These really are the best ever super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes and there are hundreds of FIVE STAR ratings and dozens of reviews to prove it!. Made from scratch in under 30 minutes with cocoa powder, they are deeply chocolatey, perfectly fluffy, and with a slightly domed top. And dare I say it? These homemade, moist chocolate cupcakes are way better than any boxed cake mix, with the same super moist crumb and texture that you know you love.
If you also prefer homemade cakes made from scratch over box cake mixes, you will definitely want to check out my Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting, Homemade Funfetti Cake, and Best Red Velvet Cake.
Table of Contents
This is the be all, end all, of chocolate cupcake recipes. Your days of resorting to a cake mix can be a thing of the past.
If you love making desserts from scratch and have been searching for the perfect chocolate cupcake recipe, your search is over.
I know these are big claims, but honestly, I feel like I have tried every chocolate cupcake recipe on the planet.
And while there are many good chocolate cupcake recipes out there, this one is hands down the best chocolate cupcake recipe ever. I'm pretty confident you will agree.
These cupcakes are the perfect thing to pair with homemade rainbow chip frosting recipe. Or the best chocolate buttercream you've ever tasted (it's the chocolate frosting that is pictured in these photos). And I have a salted caramel frosting recipe that is also amazing with these cupcakes.
Heck, I have an entire category of frosting recipes that would pretty much all be amazing with these moist chocolate cupcakes! And honestly, the cake part itself is so amazing that I always eat at least one cupcake sans frosting while I wait for them to cool.
What makes these chocolate cupcakes so moist?
The two biggest players in keeping these chocolate cupcakes moist are using buttermilk and oil in the recipe, as opposed to butter and sour cream, which are both commonly used in chocolate cakes.
If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, you can make an easy substitute by adding ½ tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a ½ cup measuring cup, then filling the rest of the way with milk. Stir, then let sit for 5 minutes before adding to the recipe in place of the buttermilk.
And while you technically could replace the oil with butter in this recipe, the cupcakes won't be as moist for some science-y reason that I can't explain. Just go with it - if you want to replicate the moist texture and fluffiness of a box cake mix (with way better flavor because these cupcakes are made from scratch), use the oil instead of melted butter.
How to Make Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes From Scratch
Start by combining flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until everything is combined.
There is one more ingredient, which is very hot water. It's super important to achieving super moist chocolate cupcakes with an intense chocolate flavor.
The hot water doesn't have to be boiling, but it needs to be really hot because the heat is going to react with the cocoa powder, causing it to "bloom", which brings out as much chocolate flavor as possible from the cocoa powder. I find that my tap water gets hot enough if I let it run for 10-15 seconds or so, but you could also microwave some water for a minute or boiling some water on the stove.
The hot water is also going to create a pretty thin batter, too. Don't be alarmed! It really is supposed to be like that.
The thin batter is going to allow the baking powder and baking soda in the batter to really do their magic and the cupcakes will rise and dome beautifully, with a wonderful texture thanks to all the scientific magic going on behind the scenes.
Readers have said you can use hot coffee in place of the water, but I haven't tried that myself.
How much do you fill cupcakes?
Be sure to only fill the cupcake liners halfway full! Not ¾ or even ⅔ full, which are common amounts for other cupcake recipes. Just half.
It is going to seem strange and like there is not nearly enough batter in each cupcake liner, but just trust me on this one. There is so much lift to the thin batter that if the cupcake liners are too full, the cupcakes will overflow and you won't get that beautiful, domed cupcake shape that is the hallmark of perfect cupcakes.
Plus, the top edges will get crisp and stick to the pan and the cupcake centers are probably going to sink. So just halfway full, m'kay?
If you find that your cupcakes aren't doming on top, try filling your liners a little less next time. Or if you are baking at a high altitude, you might want to use this helpful guide to high-altitude baking and see if that helps, since I'm in California near sea level.
How do you tell if cupcakes are done without a toothpick?
I never use the toothpick test on cupcakes. For one, I hate digging around the back of my spice cupboard to find them. But also, I feel like it isn't as accurate as simply touching the tops of the cupcakes.
The best way to tell if cupcakes are done is to lightly tap the top of a cupcake. If it bounces right back, they are done. If a little indentation from your finger remains, the cupcakes need to bake a little bit longer.
What kind of cocoa powder do I prefer?
I have a few chocolate brands that I think make really great cocoa powder, like Rodelle and Ghiradelli, but I don't have any problems with good old Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder, which is available at any grocery store.
Can I Use This Chocolate Cupcake Recipe to Make a Cake?
Yes, you can absolutely use this recipe to make a super moist chocolate cake instead of cupcakes. Just keep the following in mind if that's the route you decide to go:
- This recipe only makes 14-16 cupcakes which is the same as one square baking dish or 9-inch round cake layer. If you are trying to make a cake in a large rectangular baking dish or create a two layer cake, just double the recipe or use my One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe!
- The oven temperature stays the same, but the baking time will change since individual cupcakes cook faster than cakes cooked in larger pans. Cakes cooked in 9-inch baking pans should take about 30-35 minutes to fully bake, but just be sure to test the center of each cake with a toothpick or sharp knife to test for doneness before taking your cake layers out of the oven.
More Cake & Cupcake Recipes You'll Love
- Key Lime Cupcakes
- Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
- Gingerbread Cupcakes with Eggnog Buttercream
- S'mores Cupcakes with Graham Cracker Frosting
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Best Ever Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (141g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (50g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup very hot water
Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4-6 Tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and whisk together.
- Combine the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in another bowl and whisk together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix using a stand mixer until combined.
- Add the hot water to the batter and mix again, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, until combined. Batter will be thin.
- Fill cupcake liners only ½ full, then bake for 18-21 minutes, until the tops bounce back when you touch them with a finger or a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs when used to test a cupcake.
- Cool completely before frosting with chocolate frosting or your favorite frosting.
Frosting
- Cream butter and cocoa powder together until smooth in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer.
- Add half of the powdered sugar mixing on medium speed until combined. Add remaining powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, mixing well, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add heavy cream or milk, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, mixing between each addition until you reach the desired consistency that is easily spreadable or pipeable, but will still hold its shape.
- Transfer to a decorative piping bag and pipe swirls onto cooled cupcakes.
Video
Notes
- This recipe calls for buttermilk, but if you don't have any on hand, you can make an easy substitute by adding ½ tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a ½ cup measuring cup, then filling the rest of the way with milk. Stir, then let sit for 5 minutes before adding to the recipe in place of the buttermilk.
- Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- You can use the chocolate buttercream frosting recipe listed above or another frosting recipe.
Nutrition
When I first posted these chocolate cupcakes, I made them with my salted caramel frosting, which is a super scrumptious combination! Here is one of the original images below.
I made this tonight for my new partners family and they were blown away. Perfect recipe. For the extra few (it made 17 for me) I threw in some toasted pecan bits. Wow, super yummy! Toooed with cream cheese frosting. What a combo! Highly recommended!!
Oh good! Glad you enjoyed them! Ooh toasted pecan bits would be so good!
Best chocolate cupcake recipe I have ever made. Topped with homemade cream cheese frosting. It was a huge hit and will be my “go to” for chocolate cupcakes in future!
Thank you!!!
Terri B
Oh wow thank you! I'm glad you liked them!
I doubled this recipe and after reading other comments, I used coffee instead of water. The batter really is runny, and messy pooring in to the liners. I used foil cupcakes liners, and some of the cupcakes completely separated from the liners while I was decorating them. It was a little frustrating. They taste amazing, though.
I poured the batter into a big measuring cup and virtually drip free pouring as a result.
The best cupcakes I've ever made, so moist and fluffy.
Can u fill theses cups with a cream cheese chocolate chip mixture? Not sure if it would taste good.
Oh yes I think that would be delicious! Try it!
I tried them before were very nice so i am doing it twice
I was skeptical with how thin the batter was, but these are soooooo good!!
Thank you! They're one of my favorites!
I don’t leave recipe comments, but I have to for this one. these are the best chocolate cupcake. ever. so moist. so good. i have made them 3 times in the last month, with your chocolate buttercream frosting and with your cream cheese frosting. both dynamite. my husband who usually just inhales things, actually paused and said, “woah, these are good.” thanks for great recipes and great explanations!!!
I'm so glad they were such a hit!
Can I use this recipe to make an 8 inch cake or do I need to double it?
If you want to make a 2-layer 8-inch cake, then yes, you will need to double the recipe.
Omg these are so good! The cupcake is so light and fluffy and the chocolate buttercream is delicious. I filled mine with a chocolate ganache as well. These will be demolished in no time!
These cupcakes turned out beautifully! I love that you put the weight too. Great recipe!!
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed them!
The cupcakes are just perfect. I didn't try the frosting.
I havnt made these yet but am in the UK and when using a conversion chart for cup measurements it says that 1cup of flour is 240 g yet this recipe says
1 cup of flour is 141g . So bit confused as to how these will work?
Hi Pat! I'm not sure what conversion chart you have looked at, but typically 1 cup of flour is between 125 and 141 grams in my experience. It can depend on how the individual baker measures the flour (scooping versus spooning into the cup, etc.) which is why I try to specify the weight for more consistent results for bakers who have switched to weighing ingredients. If you use 240 grams for 1 cup, this recipe will not work as well for you.
Unfortunately when I chose to 2X the ingredients please notice it does not double the ingredients in grams so mine turned out sunken in the middle instead of domed because those items didn’t get doubled!
Shoot! I know, I wish there was a way to add that feature to the recipe card. I think a lot of creators have mentioned this to the recipe card plug-in developers that we would like that feature.
I made these cupcakes for my mom's birthday, and oh my gosh!!! So fluffy and light and chocolatey and PERFECT!!! Will totally be making these again. Thank you so much Amy for the ingenious recipe!
Hi toooo fluffy and soooo Devine an toooo light so im just wondering Wil I be able to turn this into vinalla
So glad you loved them! I wouldn't attempt this recipe by just omitting the cocoa powder to make a vanilla version. Instead, if you liked them I recommend trying my Moist Vanilla Cupcakes from Scratch recipe instead!
I absolutely loved this recipe, delicious!
My brother prefers Vanilla cupcakes, can I keep this recipe but make it Vanilla?
Hi! I am so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! I actually have an amazing vanilla cupcake recipe! https://houseofnasheats.com/vanilla-cupcake-recipe/
Hi
Can I make the frosting a day before and frost them before serving?
Yes, you can. You can make the frosting a week in advance and refrigerate it, then let it come to room temperature on the counter for a few hours before beating it again to fluff it up and use it, if that helps too.
Excellent cupcakes, big success for my grandson's 4th birthday. I doubled the cupcake recipe, but not the frosting part, and it was more than enough for all cupcakes.
Thank you for the recipe.
Rivi
The printed recipe for the frosting says 1 cup of salted butter. The video says 1 1/2 cups of salted butter. Which is correct?
Hi! Honestly, sometimes I switch it up with the amounts of ingredients in the frosting and when I am making it at home I don't even measure anymore. I just taste test to see I need to add anything else. But if you are ever in doubt, just stick to the recipe card! It's a guaranteed delicious chocolate buttercream frosting!
Can you use olive oil in place of vegetable oil for this recipe?
Hi! Yes you can use olive oil in place of vegetable oil but I would make sure to use just regular olive oil and not extra virgin olive oil. Sometimes extra virgin olive oil can change the flavor slightly, although some people like the added flavor.