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Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes are the perfect indulgence! An easy homemade recipe that is over the top with Homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. The best dessert for chocolate lovers!
It is no secret that I love my desserts, and that I love baking! These cupcakes are my go to when everyone wants chocolate cake for celebrations. They are soft, fluffy and have the perfect tender crumb. Plus, when they are topped with the heavenly chocolate buttercream they are over the top delicious! This is no ordinary chocolate buttercream, I make mine with melted chocolate (not cocoa powder) and it truly makes it so much better!
Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salted Butter
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Instant Coffee Granules (or instant espresso powder)
- Boiling Water
- Plain Greek Yogurt (or sour cream)
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients
- Dark Chocolate Bar or chips (or Semi-Sweet)
- Salted Butter
- Milk
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar
More Chocolate Desserts...
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Brownies with Walnuts
- Chocolate Sour Cream Baked Donuts
- Old Fashioned Frosted Brownies
- Homemade Brownie Bites
- Chocolate Pudding Pie
- Zucchini Brownies
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes from Scratch
Step 1: Make the Batter
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
In a medium sauce pot, melt together the butter and cocoa powder over medium heat. Once the butter is completely melted, add boiling water and instant coffee granules. Heat just until the outer edges begin to bubble. Do not boil. Remove mixture from heat and add it to the bowl with the flour and sugar mix. Mix it on low just until combined.
In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt (or sour cream), vanilla extract and eggs until smooth. Add this to the mixing bowl and mix on low until combined. Bump up the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.
Step 2: Scoop the Batter
Line cupcake (muffin) pans with paper liners or grease the cups well with non stick spray. Using a scoop, fill the cups ¾ full. Not any fuller or the tops will overflow and get crispy and hard.
Step 3: Bake
Bake the cupcakes in a preheated 350° oven for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. To ensure even baking, rotate the pan half way through baking. I do this to help with level baking as well, my oven rack is not 100% level and to avoid all the batter tilting to one side, I rotate the pan half way through baking.
Step 4: Cool Cupcakes
Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove them and let them cool completely before frosting.
How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Add softened butter, milk and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. In a microwave safe bowl, melt chopped chocolate (or chips) in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval.
Slowly add the melted chocolate to the bowl with the butter while the mixer is on low. (If you are using hand beaters, add a scoop of chocolate at a time and beat it in gradually). Mix it all together on low until completely smooth.
Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until fully incorporated. Once all the sugar is added and incorporated, bump up the speed to medium and beat for about 1 minute until the frosting is light and fluffy.
If you would like a stiffer frosting, add a touch more powdered sugar, if you would like the frosting a bit more soft, add a touch more milk to get your desired consistency.
Frost the cupcakes using an offset spatula, butter knife, or piping bag and tip. To pipe the frosting, start form the outer edge of the cupcake and pipe in a circular motion to the center of the cupcake. If you don't have a piping bag, you can make one out of a gallon freezer zip top bag. They work like a charm! You can also use an ice cream scoop and just add a scoop right on top of the cupcake.
Tips for the Perfect Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes and Frosting
- Always fluff your flour before measuring. Adding packed flour can make the cupcakes dense.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It helps create a more light and fluffy texture.
- Use a scoop to fill the cups so that every cupcake is the same size and they will all bake evenly.
- Rotate the pan half way through baking to ensure even baking and level cupcakes.
- When melting chocolate be sure to stir well after each interval. Do not heat more than 30 seconds at a time or the chocolate will scorch and get a grainy texture.
- Add the melted chocolate in a slow stream to the butter while the mixer is on low. This will help incorporate the melted chocolate so it don't get stuck on the sides of the bowl. If you are using hand beaters, add a scoop of chocolate at a time and beat it in gradually.
- Make the frosting in a glass bowl or run the outside of the metal bowl in hot water to take the chill off. Adding the melted chocolate to a bowl that is cold will cause the chocolate to harden on the edges of the bowl.
How to Freeze Make Ahead Cupcakes
Homemade chocolate cupcakes can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer until ready to use. The freezer will preserve the freshness of the cupcakes and not dry them out like the refrigerator will. To store cupcakes in the freezer, place the cupcakes in a freezer safe air tight container that is tall enough to not touch the frosting. Take cupcakes out at least 2 hours before needing them to thaw at room temp.
More Cakes to Try...
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Almond Cake with Chocolate Sweetened Condensed Milk Frosting
- Pumpkin Pie Bundt Cake
- Coffee Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream
- Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Glazed Lemon Pound Cake
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Try these decadent Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes with heavenly Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and please let me know how much you enjoyed them in the comments below along with a star rating! Pictures encouraged on Instagram with the hashtag #heathershomemadekitchen You can also follow me on Social Media to see what other crazy things my family and I are doing! If you like what you see, please share with your friends and family!
Don’t forget to pin the recipe for later!
Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ cups salted butter, 3 sticks
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 12 oz Dark Chocolate bar or good quality chips, or semi-sweet
- 2 cups salted butter, 4 sticks
- ¼ cup milk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and line cupcake/muffin pans with paper liners or grease well with non stick spray.
- In a stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter and cocoa powder together until smooth. Add boiling water and instant coffee and heat just until the edges start to bubble. Do not boil.
- Pour the chocolate mix into the mixing bowl with the flour and sugar. Mix on low just until combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, vanilla extract and eggs until smooth. Add this to the mixing bowl and mix on low until fully incorporated.
- Increase speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.
- Using a scoop, fill each cupcake liner ¾ full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Let cupcakes cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove to cool completely.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- In a stand mixer bowl, add butter, milk and vanilla.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add chocolate and melt in 30 second intervals, stirring between each one.
- Add melted chocolate in a slow stream to the mixing bowl, while mixing on low speed. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating well on low speed after each cup.
- Once fully incorporated, bump up speed to medium and beat for 1 minute until light and fluffy.
- For stiffer frosting add a little more powdered sugar, for softer frosting add a bit more milk to achieve desired consistency.
- Frost with offset spatula, butter knife, scoop, or piping bag. Add sprinkles if desired.
- Serve and Enjoy!
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