctly. This article on measuring should help. Also, make sure to try the recipe exactly as written before making substitutions or modifications.
Hello Natasha, my 7yr old Granddaughter and I are in the process of making these Cupcakes now but she says she knows they will be delicious.
Thank you for sharing with us
Aww, I love that you’re baking this together! I hope you both love it, Rose!
Hey Natasha,
Just wondering if you could male a suggestion regarding how to store the frosted cupcakes if I want to make them a day in advance.
It depends on the frosting you use. If you use a buttercream frosting, it would be ok to leave it at room temperature overnight. If it’s cream cheese based you should refrigerate overnight. It won’t hurt to just cover and refrigerate though – that is what I would do.
It’s going to taste better to use Vegetable oil or Olive oil, and if Olive oil then what kind? Thank you!
Hi Angelina, you can use canola or vegetable oil if you don’t have plain olive oil on hand.
I’d like to make these cupcakes, however it’s for a kids party. Is the coffee flavor overwhelming?
Hi Julia, you shouldn’t taste the coffee. The coffee amplifies the chocolate flavor 🙂 I hope you love this recipe!
Amazing recipe, my cakes came out so springy and moist and delicious. Used a jug to pour the batter into the cases as its quite thin and that worked really well. I’m over the moon that I’ve found the perfect chocolate cupcake recipe.
I’m happy to hear that you loved this recipe, Amelie. Thank you so much for the review!
Natasha, fantastic recipe for both the cupcakes and frosting! Instructions were exact down to the cooking time. I doubled the recipe for a super bowl party; rave reviews. My piping skills could use some improvement but overall a great success!
I’m sure you’ll do better as you practice. Thanks for your good comments and feedback, Marci!
Do you have any gluten free recipes for children. Chocolate cup cakes etc please
Hi Kim, here are the Gluten-Free recipes on my website so far.
Hi! I made these and it didn’t turn out the way I had wanted. I’m not too sure why. Maybe I over-mixed the ingredients. But it still tasted great! The tops just weren’t the right texture. Thank you sharing your recipe!
I’m glad it tasted great! I hope you give it another try soon!
Delicious! I’m making them for a library baking club, and managed to reduce the baking time to 15 minutes at 375, and was also able to make it all in one bowl! The kids are going to love them!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
These are better than bakery cupcakes! I ate one and it will be hard to not eat the rest. Amazingly delicious!
These cupcakes are so good! Now I’m craving one! Thank you so much for sharing that great review with me, Sonia!
Hi! So I have been searching for the best tasting quick and easy chocolate cupcakes. These were PERFECT!!! I did a batch of coffee and a batch with buttermilk, my whole family liked the buttermilk better. My only thing is that next time I will probably add more cocoa powder if you are using buttermilk. Other than that these were the best chocolate cupcakes I have ever made! And they were very quick and easy.
For my buttermilk, I use milk and you can add either vinegar or lemon juice, for this I used lemon juice since there was already vinegar in the recpie and it was DELICIOUS!!
Thank you so much for this delicious recipie!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
One word…WOW! I followed the recipe exactly and they came out perfectly! I used pure vanilla I had received as a gift from St Maarten…what a difference. No need to look any further for the perfect chocolate cupcake! Thank you so much Natasha ☺️
You’re so welcome, Wendy. I’m happy that this recipe wowed you! I hope you’ll love all the other recipes that you will try.
Hi Sheila, a dry cupcake is usually the result of under-baking.
Hey, Natasha? Do you know why my brownies dry out after an hour or so out of the oven, is it under baked? They tasted fine though.
Hi Justin, I wouldn’t leave them out unnecessarily. I recommend storing them in an airtight container.
These are the best cupcakes I have ever had! Perfect amount of sweetness, moist, and just the right amount of richness. The coffee makes it amazing!
Isn’t it so good! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Best cup cake I ever made. Moist and not too sweet. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Is it ok to omit vinegar or replace it with something else? If replacing what is suitable to replace it?
Hi Fahima, I haven’t tested anything besides vinegar, but vinegar does help activate the baking soda, and the reaction helps to darken the color of the cupcake. Another one of our readers substituted it with lime juice. Here’s what they said ”I just made these today and woww🤤🤤🤤🤤they were the best chocolate cupcakes ever definitely gonna try again and also I used lime juice instead of white distilled vinegar and still it was soo good. I hope this helps!
Ms Natasha can I use 100% wheat flour instead of all purpose flour in this cup cake?
Hello there, I honestly have not tried that to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
did you seen me a text that I won something from you if you did please let me know if not please let me know I have never got something like that before so help me out it said I won 750 please help
Hi Marilyn, I didn’t send any messages and I don’t have any giveaways at the moment.
There was a scam offering people pries/gifts from you. Thankfully I realized in time before I gave any details to the page, They selected a number of people from those who had responded initiallyand then you were redirected. perhaps you have been hacked
Hi Marie, yes, scammers are relentless in their pursuit. When you see these types of accounts, please report them and block them.
Wow!! is all I have to say… This is by far thee most amazing cupcakes I’ve ever tasted. Super chocolatey and moist. Thanks for the recipe.
That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Leesha!
Best cupcake recipes ever, i have made two batches already, my kids love it. Thank you for sharing.
You’re so welcome!
This is the best cupcake recipe I’ve ever seen! For such a quick and easy recipe, it came out amazing. The chocolate and coffee go so well together and it’s not over powering. Thanks so much Natasha!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, Adin!
wow I made this with 1 tbsp instant coffee with cream cheese filling and they are awesome thank you
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jenn!
Hi!
I was wondering if you think this will turn out if I use apple cider vinegar in place of white vinegar and dairy free milk in place of the coffee? I want to make for my daughters birthday but she has many food allergies. Thank you!
Hi Megan, I haven’t tested anything besides vinegar, but vinegar does help activate the baking soda, and the reaction helps to darken the color of the cupcake. I peeked through the comments, and I’m not finding anyone mentioning a dairy-free substitute either. I wish I could be more helpful here. If you happen to experiment with either, I’d love to know how you like this recipe.
Hi, Natasha! I want to make these, but am wondering if the yield is 12 or 24 in a normal cupcake tin. I’ve seen a comment saying it’s 24, and just want some clarification. Thanks!
Hi Victoria, we used a 12-count muffin tin. If you use a cupcake tin it should make 24.
Made these cupcakes and they were amazing!!! I would like to make it into a cake with eggs. I know that you have a chocolate cake recipe but it has no eggs. Can I use this exact cupcake receipt as a cake?
Hi Ruth, this recipe doesn’t rely on eggs and they are not necessary for the cake.
WOW! BEST CUPCAKES EVER. they are so moist, not too sweet, chocolately, and super easy to make! amazing recipe
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Umaina!
I made this recipe before and it came out great. Today I tried to make it into a cake. But the batter was extremely lumpy and the cake is gummy:( idk what went wrong
Hi Shakira, we have a chocolate cake version of this recipe. Click here to get our chocolate cake recipe which also has a video tutorial so you can see where things may have gone wrong.
They look delicious. I wonder if a cream filling could be inserted and make them even better than Hostess does?
Hi Vinko, I haven’t tested that, but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
great recipe Natasha, I wonder why there’s no baking power…
I made the exact measurement and added 1 TSP of BP..the frosting is fantastic..
Hi Anna, we used baking soda in this recipe so baking powder is not needed.
Bonjour Natasha
il faut que j’arrête de faire vos recettes (j’ai pris 5kg depuis que je suis abonnée) trop trop bonnes !!!!!!!!Bon promis juré je commencerais un régime après les fêtes!!!!!!!
Bises
Agnès
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes, Agnes!
I made the chocolate cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting. It taste really good. It was moist. The cream cheese frosting was the best. My coworkers like it to.
Thanks for sharing that with us, Rhemy. I’m glad you all loved it!
The best cupcake! I made these twice already they are moist and delicious! Thank you so much!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Mimi!
This is the best recipe ever! My cupcakes where so delicious , oh my god they are so moist and sweet. Just perfect.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Dudu!
I was a bit sceptical as my batter looked very wet and runny but I trusted the recipe and baked them anyway. They came out so perfectly moist!! I paired them with a classic American buttercream and they taste delicious. Thankyou!
I’m so happy they turned out perfectly, Bhumi!
These turned out fantastic! I added toasted walnuts for a little crunch. Also used your white buttercream frosting. Wonderful recipes, thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome! Great to hear that you loved these cupcakes!
Perfect! I made them this morning and they are moist and chocolaty! There was a lot of leftover batter (filled 12 muffin tins) so I scooped it into a mini muffin tin – additional 16 mini bites! I followed the recipe exactly – no need to make changes. Thanks, Natasha!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Kathy!
Your chocolate cupcakes recipe was divine!! Made 50 of them for church for Pastor Appreciation and everyone raved! I gave you credit for the delicious flavors. Also used your Buttercream frosting recipe and tinted it orange and yellow, with piped chocolate leaf on top.
I’m happy to hear that it was a huge hit!
Hi Natasha – These are the absolute best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever made. Adding coffee was a game changer! I always use foil-lined baking cups (not the paper ones) so nothing sticks. I made half the recipe of chocolate icing and frosted all 12 cupcakes. Individually wrapped them in Saran wrap, placed in a large zip lock bag and put in freezer. Freezing the icing was not a problem. I’m sooooo ready to bake more of these fantastic cupcakes. Thank you!!!
I’m so glad to hear that and thanks for the tip!
hi my name is faith and i am 12 years old and i want to say those chocalate cupcakes are realy delicious
Hello Faith, yes these are so good. I hope you can try or taste this soon!
I made the cupcakes and it was so good and tasty.
There were a lot of icing left as we don’t eat too much sweet.
That being said,
Can I double the ingredients and bake it in a pan? If so how much long do I have to bake?
HI Sathmi, I have the chocolate cake version of this recipe posted. I hope you totally love it!
Thank you very much.It’s an egg less recipe, Does not adding eggs make a huge difference?
Hi Sathmi, this recipe doesn’t rely on eggs and they are not necessary for the cake.
I made this recipe gluten free by using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 and they came out perfect. (You have to cook them a minute or two after the toothpick comes out clean so they don’t sink.)
I made a batch of GF recipe cupcakes and they were awful. But this one was lovely!
Glad you enjoyed making a gluten-free version of this recipe!
I was just going to ask if 1:1 gf flour works well, thanks, I will try it
What frosting do you prefer with these cupcakes? I want to try out the recipe but unsure which frosting to try.
Hi ALize, we love it with this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, but you can also try it with these other frosting recipes HERE.
I know there have been a few comments concerning the vinegar, I live in Spain and I cannot find Distilled White Vinegar anywhere not even Amazon unless it is imported from the US which is very expensive. Can anyone advise if they have tried using Raw Apple Cider Vinegar? I see lime juice is one possible alternative but I want to keep as close to the recipe as possible
Hi Lee, I haven’t tested anything besides vinegar but vinegar does help to activate the baking soda and the reaction helps to darken the color of the cupcake as well.
I use the chocolate cupcake recipe to make a one layer cake. I made two adjustments: I reduced the flour to 1 1/4 cups and reduced the oven temperature to 340 degrees. The cake was done in a little over 30 minutes. This cake was by far the best I have ever made. Moist and did not sink in the middle . It was also easy to handle as I split the layer in half to make a place forest cake. I find i the cake easier to handle when I refrigerate it for a few hrs after it has cooled completely. Thank you so much.
You are so welcome, Karen. Kudos to you too for doing a great job!
I would really like to make your chocolate cup cakes for my great grandchildren, but I can’t copy the quantities out fast enough! Is there a written recipe anywhere please Natasha? x
Hi Yvonne! Yes, The blog post has the written recipe at the top of the recipe click “jump to recipe,” and that will take you to the recipe card!
I used this recipe to make black forest cupcakes for family afternoon tea and it was a star of the table. I followed the recipe to the tee other than used lime juice instead of vinegar. Its the best chocolate sponge/cake I’ve ever had and made everyone still speaking of how was they were. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear this recipe was a hit! That’s so great! Thank you for your wonderful review, Kess!
Hi Natasha. I am anxious to try these but am wondering if I need to make any adjustments for altitude? I live in Colorado.
Thank you!
Hi Martha! I don’t have experience with high altitude, but this high altitude guide has been my reader go-to! I hope it’s helpful!
Hi Natasha, approximately how many cupcakes does this make?
Hi Aamni, this makes 12 cupcakes.
Hi Natasha. I don’t have coffee or buttermilk, but I really like to try this recipe. what should add instead?
Hi Nishali, it really needs those ingredients. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own buttermilk at a ratio of 1 cup whole milk to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Combine and let it sit 10 minutes to curdle then stir and use. I hope this helps!
Hi Natasha, would this work in a 9×13 pan with same amounts?
Hi Karen, I honestly haven’t tested that to advise.
Can you use instant coffee? Or does it have to be freshly brewed?
Hi Selene, your favorite coffee will work; we used espresso, but instant/ brewed works also and I recommend following the coffee packaging instructions to make a cup. I hope you love this recipe!
Hi
Can I just double the recipe to make 24 cupcakes?
Thanks,
Kim
Hi Kim! YEs, doubling the recipe will make 24. I would double all the ingredients.
Hi Natasha!
What will be the substitute for coffee? Thanks!
Hi Jenny, the coffee is the secret ingredient here and makes these intensely chocolatey and gives the cupcakes a deeper color. You can’t really taste the coffee in these and you probably wouldn’t know it’s there if you didn’t read the recipe, but it really makes the chocolate flavor shine. But also, please see the section in the recipe titled: “Can I Substitute the Coffee?”
Hi Natasha, I would like to know if I can cook/bake the chocolate cupcake using a steamer and if yes how many minutes. Thanks
Hi Lynette, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you happen to experiment, I’d love to know how you like that.
I made a batch of this but they tasted too much like dark chocolate. A little bitter.. how can I correctly calculate the coffee?
Hi Judith, make sure to use the correct type of cocoa – natural unsweetened (not dutch process). Also, make sure not to reduce the amount of sugar that balances the chocolate flavor. I suggest making a cup of coffee according to the package instructions depending on how you are preparing coffee (drip versus instant).
Hi Natasha,
We are going to a picnic. I’d like to bring these cupcakes. I’m wondering, will your buttercream frosting hold up to summer heat?
If not, do you have one that will?
Thank you
Hi Patti, this chocolate buttercream would hold up better than other non-buttercream frostings, but it should still be kept out of the sun and refrigerated as long as possible until you need to put them out in heat.
I tried to make these cupcakes and they came out dense and the bottoms of the cupcakes were sunk in. What do you think I did wrong?
Hi Hazel, the process is pretty fail-proof, but make sure to measure ingredients correctly. This article on measuring should help. Also, make sure to try the recipe exactly as written before making substitutions or modifications.
Can you tell me which of your frosting would be best to use for an hot outdoors picnic? Thank you.
Hi Patti, a buttercream frosting would be the most stable.
I made4 batches of these cupcakes with the chocolate buttercream frosting for my son’s birthday party earlier this month and everyone loved them! We couldn’t stop eating them and now I can’t stop thinking about them… I think about them daily. Thanks for all the recipes and cute videos!
Hi Allison, glad to hear that these cupcakes were a hit! Thanks for your review, I appreciate it.
Made these for my daughter’s birthday. I’m often looking for a cake recipe that doesn’t come out dry. This recipe was moist, easy and delicious! I doubled the recipe thinking I’d have 24 cupcakes but ended up with 36. I’m saving this recipe as a go to for chocolate cake going forward!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite! Happy Birthday to your daughter!
The BEST cupcakes and buttercream recipe I have ever tried, can’t stop making them 🤤
That’s awesome feedback, thank you so much!
The BEST cupcakes and buttercream recipe I have ever tried, can’t stop making them 🤤
Love your feedback, thanks a lot for your wonderful review!
Hi Natasha,
I made 3 batches of these cupcakes today. They were super moist and fluffy but all 3 batches had a strong bitter acidic after taste. Is it because of the vinegar? I used exactly a tablespoon and not more. This recipe is so easy that I really want to save it as my go to chocolate cake batter. Please help me figure out the reason behind this taste.
Hi Fatima, did you possibly substitute any of the ingredients or possibly use too much baking soda? I’ve never experienced that kind of aftertaste.
I used natural white vinegar that doesn’t say distilled. I guess that might have caused it.
I sometimes get this after taste when I use dutch processed cocoa instead of natural cocoa for recipes that also use baking soda so I switch to Hershey’s instead of the Valrhona brand I typically use. You may want to try that and see if that takes care of it.
I used Hershey’s cocoa for this recipe. 😊
I think it has to do with the natural vinegar that I uses.
Hi Natasha! What is the key to perfect frosting piping on a cup cake?
Hi Sydney, the key is to have a piping bag and large frosting tips.
I thought about using fora base of Strawberry shortcake. What do you think
Hi Virginia, do you mean making a chocolate strawberry shortcake? I haven’t tried that.
Oh natasha I tried these but they cam out like fudge do you know whats the culprit
Hi Ranuth, it sounds like they didn’t rise properly. I would double-check you used the correct ingredients like baking soda.
Thanks Natasha i added baking powder so I think that’s why. Youre the best.Keep it up
I tried this recipe out for the first time and the cupcakes came out perfect!! I doubled the ingredients and actually got about 30 cupcakes out of it. It’s a great simple recipe.
We love simple recipes!! Glad you enjoyed this also Ayesha!
Hi Natasha,
I have to tell you that I’m so addicted to your videos!! I go on Facebook to watch your videos! I feel that I’m part of your family!
You’re doing an amazing job! God bless!!
I have a question for you: can I use buttermilk & coffee? Did you try it?
Aww! Thank you, Soad! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes! I have tested this with buttermilk, it was a bit less chocolaty and lighter in color with buttermilk.
This is by far my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and I’ve been baking for 55 years! The coffee really does give the chocolate flavor a boost. They are perfect! I had a friend suggest piping Nutella into the center after they had cooled and then to make the chocolate buttercream frosting to top it. OMG! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi Robin, that’s fantastic feedback! Thank you so much for sharing that with us, I’m really happy to know that you enjoyed these cupcakes.
I loved it! Thank You Natasha!
You’re welcome, glad you loved it!
These chocolate cupcakes are absolutely divine. Frosted those with crushed Oreo buttercream 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Tej! We absolutely love them!
Hi Natasha!
I watch your videos on Facebook, and when I saw the video for these cupcakes I knew I had to try them. I made them today and they are delicious!!!!
The chocolate buttercream frosting is delicious too! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Natasha thank you sooooo much for this recipe . Will try soon . The one I have is different. My granddaughter loves cupcakes and I often make them . To make the exact way you made pls let me know how much coffee to put in one cup of water
Hi Kamlesh, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Your favorite coffee will work; we used espresso, but instant/ brewed works also and I recommend following the coffee packaging instructions to make a cup. I hope you love this recipe!
Hi Ms. Natasha!
Hope you’re doing good these days!
I would Just like to to ask, What can we substitute for White Distilled Vinegar. It’s not actually available in my region and I really wanna make these cupcakes for my mom!
Have a great day and my god Bless you!
Hi Ash, I imagine that would work but we always use distilled vinegar. Another one of our readers substituted it with lime juice. Here’s what they said ”I just made these today and woww🤤🤤🤤🤤they were the best chocolate cup cakes ever definitely gonna try again and also i used lime juice instead of white distilled vinegar and still it was soo good. Thank you soo much natasha for thus recipe ❤” I hope this helps!
I made these… It tasted really great! It was a good pair with the buttercream. (I made few adjustments with the sugar but still it tastes great!)Thank you for the recipe!
I’m a fan of your recipes btw 🙂
That is fantastic feedback, thank you so much for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha
I just made this cupcake, sooo yummy the best chocolate cupcake , and I will try the frosting next time, my son love it.
Thank you,
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Hi Natasha… I wanted to try this recipe… but wanted to ask u how much coffee u added to one cup of water ?
Regards
Hello there, we use brewed coffee but I suggest following the package instructions which will usually give you a fairly strong coffee.
I made these for my husbands birthday and they were delicious. I picked this recipe because it was for only 12 cupcakes and we didn’t need a lot. Everyone raved about them, especially the chocolate cream cheese frosting I paired them with. We will definitely make both again
Sounds great, Paula! Great to know that the recipe was a hit, thank you for sharing that with us!
Omg!!! These are soooo good!! I made them and they all disappeared before I could even frost them!!!
Glad this cake recipe was a big hit!
#checkoutnatasha
Thanks Amy!! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes!
Thank you, in advance!
Do I have to use a specific kind of coffee for this and your chocolate cake?
Hi Amy, your favorite coffee will work; we used espresso, but instant/ brewed works also. You can’t really taste the coffee in these, and you probably wouldn’t know it’s there if you didn’t read the recipe, but it really makes the chocolate flavor shine.
Do you sift the dry ingredients?
Hi Elizabeth, I will always specify in my recipes if the dry ingredients need to be sifted. I did not sift in this one.
Amazing recipe! I decided to make this for my boyfriend’s birthday, and we both loved it :). Instead of making cupcakes, I baked the batter in an 8-inch round cake pan. This made a delicious one-layer cake. I used the baking instructions from the chocolate cake recipe (350F oven, 35 minutes, center rack). I buttered the pan and lined with parchment as the instructions stated and had no sticking issues, after 15 minutes of cooling in the pan it easily turned out onto a wire cooling rack. I used canola oil and also cut down the sugar from 1 cup to 3/4 cup (just a personal preference) and it was divine. To top it off, I made the 6-minute Chocolate Buttercream recipe but halved it. I followed that recipe to a T with one exception: cut down the powdered sugar to just a 1/2 cup (again, personal preference). Not only is this cake super easy to make, but it rose perfectly, had a deep chocolate flavor, and was super moist. This will for sure be my go-to chocolate cake recipe from now on! The videos accompanying the recipe are a huge bonus too!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Chloe! Thank you so much for sharing that with me and our readers! BTW, we have a similar cake HERE.
Hi Natasha. I like your smile and your recipes. I tried the chocolate cupcakes and they were amazing however my concern is about the frosting. I did exactly the same but still can feel the sandy texture of the powder sugar. Is that something that we can fix?
Hi Tina, you shouldn’t be able to sense the texture of the powdered sugar. Make sure to use powdered or confectioners sugar and not courser ground sugar. Also, be sure to mix for the recommended time at med/high speed in a stand mixer. If using a hand mixer, you need to mix a little longer. Lastly, make sure to use the same proportions of ingredients in the recipe without modifications. I always recommend that for the first time making a recipe before making changes. I hope that helps.
I’ve been an Avid fan of yours and been following all your Recipes and save them from my FB account. I’m trying to make my own from your recipes.
Also, the way you prepare there’s always some kind of ad-lib, (impromptu). I like that. Thank you Natasha.❤
Hello Oseta, I’m happy to know that you’ve been enjoying my recipes. I hope you’ll love every recipe that you will try!
This looks amazing! If I were to make these into mini cupcakes how long should I bake them? Any other adjustments?
Hi Vera, I would actually have to test that to advise and I haven’t tried that yet. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
Hi Natasha I am only making 6 cupcakes, but could I still use 1 egg for the recipe?
Hi Amanda, I would use half an egg; otherwise, you will need to adjust the rest of your ingredients. To get half an egg, I usually break it in a small ramekin/ bowl, stir it and put half into the recipe.
Hello Natasha! I really want to make this recipe but I wanna know if I can substitute olive oil for canola oil and is there any substitute for using coffee? Thanks!🙏
That’s not buttermilk because I don’t have that.
HI Ayni, canola oil will work too. Don’t worry, you can’t taste the coffee in the final product, but it really amplifies the flavor of chocolate. Feel free to substitute with decaf coffee if you prefer.
I made this a week ago and it was superb! From the list of the ingredients down the after baking result! and that 6-minute frosting!!! Hmmm nyumnyum! Thanks a lot Natasha for sharing your recipes for free!
You’re very welcome! I’m already happy that you enjoyed it, thanks for sharing!
These look delicious! I was wondering if I could use brown sugar instead of white granulated sugar. Also for the coffee, is it okay if I use espresso coffee?
Hi K, I haven’t tried those substitutions yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
I made these a few weeks ago, using brown sugar and espresso coffee and they turned out delicious!! They were really moist and fluffy. Thank you!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
This recipe looks soooo good! I was wondering if I could halve this recipe to make 6 cupcakes. Will it work that way? Or should I store the remaining batter for a different time? Thank you!
Hi Hable, halving the recipe will work. Simply halve all the ingredients. I recommend clicking “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post, it will take you to our printable recipe where you’ll have the option to change the number of servings. Hover over the number of servings highlighted in red and slide it to how many servings you would like to make. I hope that helps!
Hi! How many tablespoons of coffee did you put? And what is the number of your ice cream scooper?
Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, I used my coffee maker. I would suggest making it according to the package instructions to make a normal strong cup of coffee. Here is the ice cream scoop we used for portioning.
Baked these a few days ago. Love love love love it!!!
So moist n fluffy n the cake itself isn’t very sweet. The frosting takes care of that.
Hello Asha, thanks for your great review and feedback. I’m glad you loved the recipe!
Is there any substitute for eggs??
Hi Rashmi, try our eggless chocolate cupcakes.
Can I use icing sugar for cream frosting?
Hi Tanuja! I haven’t tested that to advise.
thanks for this amazing recipe. I baked this yesterday and the taste was extremely amazing. The cake is not overly sweet like other recipes I have tried.
This is the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve baked. Very moist and fluffy vanilla chocolatey.
I halved the recipe and got about 15 cupcakes.
This should be the only chocolate recipe one should ever have.
Hi Holly, That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I couldn’t stop eating these…meant to give some away, lol.
Natasha, I love your recipes because you address the questions I would probably have ahead of time, like freezing, substitutions, etc. Please keep the great recipes coming!
Thanks for your great feedback, Lora. I will always do my best!
I messed up the recipe. The cupcakes were lumpy, dry and
Tasted like coffee. I also
Made this with my 5 year old so I am sure it was something we did. We will try again.
Hi Rita, the process is pretty fail-proof, but make sure to measure ingredients correctly. This article on measuring should help. Also, make sure to try the recipe exactly as written before making substitutions or modifications.
Hi I can’t seem to find the two ingredients to make the vanilla please help thanks
Hi Sharon, we have them linked in this recipe HERE.
Hello dear ,
Love you recipes and more than that I like you alot …you are very energetic and beautiful..
May I suggest something try your hand on indian punjabi cuisine as well ,I am sure you are gonna rock that too.
Thank you so much for that wonderful compliment and suggestion!
Before making the Chocolate Cupcakes I’m wondering if being in a higher elevation changes the oven temp and/or time cooking. We’re at 3400′ elevation. Love all of your recipes! Thank you!
Hi Becky, I haven’t tried making this at a high altitude yet, but you can use this High Altitude Baking guide if you need it. I’m baking at 2700 altitude.
Can I substitute the distilled white vinegar for pure white vinegar?
Hi Anya, I imagine that would work but we always use distilled vinegar. Another one of our readers substituted it with line juice. Here’s what they said “”I just made these today and woww🤤🤤🤤🤤they were the best chocolate cup cakes ever definitely gonna try again and also i used lime juice instead of white distilled vinegar and still it was soo good. Thank you soo much natasha for thus recipe ❤””
What would be the best adjustment for high altitude?
Hi Cynthia, I haven’t tried making this at a high altitude yet, but you can use this High Altitude Baking guide if you need it.
I just made these today and woww🤤🤤🤤🤤they were the best chocolate cup cakes ever definitely gonna try again and also i used lime juice instead of white distilled vinegar and still it was soo good. Thank you soo much natasha for thus recipe ❤
That’s just aweosme! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe, Sendini! Thank you for sharing this great review!
Hi Natasha! I can’t wait to try these. I was thinking about adding some carrot or zucchini just to sneak some vegetables into my kids. Do you have any recommendations for how to add this to your recipe and how much.
Hi Jenn, I have not tried making this a chocolate zucchini or chocolate carrot cake, but I love that idea!
Hi
Having trouble with incorporating sugar?
Hi Shifa, I recommend watching the video but also making sure you’re using the same sugar we are.
Hi Natasha! I really really dislike coffee so I’m worried that these will taste like coffee. Can I sub the coffee with something else? Thanks in advance. I *love* your recipes!
Sorry, just saw a note of yours that said that we can sub the coffee with buttermilk, but there isn’t buttermilk for sale at the supermarkets here in Portugal, so I would have to make some at home (with milk and vinegar). Would that work?
Hi Marta, I havne’t tried that with vinegar, but it milk and lemon make buttermilk!
Hi Marta, the coffee is the secret ingredient here and makes these intensely chocolatey and gives the cupcakes a deeper color. You can’t really taste the coffee in these and you probably wouldn’t know it’s there if you didn’t read the recipe, but it really makes the chocolate flavor shine. But also, please see the section in the recipe titled: “Can I Substitute the Coffee?”
Would the batter be enough for two 7-inch cake pans?
Hi Donna, I haven’t tested that. I would double for 2 9-inch cake pans. They might be a little short, but I think you could make that work.
Hi Natasha! I use your vanilla birthday cake recipe often but I did request a good chocolate cake recipe and you posted one. Ever since I seen your chocolate cake recipe, it’s the only one I use. Last week I made your chocolate cake recipe with a peanut butter filling I found online and your chocolate buttercream frosting. It was absolutely delicious! Your recipes never disappoint. Thank you for always sharing. I want to share a photo but I don’t see the option.
That sounds amazing! I want to know more about the peanut butter filling. Peanut butter and chocolate are a delicious combination.
Can I use dutch processed cocoa?. I just looove your recipes and your jolly personality. Thank you ♥️ from the Philippines
Hi Neth, please see the “Common Questions” section where we mention the type of cocoa we recommend. We do not recommend Dutch process cocoa here because it is usually used with baking powder natural cocoa is used in combination with baking soda.
Hi there I love all your cakes
Do you have to put vinegar in the chocolate cup cakes. X
Hi Julie, the vinegar is important to activate the baking soda.
Hi! Love your blog…but mostly I love your joy. Two questions:
1) Do you use fine salt or bigger grain salt? I ask because it will change the proportion depending on the grain size; and
2) Do the nutritional facts include the frosting or just the cake?
Hi Monika, I use fine sea salt. The nutritional facts are only for the cupcakes since the frosting is a separate recipe. I usually have the nutrition label reflect the ingredients listed in the recipe card and this one is just the cupcake.
Will it be bitter without milk?
Hi Annah, it won’t be bitter. I have tested this with buttermilk and the taste wasn’t sweeter, but it was less chocolaty and lighter in color with buttermilk.
These cupcakes are so moist! So delicious! Love the coffee flavor! Perfect with a nice cup of cold milk.
The perfect treat! I’m s glad you enjoyed these cupcakes, Betsy!
This recipe looks amazing! I most definitely cannot and will not wait to make it! Also, I have a few suggestion recipes which are: chocolate Reese’s stuffed cupcakes, turtle brownies, caramel stuffed chocolates, and rocky road ice cream. Thanks so much for the recipes! Keep it up! 🙂
Great ideas! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I have two chocolate lovers here and these are perfect for dessert tonight! Definitely going to be a big hit here!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Omg cant wait to try it all your recipes are a family favorite
I hope you love this recipe! We look forward to your feedback!
Hi Natasha!!!! I love your recipes. Literally they all taste amazing. but I just have this little question. Can we substitute vinegar with something else or does it really have to be white distilled vinegar.
Hi Sendini, I haven’t tested anything besides vinegar but vinegar does help to activate the baking soda and the reaction helps to darken the color of the cupcake as well.
Thank you natashas I will definetely try these out😊
Btw can I use coconut water vinegar instead white distilled vinegar😅
Hi, I honestly haven’t tested that so I can’t speak to it.
These WERE the best cupcakes! I say “were” because they’re already gone… we ate them all. Haha! So good!
Thank you so much for that amazing review. That makes my day. I hope you tried them with the chocolate buttercream. So good!