Made from simple everyday ingredients, this easy chocolate cupcake recipe will be your new favorite. For best results, use natural cocoa powder and buttermilk. These chocolate cupcakes taste completely over-the-top with chocolate buttercream!
Recipe by Sally on June 22, 2017
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT3H35M
Rating
4.5 stars ( reviews)
Keywords
chocolate cupcakes
Ingredients
3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder*
1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant espresso*
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature*
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable or canola oil (or melted coconut oil)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
chocolate buttercream and sprinkles for decorating
Categories
Cupcakes
Cuisine
American
Steps
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners—this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until *just* combined; do not overmix. The batter will be thin.
Pour or spoon the batter into the liners. Fill only halfway (this is imperative! only halfway!) to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking. Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Frost cooled cupcakes with chocolate buttercream. You can swipe the frosting on with an icing knife or use a piping tip such as Wilton 1M. Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for 3 days. I recommend a cupcake carrier for storing and transporting decorated cupcakes.
Reviews
GG on 2025-07-29 (5 stars): Love this recipe! Have made it as cupcakes and as a single layer cake when I just had to have cake (cake emergency!)
My question is - can I use these proportions in 4" silicone cake pan? How long should I bake the mini cakes? Thanks!
Erica on 2025-08-18 (3 stars): I’ve used many of Sally’s recipes, but these don’t do it for me. I made these, vanilla, lemon blueberry, and strawberry shortcake for a wedding tasting - all recipes from her site. The couple loved all but these. They said they weren’t as moist as the others. I thought the texture was fine, but the batter was very thin in comparison to the others. Not a problem, but they did fall flat and sink in comparison to the other recipes. The chocolate buttercream was very good, but the cupcake could have been better, and I followed the recipe exactly.
Barbara Burkham on 2025-08-19 (5 stars): Absolutely delicious but was surprised the the batter was morelike a pancake batter not thin as stated in notes and was concerned about the lumps which I wisked lightly. I followed the directions exactly even doubled checked. But will make another batch as I need 24.
Thank you for an easy quick delicious recipe despite some anxiety
