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
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 light olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F with the rack in the center of the oven. Fill a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together dry ingredients, breaking up most of the cocoa clumps.
- In a second mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
- 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.
Nutrition Per Serving
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
These cupcakes are amazing!! so moist and soft and chocolatey! I made them with your chocolate cream cheese frosting and they were so good!
So glad you loved them, Alina! Thank you for the feedback.
amazing, I decided to replace the warm coffee with 1 cup milk and it’s perfect
Great to hear that it worked well!
Hi Natasha! How do you store these frosted cupcakes? (With your chocolate buttercream frosting) Because I personally don’t like the taste of frozen buttercream (as it solidifies in the fridge) but if there is no choice…
Hi Elizabeth. Store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator and then let them come to room temperature before eating them, the butter will soften.
What if you want to make extra large cup cakes? How long should i bake those?
Hi Janet. I haven’t tested it to advise. You’ll have to experiment and watch them in the oven. You can check doneness with a toothpick. They’ll be done when the toothpick comes out clean.
Natasha, all of your recipes are incredible, but this one…REALLY and I mean REALLY stands out! My tastebuds have been blessed by the chocolatey, delicious, wonderful swirls of pure goodness thanks to your recipe. I truly am your biggest fan now! Would love any and all tips on decorating with the frosting recipe you have!
That’s so great to hear, Kaylie. Thank you for the wonderful feedback.
This has become my go to recipe for any chocolate cupcakes or cake. It’s so easy and absolutely delicious! Not to mention it’s pairs great with any frosting. I’ve used this many times and will continue to do so! Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Kaitlyn!
Very mediocre cupcake. I used this recipe because I was in a pinch and only had certain ingredients on hand. Dry and crumbly. Not very chocolaty.
Hi AT! That shouldn’t happen if the recipe is followed as written. We’ve had great results with the recipe, very moist. Dry and crumbly cupcakes are usually due to using too much flour or over-baking. Are you spooning your flour into your measuring cup? I’ve attached my tutorial on How to Measure Ingredients to help. I hope you’ll give this recipe another try. I also recommend using an internal oven thermometer (affiliate link) to ensure your oven is heating correctly. This recipe is written for a conventional oven using regular bake mode.
Amazing recipe worked great!
Did it for a competition go t#1
great and easy
Hi Michael! That’s so great to hear. Thanks for sharing.
Bless you for sharing. I have neighbors moving and the sweet grandchildren come by to see me most days. They requested cupcakes, do these will bless them. Thank you
A friend suggested I follow you on Instagram.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Diane. I’m all smiles
Hi! These cupcakes are so good especially with the cream cheese frosting. Do I have to add the coffee in it?
You can use warm water in its place.
These truly are the best cupcakes ever. I makes these all the time, so easy to make, especially for a beginner baker like myself.
That’s wonderful, Tina! Thank you for the feedback.
This has become my chocolate cupcake recipe!! I’ve used this for YEARS! If you have not tried this recipe yet, your life will never be complete! THANK you so much Natasha.
Hi Rose! Thank you for the wonderful feedback. I’m so glad you love it!
Tried for the first time today, surprisingly quick and very simple! Only change – I replaced the coffee with buttermilk – came out perfect.
Wish I could share the pic here!!
I’m so glad to hear that, Sarah! Thank you for sharing. You can tag me on Instagram or Facebook. #natashaskitchen
This is my go to with a few tweaks, I add a tbsp of instant coffee too and it adds alot of flavor. Easy, don’t have to pull out my kitchen aid, and easy clean up.
Great to hear that this is your go-tor ecipe! Thank you so much for your comments and feedback.
Great recipe! Easy, quick and tastes soooo good. I have made 2 batches in 3 days it was so well received!
This is my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe from now on.
I’m so happy you loved it, Julie! It sound like you found a new favorite!
Can you use nespresso pods for the coffee? Can I just run a pod in the machine and add water to it to make it a full cup?
Yes, you sure can!
Hi Natasha, this recipe is a hit. These are very moist and delicious. Can you tell me approximately how many mini cupcakes I would get with this recipe? I have been asked for a donation of 100 mini cupcakes. Thanks in advance
Hi Gillian, happy to know that it was a huge hit! Serving size for this recipe: 12 cupcakes.
Baked cupcakes my first time ever following this recipe. It was easy to follow and the cupcakes turned out soft and fluffy.
That’s wonderful, Shweta! Thank you for the great feedback. So glad you loved the recipe.
Did cupcakes for my grand Daughter’s 7th birthday party. It was a hit. I used decaffeinated coffee instead of the regular one though. Easy to make and delicious.
Hi Huda! I’m so glad the cupcakes were a hit. Thank you for sharing.
A complete hit at a birthday party! Thank you!!! Easy, quick and tasty!!!
Hi Connie! That’s wonderful. These sure are simple to make and always a hit at our gatherings. Thank you for sharing.
hi there i started making this recipe without reading the vinegar part im not sure if i have distilled vinegar. i have normal white vinegar but will that work? this might be an idiot question
Hi N! Yes, that will work they are essentially the same thing. I hope you love the recipe!
I just made some cupcakes using this recipe. Cupcakes were done in 15mins at 350F. I used an oven thermometer too. Tops were very dry and firm so hopefully when they cool down and settle, it wouldn’t end up being dry.
Hi Joe! You may need to make some adjustments since every oven bakes differently. It could also be due to climate/elevation. I have had great success with this recipe as written. Also, watch my tutorial on how to measure ingredients. If you used too much flour, it can also cause them to be hard and dry. I hope that helps.
These cupcakes were so delicious! I used two Vanilla Nespresso (Virtuo line) pods for the coffee. They were perfect. Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you for the lovely review!
Do you have a chocolate recipe without coffee?
Thanks,
Kate
Hi Kate! You can’t taste the coffee, but the coffee elevates the flavor of the chocolate. You can use warm water in its place. Many of my readers have done this.
After reading comments I realized I should have used light olive oil not extra virgin olive oil. The cupcake tastes only of oil. Dang it! I would suggest writing that in the recipe for those of us who are beginners.
Hi Linds, You would definitely want to use a light olive oil and not extra virgin for cupcakes. That should have been hyperlinked in the recipe card and I apologize that it wasn’t. I’m not sure what happened there but I went ahead and updated the recipe card to clarify.
Natasha. I actually used extra virgin olive oil and my cake tasted good. I made an orange olive oil cake and maybe I am use to the flavor. I feel the chocolate and coffee flavor are stronger flavor than the oil
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
I saw that you used a scoop or a disher . Could you tell me what size it was or how many tablespoons . Please Thank you
Hi Karen! If you scroll up to step 5 in the recipe card, you’ll see “ice cream scoop” in red font. It’s a link and you can click on it which will take you directly to the tool that I used.
I love Natasha but when I tried this recipe they came out VERY dense and like brownies. I had to remake them with a new recipe.
I’m sorry to hear that. Dense cupcakes usually result from over-mixing the batter or using too much flour. Did you make any substitutions? I would make sure to measure your ingredients correctly.
Haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I was wondering if I could sub in butter instead of the vegetable oil?
Hi Chelsi! I have not tested it with butter to know how it would affect the overall texture. If you experiment, let us know how it turns out.
Hello!
Did anyone else find that the cupcakes needed to be sweeter, even with the frosting?
Hi Noelle, I don’t recall anyone having this issue. Did you possibly use coarse sugar or mismeasure (it happens!). Especially with the chocolate buttercream, these are a normal dessert cupcake sweetness.
I just made these cupcakes. I agree it could be a tad sweeter. Also, I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil. I can distinctively taste the olive oil.
I think it has to do with the type of oil used. If you use extra light olive oil, it should be flavorless. I would not recommend using extra virgin olive oil for desserts since it has a lot of natural flavor that you don’t necessarily want in a cake. I’m wondering if that taste overpowered it and made it seem like it needed more sweetness.
I was looking for an easy recipe to whip up. This recipe was great on the first try!
I have convection oven and decreased it to 325F (using a digital oven thermometer for accuracy) and baked for 18 minutes.
I also did not have any distilled white vinegar but the apple cider one worked great.
I also used Dutch-processed cocoa powder and extra virgin olive oil (no after-taste of it).
I used hot water and 1.5t Nescafe instant granules but felt it wasn’t much so i added a teaspoon of espresso powder for baking to make sure the choc flavor is properly boosted.
Also, I used coconut sugar (only 180g, still think i could still decrease it down to 150g next time) but still they fluffed up nicely and was super moist!
Since my coffee was hot, i added it first and mixed for a little bit before adding the vinegar, oil, egg, and vanilla extract. I was careful not to overmix but still ended up with a fairly smooth batter.
I don’t understand how anyone ends up with dense and hard cupcakes with this recipe. Maybe they overmixed the batter?
I also agree with not being scared to fill it up more as i filled up 2/3 but ended up with 16 cupcakes and could have made bigger ones without it overflowing. They domed up pretty nicely though.
Thank you for this recipe, Natasha! Will be browsing your site for more to try ♥️ Oh, and the metric measurements are well-appreciated! Bless you! ♥️♥️♥️
That is wonderful feedback, Gemma! Thank you so much for sharing. I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy here! 🙂
Hello, is there a specific type of coffee you recommend?
Also, will the coffee flavor be tasted in the cupcakes? No one in my house drinks coffee and I can’t stand the smell, so I’m hoping the coffee taste will not incorporate into the flavor.
Hi Kaliegh, we like to use our espresso. You will not taste the coffee in the recipe; it’s there to enhance the flavor of the chocolate. Since you’re not a coffee drinker, you may want to buy a small instant coffee packet. I recommend following the coffee packaging instructions to make a cup. I hope you love this recipe!
is there any way to sub the vinegar and the coffee ?? , I just wanted regular cupcakes and i dont want them to taste like coffee
Hi Kimberly, The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor; you should not taste the coffee in this recipe. We believe we found the perfect balance of flavor. I hope you try this recipe soon!
Great recipe! Very easy and quick to make! I used bobs gluten free flour to replace the regular flour, otherwise followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect. Made 24 mini cupcakes and a tiny 6” cake.
Hi Eli! That’s wonderful to hear. I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing your results with GF flour. 🙂
Just made these and they were a hit. Grandkids loved them, nice and moist.
Lovely to hear that, Cheryl! Thank you for sharing that with us.
Definitely a good recipe! super fluffy and moist. If you are hispanic, however, and use cuban/dominican coffee, don’t use it for this recipe. you will be able to taste the coffee in the final product.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Mia!
Can this cupcake recipe and the vanilla one be halved to make only 6 cupcakes?
Hi Kassie, 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!
Does the coffee have sugar in it? Or is it just pure coffee without any sugar in it?
Hi! I used brewed coffee without any sugar.
Does this recipe double well or would it be best to make these cupcakes in two separate batches?
Hi Amanda, that should work well. Here’s what one of my readers wrote: ” Just made these delish cupcakes. I doubled the recipe and made huge cupcakes. Easy and yummy. Bless you for these even tho they are sinful🤣🤣🤣🤣😋😋😋” I hope this is helpful!
For this recipe, will I be able to use almond extract? I don’t got anything else other than almond extract.
Hi Valerie! If you enjoy the taste of almond extract, that would work fine.
I found these to be very bland and flavorless. I followed the recipe to the T. However, paired with chocolate frosting it was good. The texture is great!
Texture: 5/5
Taste: 1/5
HI Ash, these are normally very soft, moist, and super chocolatey with the amount of cocoa powder in them. Did you possibly use the wrong kind of cocoa powder or make any substitutions in the ingredients?
I dont know if i did something but these tasted really bland like i was was chewing on something but i could taste nothing i fr cried because i was making these for a birthday
Hi Julian! I’m so sorry to hear that. These cupcakes have an excellent flavor and texture so I am not sure what went wrong. I would be more than happy to help troubleshoot. Did you make any substitutions or changes to the recipe? The brand/type of cocoa powder you use can also affect the way it tastes.
Made these for a birthday celebration at a nursing home I work at a couple weeks ago. They raved about them. Everytime they see me they ask when I am making them again. Well that will be tomorrow. Fabulous recipe.
That’s great! So glad they were a hit!
So I am assuming this is dairy and soy free?
Got no idea, have to bake for my sons class and got no idea what is dairy and soy free.
Hi Laurika! I don’t see anything in my ingredients lists that contain soy but you may want to double-check the ingredients lists of the supplies you use for these cupcakes just to be sure (sometimes they add fillers and other ingredients). The cupcakes themselves are dairy free but the buttercream frosting I recommended to make with these cupcakes is not. I don’t have a dairy-free frosting recipe but these cupcakes taste great even without the frosting.
Literally the BEST chocolate cupcakes I’ve tried! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, LaTeisha! It sounds like you found your new favorite!
My new ‘go to’ chocolate cupcake recipe. Easy, fail proof, delicious. I tested these storing in airtight containers in the fridge, freezer, and room temp and they stayed moist for days-longer for frozen. Thank you for this recipe!
So glad to hear that, Niki! Thank you for sharing.
Just made these delish cupcakes. I doubled the recipe and made huge cupcakes. Easy and yummy.
Bless you for these even tho they are sinful🤣🤣🤣🤣😋😋😋
You’re welcome, Rita! I’m so glad you loved them.
Very very good happy I found the recipie, love the added coffee !! Thank you..
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Donna!
I have tried millions of recipes, professional and personal, but none have worked. Until now. THIS IS THE HANDS DOWN BEST RECIPE!
Thank you, Jane! That’s wonderful to hear. I appreciate your feedback.
Absolutely perfect!
Exchanged white vinegar for apple cider, and didn’t have coffee so I used a double espresso and enough water to make 1C of liquid. Very impressed!
These will be my new go-to chocolate cupcake recipe.
Hi Dana! Thank you for sharing your experience with the recipe. So glad you loved them.
I’ve done these twice and both times they came out dense and hard. I measured everything by weight and used erythritol and monk fruit sweetener.
Hi Patrick! Since the recipe was changed and substitutions were made, I am not sure if that would impact the density of the cake. I know that sugar is an important ingredient for moisture in cakes, so it could be. Also, be sure to not over mix your batter. This can cause it to become dense as well.
Fabulous recipe! Tasty, light cupcakes! I was distracted when making these and made numerous “mistakes,” from adding one too many eggs to using cold coffee instead of warm. All the same, they came out wonderfully light and chocolaty. Thank you, Natasha–I love your site and rely on your recipes for everything from dinner to dessert.
You’re so nice! Thank you, Annie! I’m happy you’re loving my recipes!
Hi!
Can I use white vinegar insted of distilled vinegar in the recipe.
Yes, it’s essentially the same thing. 🙂
Heyyy Natasha!
I love your recipes! I really want to try this one, but I’m afraid of adding vinegar because I really hate it. Will I taste it in the finished product?
Thank you!
Hi Zara, you will not taste the vinegar in this recipe!
Can I sub the vegetable oil with canola canola oil?
Thanks!
Yes, that will work!
Hi Natasha!
Just made these today. Frosting frosting was great and cupcakes came out nice and even. I was a bit disppointed because I thought there’d be no coffee flavor but my family and I could still taste it. Any idea why? Thanks! Otherwise, great recipe!
Hi Zara! Did you add espresso powder or instant coffee granules to the batter directly without dissolving them? We used brewed coffee. It could also be the type of coffee roast (darker roasts have a more potent flavor). Some baking cocoa powder is very concentrated as well and it can make your cake taste like coffee. You could try using hot water in place of coffee next time. I hope that helps!
I made this recipe exactly how you instructed and they came out terrible. They were doughy and not very chocolatey. 🙁
Hi Audrey! That has never been my experience. It could be that you used too much flour or over-mixed the batter. The coffee also enhances the chocolate flavor. I am not sure what went wrong but I would look over the recipe again to see if you missed anything. You can watch my tutorial here on how to measure your ingredients correctly.
Hi Natasha!
I’m planning on baking these next weekend for a family get together, and I want to make them peppermint flavor. How much peppermint extract would you suggest to put in the batter?
Hello Skyler, that sounds delicious! However, I haven’t personally tried it to advise. If you do an experiment, we’d love to know how it goes!
Home smokes these came together so quickly. Simple. Delicious and fast!!! Thank you. That frosting is perfect. 😋
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Erin!
For this recipe, you have mentioned 1 cup warm coffee, 1 cup warm water+ 1/2 t. sp instant coffee is fine with it?
Hi Tanuja, yes, that would be fine. Just make it according to the package instructions.
Hi, there’s no package instructions. Pls help me out. I made it before without knowing it turned out so bad. this time i don’t want to do mistake again.
It’s hard to say exactly without knowing what type of coffee it is. If it is instant coffee that dissolves in hot water it should be about 1 teaspoon per 8 ounces of water. You can taste it and see if you need to add more or less. I hope that helps.
I use your recipe all the time but I have two questions, when I use the slider to cut the recipe in half(to make 6 cupcakes) how do I measure the .71 cups or the 3.21 teaspoons? And, this time the texture of the cupcake wasn’t soft, how did that happen and what can I do to prevent that
Hi Kyla! You may want to use the metric option on the recipe card and use a food scale to weigh it out in grams for the most accurate measurement and best results. If they were not moist/soft but rather dense, then it is very possible that you used too much flour.
Excellent recipe! We followed them to the T but added a 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. Outstanding cupcakes. For the topping, we did a simple thin chocolate ganache layer…delicious! Never would have thought coffee and vinegar would work, but IT DOES! Thank you Ms. Kravchuk!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Marina! Happy Holidays!
Natasha,
Loved the recipe, came out so good.
As I didn’t add frosting, it’s not sweet enough with added sugar. how much sugar is needed to avoid frosting.
Thanks
Hi Saritha! The proper balance of sugar is very important in baking. It affects the texture, volume, taste, etc. I cannot advise since I have not tested this. You’d have to experiment with it. You may also consider my brownie recipe since it does not have frosting and it is significantly sweeter.
I am not a baker. Let’s start with that. But I was in the mood for something chocolate AND I wanted cupcakes. So I did what anyone in my position would do, I looked up a recipe. I chose this one because it didn’t require milk (which I don’t keep in the house) and it had coffee in the recipe. Anything with coffee sells me instantly 😉 They are amazing!! They came out so super moist, the perfect amount of chocolate. They satisfied my craving and then some. I will add two things; I know that you have to temper the egg when you are adding anything warm to them otherwise you risk getting scrambled eggs. I would advice the instructions to add something about that when adding the coffee. My coffee was a little more than “warm” but I knew what to do so it was all good. Maybe that’s why my final batter wasn’t “loose and lumpy” like it said it would be. IDK. The other thing that was a little different in my recipe is that I only drink flavored coffee. So today we had butter pecan in the pot and that’s what I used. OMG! SO GOOD! Bottom line: I will be keeping this recipe for future cravings.
Hello Chicki, thank you so much for sharing that with us. We appreciate your feedback and suggestion!
I wnat to make these for my friend for her birthday. could I use nesquik instead of cocoa powder?
Hi Alvy, I have not tried that to advise. I wouldn’t use substitutions especially on your first try just to be sure that you will achieve great results!
I ended up using melted chocolate in the cupcakes instead and they turned out great. I used a combination of nesquik and melted chocolate in the frosting and it was delicous!
That’s good to know!
I’ve tried your vanilla cupcakes and they turned out amazing ! I want to try this one too but can I substitute vinegar with lime juice?
Yay, that’s lovely to hear, Chloe. 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!
could i use instant coffee with hot water for the coffee because that’s all i have in hand. i don’t have like coffee grounds and a coffee maker.
Hi Christina! Yes, that would be fine. Just make it according to the package instructions.
OMG… simply the best chocolate cupcake recipe ever. I’ve used twice now and worked perfect both times and everyone loves them. thanks you Natasha.
Do you think it would convert into a vanilla cupcake if I left out the cocoa and replaced coffee with milk?
I have tried your vanilla cupcake recipe but didn’t like the result, i followed the recipe exactly and they domed up and then sank down and were quite dense.
Hi Jeanette! I wish it were that simple but for baking science reasons, I do not recommend this recipe for a vanilla cake. Dense cupcakes are a result of over-mixing batter or using too much flour. Watch my tutorial on how to measure your flour correctly, HERE.
-I also recommend using an internal oven thermometer to see how your oven heats. Be sure to let it fully preheat before baking and do not open the oven door in the process, a temperature drop could cause them to sink. If your oven runs hot, the cake will bake faster on the outside, causing the dome and then sink. I hope that helps.
Hey! Why do we not use backing powder in this recipe?
Thank you <3
We use a different ingredient that helps with the rise of the Chocolate Cake. 😉
Love your recipes. Way, way too many advertisements. It’s distasteful.
Hi Annette, Thank you for sharing your concerns and feedback. The only way we can continue providing free recipes is by having ads on our site, so we are not able to remove those at this time. We find that most people would rather see the ads than pay to see the recipes. But we will definitely take note of your feedback and use it to improve our website.
I appreciate your feedback, and I hope you love every recipe you try.
Can I use coconut oil? Some times I run out of olive oil. I’m new to this recipe.I hope it comes out well, all the recipes I have used have failed. Thanks for such a wonderful recipe!
Hi Jade, that should work fine. I’m sorry you didn’t have much success baking. A helpful tip is to watch my tutorial on how to measure ingredients correctly.
This was literally the best chocolate cupcake I’ve ever made / tasted! Amazing!!
So glad to hear that, Ellie! 🙂
Woopie! Best choc cupcake recipe for sure! Just dusted with powdered sugar (icing sugar) makes a delectable treat! Tks!
Thank you for that great feedbvack!
Hi will the cupcakes stays moist and fluffy or it will get harder when we eat directly from the chiller?
Can u help to describe the texture while its chilled as im going to use whipp cream as topping so they need to be chilled
Hi Virgi! These cupcakes stay pretty moist and fluffy, I think they are just fine eaten directly from the refrigerator. In general, cakes are best enjoyed at room temperature because it helps with the texture, but this cupcake batter uses oil and not butter so even out of the refrigerator, they will still be moister than a batter that uses butter.
These were amazing and so simple. A keeper for sure . I used your icing recipe as well. Delicious!
Wonderful, Kim! Thank you for the review. 🙂
Hi Natasha. Made these last week, love the recipe. How long will these last in the fridge?
I’m happy to hear that. In an airtight container, these hold up well for quite a few days, I’ve enjoyed them up to 5days. They lose moisture over time.
Sounds delicious Can I use melted butter instead of oil? Thank you!
I haven’t tested it but it could work. Please let us know if you experiment.
Hi, Is it possible to skip egg in this recipe? If so, what should I add instead..
Hi! I have a recipe for eggless chocolate cupcakes you can use instead.
Natasha, I have to provide cupcakes for a grown-up birthday party and tried so many recipes this past weekend that I could barely tolerate tasting another one. That said, you win both in ease and taste. Thank you! Can they be frozen with the frosting and if so, how should they be stored?
Hi Emily, thank you for your great comments and feedback. I haven’t tried that but one of our readers shared this “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 hope that helps!
Hey Natasha,
Is powdered sugar and granulated sugar the same?
The major difference between the two is the size of their particles. I recommend checking Google too for more tips.
Hi Natasha,
I’m from Canada, and I can’t seem to get my hands on any distilled white vinegar. Do you recommend any substitutes that I can use? Thanks for your help!
Hi Francesca, distilled white vinegar is the same thing as white vinegar. Can you find this in Canada? Apple Cider Vinegar would be the next best alternative.
What is the purpose of the vinegar? I have never seen it in any of the other cupcake recipes?
It reacts with the baking soda to make the cake rise. 🙂
I made these for a friend for her birthday, and they were a hit! I spent time beforehand looking for a chocolate cupcake recipe I could trust. Thank you.
Thank you for the trust, Amanda, I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
I actually used this recipe to make a 3 layer 6″ s’more cake. The cake/cupcakes are SO easy to make! I love the fact the batter comes quickly together with a whisk. 2 thumbs up!
Hi Lynn! That’s wonderful. Thank you for sharing that with up. I’m sure it was delicious!