Description
Delicious chocolate cupcakes topped with rich chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (141g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (50g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup very hot water
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4–6 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and whisk together.
- Combine the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in another bowl and whisk together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix using a stand mixer until combined.
- Add the hot water to the batter and mix again, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, until combined. Batter will be thin.
- Fill cupcake liners only ½ full, then bake for 18-21 minutes, until the tops bounce back when you touch them.
- Cool completely before frosting with chocolate frosting or your favorite frosting.
- Cream butter and cocoa powder together until smooth in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.
- Add half of the powdered sugar mixing on medium speed until combined.
- Add remaining powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, mixing well, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add heavy cream or milk, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, mixing between each addition until you reach the desired consistency.
- Transfer to a decorative piping bag and pipe swirls onto cooled cupcakes.
Notes
- Measure flour correctly – spoon and level for accuracy.
- Use room-temperature ingredients for even mixing.
- Don’t overfill cupcake liners; halfway is perfect for domed tops.
- Let cupcakes cool fully before frosting.
- For buttermilk substitute, add ½ tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a ½ cup measuring cup, then fill with milk.
- This recipe is on page 252 of my cookbook, House of Nash Eats Everyday!
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature before frosting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 21 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe, Cupcake, Dessert, Baking