Published: 05/29/2024
Simple to make and quick to disappear, these moist and flavorful chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting will be your new favorite. For best results, use natural cocoa powder and buttermilk in the cupcake batter. Love chocolate buttercream? You can definitely make the switch!
Have you tried my triple chocolate cake before? This chocolate cupcake recipe was adapted from that super-popular recipe. Like my classic vanilla cupcakes recipe, these chocolate cupcakes hold a sacred spot in my baking repertoire. There’s no reason to find a better version—this is THE chocolate cupcake recipe I use time and time again. I use the same batter to make these cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, too. (Try those next!)
Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting are a birthday party classic, so I want to make sure you have a recipe for just that. They’re the perfect party-tray complement to these yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting!
These Chocolate Cupcakes With Vanilla Frosting Are:
- Super moist and richly flavorful
- Soft with a spongey, cakey texture
- Based on the recipe for this reader-favorite chocolate cake
- Easy to prepare
- A delicious combination of vanilla + chocolate
- Perfect dessert for celebrations and birthday parties
Comparing My Chocolate Cupcake Recipes
I have another chocolate cupcake recipe in my favorites collection. The chocolate batter is similar, but it skips the hot liquid in lieu of another egg. The recipe works, but I find today’s cupcakes have a stronger chocolate flavor. The hot liquid in the recipe below encourages the cocoa powder to “bloom” or, in other words, extract its flavor. (Similar to how hot water extracts flavor from coffee or tea.)
Both recipes produce outstanding and deliciously moist chocolate cupcakes. But, when I’m looking for a stronger chocolate flavor, I choose today’s batter.
5 Key Points to Remember
- Cocoa powder takes the place of some flour, so that’s why there is so little flour in today’s batter.
- Make sure you’re using natural unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutched cocoa. Why? Here’s the difference between dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder. And if you are interested, here’s some info on the difference between baking soda vs. baking powder and why I use both in these chocolate cupcakes.
- Hot liquid enhances the cocoa powder’s flavor. It also encourages it to bloom and dissolve appropriately. If you don’t drink coffee, you can use hot water. For deeper and darker flavor, though, use coffee. (Decaf coffee works!)
- Fill your cupcake liners only 2/3 full. Trust me, you don’t want to fill them any more than that, or they will overflow when baking, then sink in the center.
- This recipe makes enough batter for 14 to 16 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with a few liners, or bake in batches.
Grab these ingredients:
Expect a thin batter. We don’t want a super thick batter here because that would yield dense cupcakes. That’s great for brownies, but we want spongey, cakey, and rich chocolate cupcakes.
Remember: this recipe makes enough batter for 14 to 16 cupcakes. Don’t try to fit all the batter into 12 muffin cups—you will have a disaster on your hands!
Vanilla Buttercream + Other Options
I love sweet & creamy vanilla buttercream frosting and rainbow sprinkles on these chocolate cupcakes. If vanilla frosting isn’t your top choice, you can use any of the following:
I used a large open star tip for the pictured cupcakes: Ateco 826 piping tip. A smaller version of this, which produces a similar look, is Wilton 1M piping tip.
Chocolate Cupcakes With Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes
Yield: 14-16 cupcakes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Description
Made from simple everyday ingredients, these chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting will be your new favorite. For best results, use natural cocoa powder and buttermilk in the cupcake batter.
Chocolate Cupcakes
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Instructions
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. This recipe yields about 14 to 16 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with a few more liners or bake in batches.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, preferably with a pour spout, whisk the oil, sugar, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk together until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the hot coffee/water, and whisk until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.
- Pour the batter into the liners, filling only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. You should have enough batter for 14 to 16 cupcakes.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cupcakes must be completely cooled before decorating.
- Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream/milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. I always add 1/8 teaspoon. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, or more cream/milk—a Tablespoon at a time—if frosting is too thick.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles, if desired. You can swipe the frosting on with an icing knife or use a piping tip such as Ateco 826 or Wilton 1M.
- Store leftover cupcakes covered at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can bake the cupcakes 1 day in advance. Keep cupcakes covered tightly at room temperature and frost the day of serving. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before frosting and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-cup Muffin Pan or this 12-cup Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Bowl with Pour Spout | Whisk | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Ateco 826 Piping Tip or Wilton 1M Piping Tip
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY version of buttermilk if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, lower-fat or nondairy milks can work for this soured milk, but the cupcakes won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe. You could also substitute sour cream.
- Hot Coffee: Hot liquid enhances the cocoa powder’s flavor. It also encourages it to bloom and dissolve appropriately. I promise these cupcakes don’t taste like coffee at all! If you don’t drink coffee, you can use hot water. For deeper and richer flavor, though, use coffee (regular or decaf, but make sure it’s black with no sugar or cream). You can either brew it in a coffee maker or make instant coffee.
- Mini Cupcakes: Fill mini liners only halfway and bake for 10–12 minutes at 350°F (177°C). Yields about 3 dozen.
- Cake: Here’s a chocolate cake that is just as moist and chocolate-y. To make enough vanilla frosting for that 2-layer cake, use the frosting ratios from this white cake recipe.
- Why Room Temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly.
- More Success Tips: Be sure to check out my How to Use Piping Tips post for instructions on how to fill a piping bag, and you can also read my 10 Tips for Baking the BEST Cupcakes.
