Chocolate Cupcakes
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Rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey, these classic chocolate cupcakes are easy to make and perfect for birthdays, bake sales, and everyday treats.
Many years ago, before Once Upon a Chef existed, I started a small baking business specializing in cakes and cupcakes. That experience sparked my love of recipe development and ultimately inspired me to create this website. This chocolate cupcake recipe is a delicious holdover from those early days—the cupcake version of my favorite chocolate cake—and I’ve been making them ever since.
The recipe is wonderfully simple: it’s made in one bowl, and the cupcakes bake up ultra-moist with a rich chocolate flavor and tender crumb. I love to frost them with rich chocolate buttercream, but vanilla buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting are delicious too.
“Delicious!!! So perfect for the chocolate lover in me!”
What You’ll Need For this Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
For the cupcakes, you’ll need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix on low for 30 seconds.
Pro Tip: Make sure to stick with natural cocoa powder—natural cocoa powder isn’t interchangeable with Dutch-process cocoa powder due to differences in acidity.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients. Add the eggs, oil, and sour cream, and mix on low speed until combined.
Step 2: Beat the batter. Increase the speed to medium and beat the batter for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the hot water. Reduce the speed to low and gradually pour in the hot water—go slowly so it doesn’t splash. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and mix until evenly combined.
Pro tip: The hot water blooms the cocoa powder, which deepens the chocolate flavor significantly. The soupy batter is completely normal, so don’t worry if it looks thinner than you’d expect.
Step 4: Bake and cool. Divide the batter evenly into the cupcake liners and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Step 5: Frost the cupcakes. Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula or butter knife to swirl the frosting on top. The cupcakes can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Freeze (without the frosting) for longer storage.
More Cake and Cupcake Recipes You May Like
Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey’s
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup boiling water
- Chocolate frosting
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set two oven racks in the middle positions. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners, using two standard 12-cup muffin pans.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine. Add the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined.
- Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Then, reduce the speed to low and gradually pour in the hot water (be careful to pour very slowly so it doesn’t splash). The batter will be soupy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl; mix again until evenly combined.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin (they should be about halfway full). Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.
Notes
- I like frosting these cupcakes with chocolate buttercream, but vanilla buttercream frosting, or cream cheese frosting are delicious too.
- Nutritional information is for the cupcakes only.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The cupcakes can be made up to one day ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They can also be frozen without the frosting for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and then in foil. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. (Wait until the cupcakes are defrosted to ice them.)
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn,
My niece wants marble cupcakes for her wedding. I’m considering being the baker. Could I use your vanilla cupcake and chocolate cupcake recipes to make marble cupcakes?
I use your recipes all the time. Makes me seem like a super star cook/ baker. Thanks!!
I think that’d work, Christine…but I’d definitely do a test batch first!
Hi Jenn, Do you have chocolate HOT FUDGE recipe? I want to make white chocolate fudge for the top of the cake. Thanks
Hi Fanny, I don’t have a proven hot fudge recipe to share – sorry! This one looks good and simple though if you want to give it a try. (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried it myself.)
I Jenn
Thanks for your answers.
I have another question. Can I used blender instead of food processor to make frosting.I don’t have food processor.
Thanks again.
Hi Fanny, You really need a food processor for this; it keeps the frosting from separating and getting greasy. (This type of chocolate frosting is quite finicky.) Instead, you could try a basic chocolate buttercream. It won’t be as deeply chocolate but it will still be delicious. Here’s a recipe.
Which foof processor do you recommend ?
Thanks again!
Hi Fanny, this is the one that I have and I love it!
Hi Jenn
I want to make the lovers chocolate cake that one is in your book.
But I want to put on top curly o chopped chocolate for garnish. What kind of chocolate do you recommend?
Thanks
Hi Fanny, I love that idea! I’d use semi-sweet or milk chocolate.
Hi Jenn—I’m following up on a previous comment. Is your chocolate lover’s birthday cake in your cookbook? I made a chocolate cake yesterday that came out so disappointing that neither of my kids could finish their slice. I also had made your vanilla birthday cake (half with sprinkles, half covered with coconut) and it was a huge hit. I pre-ordered your cookbook but if your chocolate cake isn’t there, will you please post it on your blog? Thank you for doing what you do!
Hi JinAh, So happy the vanilla cake was a success…and, yes, the chocolate cake is in the book! 🙂
Hi Jenn,
I am wondering if you would share your Chocolate Lover’s Birthday cake recipe with me? I am making your Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake (which I have made before) for my mom for her birthday. I was considering the chocolate cupcakes just as a second choice but after reading the reviews would love to try the cake.
Thank you,
Holly
PS – I have already preordered your cookbook and can”t wait for it to come out!
Sure Holly, I’ll send it through email. (And thanks for purchasing the cookbook!)
Thank you so much! You’re the best. I look forward to getting your email.
Hi Jenn,
I’d like to make his recipe this weekend, however I’d like to make mini cupcakes. Should I change the temperature and/or cooking time?
Thanks!
Hi Kelly, I’d keep the temperature the same but reduce the cooking time. I’d start checking them around 12 min. Enjoy!
Ok I am not American so I do prefer darker chocolate, less sugar decadent deserts. I just made those cupcakes and I am in heaven…..
I’m making a 12×16 cake for my son’s birthday. Do you think I’ll need to double or triple the recipie? I’m not sure if I should layer it either.
This is the BEST chocolate frosting. It’s definitely my go to favorite.