These moist chocolate cupcakes are a longtime reader favorite, loved for their soft, fluffy texture and rich cocoa flavor. With simple pantry ingredients and a quick mixing method, they bake up into perfect bakery-style cupcakes topped with creamy chocolate frosting. It’s ideal for birthdays, holidays, or whenever a chocolate craving strikes.
I was skeptical with how thin the batter was, but these are soooooo good!!
I first shared this chocolate cupcake recipe years ago, and it’s been baked and loved by thousands of readers since. What sets it apart is the simplicity. There’s no fancy steps and no hard-to-find ingredients here, just a tried-and-true method that delivers rich chocolate flavor and a perfectly moist crumb every single time. It’s the kind of recipe that feels both classic and foolproof, which is probably why it’s become such a go-to favorite.
If you love these chocolate cupcakes, you’ll definitely want to try some of my other classic flavors that readers come back to again and again like my Vanilla Cupcakes, Red Velvet Cupcakes, and these Funfetti Cupcakes. Each one is simple, reliable, and perfect for any celebration!
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
- The thin batter might surprise you, but it bakes into cupcakes with a beautifully tender crumb and consistent rise every time.
- Blooming the cocoa with hot water brings out a deep chocolate flavor that tastes rich and indulgent without being overly sweet.
- These cupcakes are sturdy enough to hold generous swirls of frosting, yet still soft and moist, making them a favorite for both everyday baking and special occasions.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- All-Purpose Flour – Provides structure while keeping the cupcakes light.
- Granulated Sugar – Sweetens and helps lock in moisture for a soft crumb.
- Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Use natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) for the right flavor and texture balance. I love Rodelle or Ghirardelli for their rich, smooth flavor, but classic Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder works great too.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Work together to help the cupcakes rise.
- Egg – Adds richness and binds the batter; room temperature is best.
- Buttermilk – Creates tenderness and reacts with the leavening for lift; you can make a quick substitute with milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
- Vegetable Oil – Keeps the crumb extra moist and soft for days, even more so than butter.
- Vanilla Extract – Enhances the chocolate flavor and adds warmth – use my homemade vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Hot Water – “Blooms” the cocoa, intensifying flavor and giving the batter its thin consistency for a tender crumb.
- Butter – Softened and whipped for the frosting, adding richness and a creamy base.
- Powdered Sugar – Sweetens and helps the frosting hold its shape.
- Heavy Cream or Whole Milk – Adjusts the frosting to a spreadable, pipeable consistency.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness in the cakes and frosting.
How to Make Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Mix dry ingredients. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients mix to the dry ingredients and stir together just until everything is combined.
- Add hot water. Stir in the very hot water until the batter is smooth and well combined. It will look thin, but that’s exactly how it should be – the heat helps “bloom” the cocoa for a deeper chocolate flavor and gives the cupcakes their soft, tender texture once baked.
- Pour batter into liners. Fill each cupcake liner only halfway full, to give them enough space to rise.
Adding the Hot Water (and Why It Matters)
The thin consistency is what allows the baking powder and baking soda to create those beautiful domed tops and light crumb throughout. Don’t worry if it looks runnier than most cupcake batters, it’s all part of the process. For an extra depth of flavor, try using hot coffee instead of water.
- Bake cupcakes. Put the pan in the oven and bake the cupcakes for 18-21 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool then decorate. Ensure the cupcakes are fully cooled before adding any frosting or decoration, otherwise it will melt straight off! They can cool in the pan for a couple of minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Make Chocolate Cupcake frosting
- Cream butter and cocoa powder. Beat the butter and cocoa powder together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer, until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix in half of the powdered sugar on medium speed until combined. Then add the remaining powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Adjust consistency. Add heavy cream or milk, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing between each addition until the frosting is smooth, spreadable, and holds its shape.
- Frost cupcakes. Transfer the chocolate frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe swirls onto the cooled cupcakes.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this batter can make one 9-inch round or 8×8-inch cake. For a 9×13-inch pan or a two-layer cake, double the recipe and bake about 30-35 minutes, checking the center for doneness.
Keep cooled cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They stay soft and moist the whole time.
Yes! I recommend freezing them unfrosted for the best texture. Once completely cool, place the cupcakes in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature, then frost before serving.
Bake the cupcakes a day ahead and frost once cooled. You can also make the chocolate frosting in advance, refrigerate, then bring to room temp and re-whip before piping.
Filling Your Cupcake ONLY Halfway
Only fill your cupcake liners halfway full – it might look like too little, but this thin batter rises a lot in the oven. Overfilling can cause the cupcakes to overflow, stick to the pan, or sink in the center instead of forming those perfect domed tops.
If yours aren’t doming nicely, try adding a little less batter next time, or check out my high-altitude baking guide and see if any of those tips help, since I’m baking from California near sea level.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can make your own buttermilk by adding ½ tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to ½ cup milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- Try my other frosting recipes one these cupcakes for more flavors. Some of my favorites are Salted Caramel Frosting, Oreo Frosting, Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, Cream Cheese Frosting, and this S’mores Cupcakes with Graham Cracker Frosting.
- Add mini chocolate chips, espresso powder, or orange zest to the cake batter for extra flavor.
- Fold in a small handful of finely chopped nuts, like pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts, for a little crunch and contrast against the soft, moist crumb.
More Cake & Cupcake Recipes You’ll Love
Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
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.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Combine the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in another bowl and whisk together.1 large egg, ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 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.½ cup very hot water
- 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.1 cup salted butter, ⅔ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 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.4 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
- 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.4-6 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Transfer to a decorative piping bag and pipe swirls onto cooled cupcakes.
Video
Notes
- Measure flour correctly – spoon and level for accuracy.
- Use room-temperature ingredients for even mixing.
- Don’t overfill cupcake liners; halfway is perfect for domed tops.
- Let cupcakes cool fully before frosting.
- 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.
- This recipe is on page 252 of my cookbook, House of Nash Eats Everyday!
- Store: Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature before frosting.
So lovely and decadent.
I made these tonight and they were delicious! They were perfectly moist and had a rich, but not overbearing, chocolate flavor, which I loved! I had to stop Jason from eating all of them! 🙂
Awesome! So glad you guys liked them and I really appreciate that you appreciate the balance of richness and chocolate without going too far, lol! It does my foodie soul good to hear such a compliment! 🙂
Hi there! Is there a way to adapt this recipe to a vanilla cake? Thank you!
Not really! I’m sorry! I still haven’t gotten around to perfecting my white cake recipe, although the one I use for strawberry shortcake is pretty wonderful! https://houseofnasheats.com/strawberry-shortcake/
you could ad more flour and no cocoa
Hi, could we please know what is the equivalent of a cup measurement for English bakers.
I haven’t had a chance to do conversions for my recipes yet, but this site has a helpful chart for you: https://www.sweet2eatbaking.com/uk-us-conversion/
Hi. I’m glad I found this recipe. It tastes great and is easy to make. Also, with how expensive butter is where I live, using an oil based recipe is my preferred option now. The only thing is, my cupcakes didn’t rise nicely like in your picture. I filled it halfway as you’ve instructed but it didn’t rise all the way up. It domed and then cracked, making it look like a volcano. Maybe my oven was too hot. I put it at 175°C. I’ll definitely be baking more with this recipe but I need to figure out how to make sure it doesn’t crack. Any tips?
Hi Moira! I’m glad you like the recipe but that’s too bad about yours cracking on top! My guess is that the oven was too hot and they cooked too fast, creating a crust on top that prevented proper expansion and finally resulted in cracks. Do you use an oven thermometer? They are pretty inexpensive and can really help to make sure the oven is set to the proper temperature during baking.
Your recipe is super success…. I m soo grateful that you shared your recipe with us.
Made these with bob mills gf cup for cup flour and they turned out perfect
Awesome! I love Bob’s Redmill gf cup-for-cup flour! It’s such a great product!
Think this could be done as a layer cake?
Yes, but you will want to double it to have enough for both layers.
My go to recipe for chocolate cupcakes! Would it work the same if I left out the chocolate to make a vanilla cupcake?
I’m glad you like them! No, I don’t think that they translate perfectly to a vanilla cupcake just by leaving chocolate out. Sorry! I’m working on a vanilla cupcake recipe soon though!
Thanks for the best recipe. I always make these and it gets finished in minutes. The only thing I don’t like is the taste of baking soda and the moist top.
is it okay to use dutch processed cocoa powder for this recipe?
Yes, you can use dutch processed cocoa powder in these.
Most amazing chocolate cake . Super moist very tasty. Thank you for the recipie.
You are welcome!
We do not have coffee. I do have espresso powder. Can I substitute and how?
This recipe does not call for coffee, so there isn’t really a need to substitute espresso powder.
Thank you for getting back so promptly. I must be seeing things. Will try this weekend. They look wonderful.
I can’t stand buttermilk. Can I substitute with regular milk instead?
You won’t be able to taste buttermilk in the cupcakes after they are baked. It makes a very tender, rich crumb. But you could try adding 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a 1/2 cup measuring cup then filling it the rest of the way with whole milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes before adding it to the batter where you would otherwise use buttermilk.
Hi Amy, thank you for sharing your recipe. Quick question, can I use cream instead of buttermilk?
You’re welcome! Cream doesn’t have the acidity that will cause the same reaction as buttermilk, but if you don’t have buttermilk you could combine a little lemon juice with whole milk or half-and-half (about 1 tablespoon lemon juice per cup of liquid, although I’m not sure I would go with cream) and let that sit for 5 minutes before using in place of buttermilk.
Would it make any difference if I use unsalted butter instead of vegetable oil?
Yes, actually, in this case it probably would. Oil actually makes most cupcakes more moist than butter. The recipe would work with butter, but you would be more likely to end up with cupcakes that weren’t quite as moist.
Instead of buttermilk what can I use???
You can substitute 1/2 cup greek yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup of milk, or pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill it to the top with milk and stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using. Both are great buttermilk substitutes.
that is what i did i used some lemon and milk and i love them
I used powered buttermilk. These cupcakes were very moist and chocolatey, very easy to make
Omg these were the best cupcakes I have ever baked. My family said they were award winning. My only problem is that there were not enough to last more than 1 day. Followed the recipe exactly, paired them with a chocolate cream cheese icing.
I’m glad you enjoyed them! I have never tried them with a chocolate cream cheese icing! Come to think of it, I have never HAD chocolate cream cheese icing! This must be remedied immediately! 🙂
Can you use unsweetened cocoa powder?
Yes! I edited the recipe to be more specific. 🙂
Great, thank you! I will be making them for my sons first birthday!
Made these this morning. the texture and moistness are Perfect. The flavor is good. I was just wondering if there is a way to make them more chocolaty. Like a devils food without changing texture . would the addition of melted chocolate work?
You could certainly try it! I use melted chocolate along with cocoa powder in my Devil’s Food Cake recipe and love it. I still think it’s super moist, but it doesn’t have quite the same texture as this cupcake recipe.
I hate dry cupcakes and this recipe was anything but dry!!! Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful and easy recipe! I made this for a friend’s son’s birthday airh cream cheese icing and it was a hit!
Have made these before and they are delicious, however I was just wondering if these can be filled in the center with sprinkles like a Pinata cupcake without compromising the integrity of the cupcake? Looking to make it special for Valentine’s Day!!
Yes, these can be filled without falling apart!
Thanks so much!!
Made these tonight and I’m highly impressed with the flavor, the texture, and just everything about them. The only thing I messed up on was missing the baking powder because I was dealing with kids and totally skipped right over that ingredient on accident but still came out lovely! I can’t wait to make it again right
Easily the best chocolate cake recipe I have ever made — and trust me, I have made QUITE a few!! I always find it so helpful to read peoples comments in addition to the blog component of recipes to make sure the cake is as good as it sounds/looks. This recipe stands up to all of the good reviews! I love how moist and spongy the cake is (replicating boxed cake) while also having the stability and density of a home-made, made-from-scratch cake.
To make up the 1/2 cup of cocoa powder the recipe calls for, I used 1/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark 100% Cacao and 1/4 cup Ghiradelli 100% cocoa to make sure the chocolate had a dark, bold flavor. Maybe not the fanciest, most high-end ingredients but it worked very well for me!
Using this recipe, I made 3-layers of 8″ round cake for a baby shower with only 12 people. The entire cake was gone by the end of the party. If that doesn’t tell you how good it is….
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! There is no doubt that this is my go-to cake now, let alone chocolate cake recipe. I’m excited to try out more of your stuff!
You are so welcome! And thank you so much for the glowing, thoughtful review!
Thanks for the recipe! I love the cupcake but when I make these they dont dome at the top like yours do. Any suggestions on why that might be?
Try not filling them quite as full next time. I have found that when I fill them a little too much they don’t dome as nicely. The only other thing I can think of would be to replace your baking soda and baking powder. But really I would think it’s probably how they were filled. It seems nuts to only fill the cupcake liners halfway but it totally works with these cupcakes.
Mine didn’t rise as much as the picture but they were moist and everybody loved them! Will be my go to recipe from now on.
Have you found a white cupcake recipe yet?? These are wonderful I also use this for my cakes!!
I haven’t found one that is just perfect yet! I’m sorry! I was working on one but I think I got cupcaked out for a while, but I need to get back to it soon! Try the white cupcake from Sally’s Baking Addiction though – she is one of my favorite bloggers and her recipes are always reliable.
It’s a winner both as cake and cupcake. Thank you for sharing this super easy and superb recipe. My family, friends and co-workers luv it. Even replaced the sugar once with sweetner for my dad to enjoy as he is diabetic, minus the frosting and it is now one of his favorite treats.
I’ve used this recipe to wow my coworkers several times for cupcakes. Can this recipe also work for a layered cake covered in fondant?
I would think so, but I have never worked with fondant, so I don’t know for sure.
Do you have to sift the dry ingredients or just combine it with a wodden spoon? Approximately how long should you mix all the ingredients together?
Honestly, I know a lot of bakers swear by sifting the drying ingredients, but I never do. Maybe just a quick whisk to evenly disperse them. As for a mixing time, it doesn’t take long. Just a minute or so until it’s all combined.
Hi there, I heard coffee can boost the flavor in chocolate cake/cupcake batters. Would it affect it too much by replacing the hot water with hot coffee? Thank you!
No, this would not affect the cake by replacing the hot water with hot coffee, and it’s something a lot of people do. I don’t drink coffee, so I never take this approach, but you are welcome to!
VERY moist and FLUFFY! Can’t wait to decorate them for my son’s 4th birthday. I must say i put a little less sugar as frosting will add the sweetness. Taste was good i put 4 stars as it wasn’t awesome.
I’m not sure I understand how you change the recipe and then only give it four stars because “it wasn’t awesome”. Maybe it would have been if you made it the way it was written.
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I added instant coffee to the hot water, cinnamon, a mix of coconut oil and butter instead of oil, and Truvia instead of sugar and i absolutely loved this cake. It was soooo moist. Mine didn’t rise as much though, so filling them half full gave me 3/4 filled cupcakes, maybe due to my subs. But DELICIOUS nonetheless!
I have tried many (many!) chocolate cake recipes but; as soon as I took my first bite of this cupcake, I immediately wrote on the top of the page, (because I prefer to print them in case I keep them …) “This is a keeper!!” I tripled the recipe due to several events I was serving or volunteering cupcakes for. Some I froze and some I frosted right away. I have never … ever … received so many compliments on cupcakes in my life! Yes, this is a keeper recipe for sure!
Thank you for such a wonderful review! I’m so glad you love it! I always aim to provide recipes that are keepers!
These were so simple and are insanely soft and moist. I always dread baking, but this was a dream to make. Thank you for sharing!
What type of frosting did you use? Was it homemade?
Yes, it was homemade chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s the same frosting I use with my yellow cake recipe.
Is it possible to make this dairyfree? What can I replace buttermilk with?
Hmm, I don’t do dairy free baking much, but I think these might work with coconut milk. I haven’t tried it, but that’s where I would start.
Or you might try almond milk or rice dream, but I believe you’ll still need either the vinegar or lemon juice as described in other comments to ensure you have the necessary acidity to get these to rise as expected.
Great point!
will this make 15 cupcakes
I always get 14 cupcakes from this recipe, but you could fill each liner just a tiny bit less and stretch it to 15 probably.
Well luv, ….. we now need your frosting recipe❣️
Purty Please!💞
Of course! Here it is! I added a link in the recipe card for this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting as well, since it’s such a popular choice!
Can you please share a recipe for chocolate frosting for the cupcakes 🙂 thanks
Absolutely! It’s this chocolate buttercream frosting. I’ve also linked to it in the post since it’s such a popular choice! I got asked for it so often I made a post entirely dedicated to it!
Hey just wondering if this is still as moist baking as a cake rather then cupcakes I know the bake time will be longer haha, I made these for my nephews christening now looking at doing cake form for my baby shower 🥰
Thank you!
Absolutely! This recipe can definitely be used to make a cake!
Just made these using Ghiradelli cocoa and hot strong columbian coffee in place of the water. Also, for the oil I used coconut not vegetable. FABULOUS!! Didn’t even need frosting, for realz! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Can I sub another oil for vegetable oil?
I have used canola oil as well, but I haven’t tried others with this recipe.
These came out perfect. 1/2 full is just right. They are amazingly moist cupcakes and I did use hot coffee which is a throwback trick in a recipe called Black magic cake that I used to make. Love this recipe.
I made these for my friend’s birthday this past weekend & they were a huge hit. Everyone loved them.
These were soooooo good. Thanks for the recipe. My fam loves them.
My oven only goes until 230 degrees recipe says 350?????
That’s 350 degrees F. In celcius I believe that’s around 176?
Oh my! This recipe is a keeper! I was really disappointed to find that I didn’t have enough cupcake liners went I checked my cupboard – but the batter was mixed and I was determined! (Along with my 4 year old son!)
So we greased the pan and hoped for the best. These cupcakes are so soft, so velvety, so properly chocolatey.. AND they held their shape when I carefully removed them from the pan. I’m printing this one! Thank you!
Hi this recipe sounds great. I don’t eat eggs so what other ingredient and measurement would you suggest as a substitute?
I wish I had more familiarity with egg substitutes but I have never tried this with something other than eggs. Sorry! I’ve heard that using the liquid from a drained can of chickpeas works well as an egg substitute in other recipes. Maybe here too?
Made these today! Oh my, were they ever moist and delicious! I used avocado oil, and hot coffee instead of water. I cannot believe how good these were. Box cake mixes are not coming into this house again!
Thank you for the recipe I will try this soon