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
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
- Greek Yogurt Cupcakes
- Cherry Stuffed Honey Cupcakes
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!