This Chocolate Cupcake recipe is my go-to for birthday parties and bake sales, since they are perfectly moist and oh-so chocolatey. Top them with our chocolate frosting, and you have the ultimate chocolate lover’s cupcake!
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Helpful Reader Review
“I made these last weekend for my husband and my wedding anniversary, and oh my goodness, DELICIOUS!!! The cake was so simple and quick to put together, baked beautifully and the icing was delicious and so lovely and thick! Can’t wait to bake it again!!!” – Jazz ★★★★★
Chocolate Cupcake Video Tutorial
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 and taste way better than a store-bought box mix.
Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Ever since my daughter was little, we’ve celebrated her birthday with these decadent chocolate cupcakes, so they’ve become a staple on her day. Fast forward to now, and she has begun to make the cupcakes and Chocolate Buttercream herself (and I’m not allowed to help). She loves them so much that we even made Mini Chocolate Cupcakes out of them.
This chocolate cupcake recipe is moist and fluffy at the same time with a tender crumb. Adding coffee is the secret ingredient here, making these intensely chocolatey and giving the cupcakes a deeper color (and yes, you can sub with decaf coffee). You can’t really taste the coffee, and you probably wouldn’t know it’s there if you didn’t read the recipe, but it really makes the chocolate flavor shine.
Ingredients for Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes
After coffee, you’ll notice this recipe for chocolate cupcakes requires all the usual suspects for the perfect chocolately texture and taste.
- All-purpose Flour – Be sure to measure correctly for the best crumb.
- Cocoa powder – Use naturally unsweetened cocoa powder for the best chocolate flavor and light, fluffy texture.
- Sugar, baking soda, and salt – remaining dry ingredients, giving sweetness and rise
- Brewed coffee – warm regular or decaf coffee works perfectly. The acidity of the coffee deepens the chocolate flavor. Swap with room-temperature buttermilk if necessary.
- White distilled vinegar – reacts with the baking soda for a better rise.
- Vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract – remaining wet ingredients for moisture, strength, and flavor. P.S. If you are egg-free, try our Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes.
Pro Tip:
I’ve tested chocolate cupcakes with coffee and with buttermilk, and the coffee makes for a better tasting, darker colored, more moist cupcake, but buttermilk works in a pinch. See the difference below.
Pro Tip:
To make a cake instead of cupcakes, double the recipe and cook in two 9″ cake pans. See our Chocolate Cake Recipe for guidance on baking the cake
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes
This recipe for chocolate cupcakes couldn’t get any easier, but the result tastes like it’s straight from the bakery.
- Quick prep – Preheat the oven with a rack in the center, and line a 12-count cupcake pan with liners (I love parchment paper liners – excellent for being non-stick).
- Mix dry ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, breaking up any big clumps.
- Mix wet ingredients – In a second bowl, whisk together the warm coffee, vinegar, oil, egg, and vanilla.
- Combine cupcake batter – Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. The batter will be a little loose with small lumps. Overmixing can make the cupcake too dense.
- Fill and bake – Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full and bake at 350˚F for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (do not overbake or your cupcakes will be dry). Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then transfer the cupcakes to a rack to cool before frosting.
Pro Tip: Do not overfill the cupcake tin
Use a trigger-release ice cream scoop for even portioning and fill each cup 2/3. If you overfill, 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.
The Best Frosting for Chocolate Cupcakes
This moist chocolate cupcake recipe only gets better when topped with my 6-minute Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. If you want something different, try any of these popular frosting recipes:
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Vanilla Cupcake Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Swiss Merignue Buttercream Recipe
- Chocolate Ganache
- White Chocolate Frosting
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Homemade Whipped Cream
Helpful Reader Review
“Made these, and used coffee in the chocolate buttercream recipe instead of cream for a mocha frosting. They were delicious, my sister loved them.” – K Booth ★★★★★
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This chocolate cupcake recipe is perfect for party prep because you can make them ahead of time and they refrigerate really well, maintaining their soft and moist texture.
- Make-Ahead: Make the cupcakes a day ahead, cool, cover, and store on the counter overnight, and then frost before serving, or freeze (see below).
- Store Frosted Leftovers: Pack into an airtight container and store on the counter for a day, then move to the refrigerator for 4-5 days. If you don’t have a cupcake carrier, you can flip a storage container upside down to store cupcakes on the lid, snapping the bottom on top.
- Freezing: Cooled unfrosted cupcakes or Cupcakes frosted with buttercream can be covered and frozen up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or quick-thaw on the counter for 2 hours.
My Chocolate Cupcake recipe is sure to become 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. Let us know your favorite way to decorate in the comments!
Easy Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, measured correctly
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup warm coffee, or substitute with room temperature buttermilk*
- 1 Tbsp white distilled vinegar
- 1/3 cup light olive oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Quick prep – Preheat oven to 350˚F with the rack in the center of the oven. Fill a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Mix dry ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Break up any larger cocoa clumps with your whisk.
- Mix wet ingredients – In a second mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients: coffee, vinegar, oil, egg, and vanilla, and whisk until well blended.
- Combine batter – Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk just until the ingredients come together and no dry streaks remain. The batter will be a little loose and lumpy.
- Fill and bake – 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. Don't overbake. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Cupcake Recipes to Try Next
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- Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
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- Cherry Stuffed Honey Cupcakes
I made these and it tasted really really good. Everyone loved them, and they looked so professional. I had a question. How many tsp or tbsp of coffee should add for 1 cup of coffee
Glad to hear that you enjoyed it! We used brewed coffee but I suggest following the package instructions which will usually give you a fairly strong coffee.
Best chocolate cupcake and frosting recipe! First time I’ve left a review on a recipe.
I made these with my best friend and they were delicious!!😍 Sooo moist and flavorful. I don’t think I’ve ever tried such chocolate cupcakes! Thank you
Hi Eva! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed them. Thank you for the review.
I love making these cupcakes! Always get compliments. I have to make these vegan for a party this weekend , what is the best egg substitute for this recipe?
Hi Cate, try our eggless chocolate cupcakes
HI! Can I replace the sugar in the recipe with Splenda sweetener?
Hi Sophie! I haven’t tested a sugar alternative. If it’s a granulated Splenda that can be used in a 1:1 ratio, it should work. You can reference your package or look in the company website for guidance on how to use their product in baking.
Can I substitute the coco powder for melted chocolate?
Hi Emily! Without testing that, I don’t know what adjustments need to be made.
Hi Natasha , do you use 240 ml measuring cup set?
Hi Tanuja! If you click on “metric” in the recipe card, it will give you metric conversions. While 240 ml is a standard US cup for liquid measurements, ingredients like flour, sugar, or cocoa powder don’t weigh the same as liquids, so measuring by volume (ml or cups) can lead to inconsistent results. If you don’t have a food scale, it will work to measure in cups but please watch my tutorial on How to Measure Ingredients (Wet and Dry) VIDEOhere.
I made this today + the buttercream frosting for my son’s 7th birthday today. I wish I could share the photos from tonight. Shared it via text to my hubby and he thought it was store bought! Cupcakes were moist and my youngest decided to eat all the frosting but the cake (haha!). I will using this recipe to make 50+ for all the guests this weekend! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Hi Natasha, is there an issue with doubling the recipe? Thanks
Hi Ben! Yes, you can double the recipe.
Awesome, thanks! Making these for my daughter’s 6th birthday:)
Happy Birthday to her! This will be perfect for that occasion!
I’ve tried countless chocolate cake recipes and this one is THE one. Reminds me of Whoopie Pie texture- so moist and delish. I plan to make marshmallow whoopie pie filling with it next time and experiment. I’m not a fan of buttercream frosting. Was also very easy. Thank you for sharing!
That sounds delicious! I’m so glad you found this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Hi, Natasha. I tried this recipe today and I love it. The flavor is authentic and I like the frosting—it’s not too sweet. Is it better to under mix or overmix the batter?
Other than that, I love this recipe and I found it outshines the store-bought cupcakes and store-bought frosting in terms of flavor and quality!
Hi there! I’m happy to hear that you loved it! It’s crucial to not overmix the batter in this recipe as it can collapse in the center. The batter should be slightly lumpy and loose, which is perfectly fine
Thanks! I wonder what you meant by “…collapse in the center”?
Meaning it can cave in.
These are the absolute best chocolate cupcakes ever! They are so moist and bake perfectly every time! I add some dark chocolate chips to the batter for a little extra surprise when you bite into them! Everything I make from your recipes hits EVERY TIME!! Thank you for what you do!!
Hi Rebekah! I’m so glad you loved them. Thank you for sharing!
I was wondering if I only have salted butter do I just not add extra salt?
Hi Laura, that’s right, if you are using salted butter, you may want to adjust the salt in the recipe.
I made these and your chocolate buttercream 6 minute frosting. The best ever. Very easy to make and don’t have to buy special ingredients. I will never make box cupcake or frosting again. If you haven’t tried these, you need to!!!!!!
Hi Lisa! I’m so glad you found this recipe! Thank you for sharing.
10/10 amazing
Thank you for the review, Nelly!
Hi Natasha! Other than water and buttermilk, what other options do you have for the substitute of coffee?
Hi Maria! You need a liquid. I haven’t tested any other alternatives. Milk, water, buttermilk, and coffee will all work.
Hi Natasha,
Can I substitute the coffee for just warm water? X
Hi Chan! Yes, that will work.
The cupcakes were delicious, the frosting was way too sweet and thick, it was not able to go through my rose tip.
Hi Alfonsa! I’m glad you loved the cupcakes. It sounds like your butter may have been too cold and the frosting wasn’t mixed long enough for all of the ingredients to incorporate well and the frosting to become fluffy and soft.
Buttercream frosting is generally very sweet. If you’re looking for less sweet frosting, then I would suggest a whipped cream frosting or something like my Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe which is less sweet than traditional buttercream.
The best! I’ve made these several times. Wondering if I could make a double layer cake using it. I guess I’d just double it?
I’m glad you love it! yes, you can double the recipe.
Natasha please tell me how to make cofee?
Can i use 1 cup of hot boiling water and 1 tbs of coffee and mix it then add it
A standard recommendation is to use approximately 2 tablespoons (10.6 grams) of ground coffee per 6 ounces of water to make brewed coffee.
Please natasha tell me can i add hot boiling coffee at the end of the batter to enhance the flavor
Hi Tahira! We use warm coffee to help with this but it would be fine to use hot water.