These are truly the best, easiest, and most moist chocolate cupcakes! If you're after a recipe that’s rich, fudgy, and still light and fluffy with bold chocolate flavor, this is it. Topped with a creamy chocolate buttercream that’s just the right amount of sweet, these cupcakes are perfect for any chocolate lover looking for an easy yet decadent treat!
Try my homemade funfetti cupcakes or chocolate chip cookie cake next!
I can usually tell if a cupcake isn't going to be good if the brown color is very light. Now, that's just my opinion, but I love when my cupcakes come out of the oven nice and dark and you can just tell by the smell and appearance that they're going to be amazing. Am I just a chocolate snob? Maybe! This is such an easy moist chocolate cupcakes recipe that always receives rave reviews!
These have been my go-to chocolate cupcakes for some time now and I have made them PLENTY so I can for sure tell you they are fool/fail-proof. The chocolate frosting just melts in you mouth and pipes beautifully onto cupcakes and you can use it for frosting anything! I love frosting cakes and brownies with it too.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- These super moist chocolate cupcakes are absolute chocolate overload!
- If you are looking for a chocolate cupcake recipe that yields intense chocolate flavor in both the cupcake recipe AND frosting recipe, you've come to the right place.
- These would be the most perfect chocolate birthday cupcakes! Just top with sprinkles!
Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Buttermilk: To make buttermilk at home, stir in ½ tablespoon of white distilled vinegar or fresh lemon juice to the ½ cup of milk in this recipe. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until thickened.
- Hot coffee: You can brew strong coffee fresh or use 1-2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso and mix with hot water.
Chocolate Buttercream
This easy buttercream frosting is the best frosting for chocolate cake!
- Unsalted butter: If you only have salted butter on hand, omit the salt in the recipe.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions.
Substitutions & Variations
Best Easy Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Change up the frosting: White chocolate buttercream, cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting, raspberry buttercream or raspberry champagne frosting are all delicious options.
- Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes: Substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Dairy-free chocolate cupcakes: Substitute regular milk with your favorite dairy-free milk like almond, coconut, oat or soy.
- Nutella cupcakes: Top with Nutella frosting and/or fill the centers with Nutella ganache.
- Chocolate chip cupcakes: Fold mini chocolate chips to the batter.
- Mini size: Make mini chocolate cupcakes perfect for kids in a mini muffin tin.
Jessica's Recipe Tips
- High quality cocoa powder: Use high quality cocoa powder for the best flavor. I use mostly Hershey's brand in all of my recipes and it works just fine. I don't recommend using store brand unless you absolute have to.
- Don't Overmix: Mix the cupcake batter just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to dense cupcakes. A few lumps are okay - they'll disappear during baking.
- Measure Flour correctly: When measuring flour, use the spoon-and-level method: spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge. This prevents dense and dry cupcakes caused by adding too much flour!
- Baking Time: I alway check for doneness a few minutes before the recommended baking time just incase! A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Storage
To Make Ahead: These moist chocolate cupcakes and the frosting can both be made a few days ahead of time. Place cooled cupcakes in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For the frosting, prepare and refrigerate for up to 3 days as well. Allow cupcakes and frosting to come to room temperature. Beat frosting into a fluffy texture and pipe onto cupcakes.
Room temperature: Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing instructions: Wrap completely cooled cupcakes tight in a layer of plastic wrap and then place in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Make buttercream fresh.
Recipe FAQs
Sure, but I don't recommend it! Adding coffee to your chocolate cupcakes deepens the chocolate flavor and provides a more complex chocolate taste. You will not taste the coffee at all in the final result! If you are concerned, just replace with plain hot water.
Yes! Hot, not boiling. The heat will activate the cocoa powder to bring out even more flavor.
Yes, you can substitute for vegetable or canola oil. BUT I like to use butter because it adds another layer of rich flavor.
Yes, you can refrigerate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream, especially if you're in a warm environment. However, bring them to room temperature before serving to enjoy the full flavor and texture
Use a piping bag or a resealable bag with a corner snipped off (my go-to!) fitted with a large star tip for a classic swirl design. Hold the bag perpendicular to the cupcake and apply even pressure while piping from the center outward.
Sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa powder before adding it into the recipe can help prevent lumps and create a smoother buttercream. Also, the addition of heavy cream can enhance the creaminess.
You sure can! To fill two 9" round cake pans, you will just need to double the ingredients in this chocolate cupcake recipe. You will also need to double the buttercream recipe to frost them. The cakes should bake for approximately 35-40 minutes at 350°F.
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📋 Recipe
The Best Easy Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup buttermilk*, see notes to make your own
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup hot strong coffee or espresso*
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2-3 tbs heavy cream, or milk for a less creamy frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners, set aside.
For the cupcakes
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla together until thoroughly combined. Slowly pour in dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour in hot coffee and mix until completely combined. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Batter will be very runny.
- Divide batter among prepared cupcake liners no more than ⅔ full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist with a few crumbs. Tops should slightly spring back when touched. Allow cupcakes to cool for about 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to finish cooling.
For the frosting
- Whip butter for 3 minutes on medium speed until smooth and no lumps remain. Add cocoa powder and powdered sugar and beat until completely combined. Add vanilla and heavy cream and whip frosting until light and fluffy. Start with 1 tbs of heavy cream and work up from there if needed. Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Amy says
These look DELICIOUS! I'd love to make them for a party. Could they be put in the freezer til I needed them? And should I frost them before or after freezing them? YUM! I can't wait.
Tiffany says
I had been looking online for 3 days for a Mexican chocolate cupcake recipe. I had issues with each one for one reason or another and just looked for a good chocolate recipe I could modify (I had sure read enough recipes to know what to add!) I used yours as the base recipe and added 2tsp cinnamon and 1/8tsp cayenne to the dry ingredients. First I was terrified I'd messed up, it was so liquid. My 8 year old daughter was basically drinking it with a straw though. I poured it in the cups and baked as directed and DANG is that a great cupcake! Thank you so so so much!
Roro says
What would happen if I had not included the 1 egg?
Jessica says
I have not tested it that way but I can imagine that the cupcakes will have an odd texture and will not rise correctly.
Beth says
Do they have to be refrigerated or will they be ok for a day at room temp?
Jessica says
They are perfectly fine at room temperature.
Kim says
These look amazing! Does the frosting recipe make enough to pipe all the cupcakes?
Jessica says
Thank you, Kim! Yes, it does.
Tamara says
These were delicious. I added a tsp of rasp ext along with the vanilla ext and some salt to the frosting. I got rave reviews at the party! Thank you so much for posting this!
Carol says
Ultimate chocolate cupcakes? Um...DEFINITELY!!!!!!!
I just made these, and they are BY FAR the best chocolate cupcakes I've ever had. The cake is moist, tender, and rich. They're amazing!
I filled and topped mine with marshmallow fluff then sprinkled on some graham cracker crumbs. Really, though, I'd eat the cupcake plain. They are THAT good.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Its the first I've made of yours, but you can bet I'll be back for more!
Jessica says
Oh, this makes me so happy!! 🙂 Thanks so much, Carol! Your s'mores version sounds AMAZING!
Kerri says
im so happy I found someone with my same love for chocolate! I just made these and even just making the batter, I could tell these were going to be delicious. Mine were done in about 15min. The first batch I set the timer for 20min and they came out Alittle overcooked. Overall this is definitely my new go-to chocolate cupcake. Simple. The only changes I made was I ate mine with peanut butter frosting haha thanks for sharing this recipe!
Jessica says
Thank you, Kerri!! I'm glad you loved the cupcakes. They're my favorite! Peanut butter frosting sounds amazing on these! 🙂
Kyia says
Ohh man! I am in love with everything on your blog, and these chocolate cupcakes are my go to, for sure! I can practically taste them just thinking about them!
Jessica says
Oh, thank you, Kyia! That is so sweet of you. And yes, I agree, these chocolate cupcakes are definitely the best! They're still my go-to also. 🙂
Jessica says
Oh, thank you, Amanda! You're welcome. I'm glad you loved them! 🙂