Best Chocolate Cupcakes From Scratch

These chocolate cupcakes are made from scratch using only the best ingredients. They’re moist, fluffy, and delicious! Make these delicious chocolate cupcakes today!

Make your own chocolate cupcakes from scratch! You’ll love these chocolate cupcakes because they’re easy to make and taste great! They are ready within an hour. I can assure you that these are the moistest chocolate cupcakes ever. Because these cupcakes stay perfectly moist for 4 days. No more boxed cake mixes.

I made this chocolate cupcake recipe with coffee. Yes, Espresso is one of the secret ingredients of these chocolate cupcakes. Coffee is often added to baked goods and desserts to intensify the chocolate flavor. Coffee increases our sensitivity to sweet flavors and decreases our sensitivity to bitter ones. Don’t worry if you don’t like coffee, because you won’t taste the coffee back when the cupcakes are ready.

This basic recipe is my to-go recipe for making the best chocolate cupcakes with rich chocolate flavor. Not only coffee is used in this recipe to give its rich chocolate flavor, but also cacao powder and dark melt chocolate. An advantage of dark chocolate is that it melts in the oven and therefore makes the cupcakes extra moist.

You’ll love these chocolate cupcakes so much that you’ll be making them again and again! They’re perfect for birthdays or just because! These cupcakes are delicious with chocolate buttercream, vanilla buttercream, or ganache as a topping. Actually, all toppings go well with these easy chocolate cupcakes.

My recipe for chocolate buttercream combines perfectly with these cupcakes. Try also one of my other cupcake recipes – Churro Cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream or Moist red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

The secret to the intense chocolate taste in the recipe is the use of two types of chocolate, namely cocoa powder and dark melting chocolate. In addition, coffee is also used in the recipe to enhance the chocolate flavor of the cupcakes.

• Sunflower oil: In the chocolate cupcakes recipe, sunflower oil is used instead of butter, because sunflower oil makes the cupcakes smoother and less dry.

• Cocoa powder: use good quality cocoa powder, because there is a big difference in taste between different brands. Use Dutch process cocoa, also known as European cocoa powder for this recipe. European cocoa powder causes a chemical reaction with the baking soda, making it rise perfectly in the oven.

• Dark melting chocolate: Use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, as it gives a more intense chocolate taste. Get good dark melting chocolate (from the baking department), so that the chocolate melts well in the oven when baking. This ensures that the cupcakes are extra creamy.

• Baking powder and baking soda: The recipe uses both baking powder and baking soda so the cupcakes can travel up perfectly. Note: baking powder is slightly different from self-rising flour.

• Coffee: In the recipe, 1 espresso or half a cup of strong coffee is added. Coffee ensures that the chocolate taste comes into its own even more. In the end, you will not taste the coffee in the muffins.

• Buttermilk: Buttermilk reacts in combination with baking soda, which makes for fluffier cupcakes. In addition, buttermilk provides an extra soft and creamy taste.

• Light brown sugar – Keeps the cupcakes moist and sweetens the cupcakes.

• Eggs – are used to add structure to baked goods. Use large eggs at room temperature.

• Vanilla extract – gives baked goods more taste. Choose a good quality vanilla extract, because that really makes a difference.

🍽 Equipment

The equipment you need for making chocolate cupcakes.

• Whisk, hand mixer, or a stand mixer
• Mixing bowl
• Cupcake pan (optional)
• Cupcake baking cups
• Kitchen scale

🔪 Step-by-step instructions

Let’s walk through how to make chocolate cupcakes from scratch. For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card. 

Instructions for moist chocolate cupcakes

STEP 1 – PREHEAT THE OVEN

Preheat the conventional oven to 165℃ / 330 °F. Position an oven rack in the center position. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners

Step 2 – Mix dry ingredients

Sieve all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix them together.

Step 3 – Mix wet ingredients

Mix all the liquid ingredients together in a large mixing bowl with a ladle until solved.

Step 4 – Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients

Mix the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients with a whisk until solved. Chop the dark chocolate into little chunks and fold it into the mixture.

Step 5 – Bake the chocolate cupcakes

Divide the cupcake batter over cups with an ice cream scoop or two spoons. Fill the prepared cups 2/3 full with batter. Don’t overfill! Bake at 165℃ / 330 °F for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Tip – Decorate these cupcakes with chocolate buttercream.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert tips

• Bake in grams – Use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients instead of using measurement cups. A kitchen scale is more accurate.
• Don’t overmix the batter – If you overmix the batter it will result in a gummy and unpleasantly chewy cupcake instead of a light and airy cupcake.
• Don’t overfill your cupcakes – Fill the cupcake lines for a maximum of 2/3. It is no problem to underfill your cupcakes.
• Don’t overbake the cupcakes – If you put the cupcakes in the oven for a longer time than needed. They will dry out. 
• Don’t open the oven door while baking. You can only do that at the end of the baking time to check the doneness of the cupcakes.
• Use room temperature ingredients 
• Use an ice scoop to divide the batter into cupcake tins. Make the ice scoop wet under cold water before using it. Or use two spoons.
• Use a kitchen scale to properly measure your baked goods.

🍞 How long can you store chocolate cupcakes?

Out of the refrigerator

Homemade chocolate cupcakes without topping or decoration can be stored for 4-5 days in an airtight container outside the refrigerator. Don’t refrigerate them, because they dry out in the fridge. The best way to store them is to store the cupcakes in a cool place. 

You can keep cupcakes with a topping for a maximum of 2 days, but it is best that you decorate and eat them on the same day and eat them. Store the cupcakes in a cool place.

Freezer

Undecorated cupcakes can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then pack them airtight and possibly in small portions. Unfortunately, you cannot freeze homemade chocolate cupcakes with a topping.

⚖️ Baking in grams

The most accurate way to bake is by baking by weight. Measuring cups are very inaccurate and can lead to baking failures. Therefore all of my recipes are posted in grams. I always bake with a scale, so I have a recipe card that automatically converts metrics to US customary, but it can have errors. So I advise you to bake with a digital scale. You can find them on Amazon for a small price.

⭐️ Did you make this? Please leave a star rating below or a review in the comments section.

📖 Recipe

👉🏻 Recommended

• Churro Cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream
• Passion fruit cheesecake
• No-bake mojito cheesecake
• Nutella brownies
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake
• Easy no-bake Double Chocolate Oreo Cheesecake
• Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek)

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