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.
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.
Does the time change if I use this as a 8 inch cakes?
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 https://houseofnasheats.com/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.
Hello. I’ve been using this recipe for years, but any ideas to make it sugar free?
Oh gosh, no, I’m sorry! I haven’t even attempted sugar-free baking.
Hello! Any ideas to make this sugar free?
Old dog, new tricks. This is a phenomenal, quick recipe. Delicious. I used 1/4c oil w 1/4c applesauce to reduce fat & it’s certainly not noticeable. I always add either espresso powder or coffee to anything chocolate that I bake & the addition of hot coffee is perfect in this edition. A keeper! I immediately pinned it! (And, I’ve been cooking & baking longer than many of you have been alive…so trust me on this one!)
All my ingredients was at room temp and I only filled them half full and I did not get them to raise like you show. Any ideas to why ?
Taste great and I used hot coffee to really bring it the chocolate flavor.
Hmmm I don’t know? Some factors that can affect the rising could be oven temperature or old or expired ingredients like baking soda or baking powder. Sometimes over mixing can make cupcakes deflate. I have also seen some people have success with putting the oven at 400 for 5 minutes then bring it back down to 350. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions!
I’m going to make that when I get a chance.
You definitely should! It’s a good one!
I think I’ve made your One Bowl Chocolate Cake recipe for years now; just came across this cupcake recipe and tried it a few separate times (not doubling it). Unfortunately, each time there was no dome. Do you know possibly what could have happened? I followed the recipe exactly. They’re delicious just a little low & flat because I filled them low.
These seem particularly susceptible to either overfilling (doesn’t sound like that’s your issue), altitude (I’m at sea level) or baking powder or baking soda that isn’t super fresh. It could be any of those things. I will say that they don’t dome a ton, but they should be slightly rounded and not flat on top. I hope that helps!
I’ve never enjoyed cupcakes much because the cake is usually dry and the icing too sweet but these were perfect! Very moist and I used the chocolate cream cheese icing which paired wonderfully with it! Thank you very much, best cupcakes I’ve ever made!
These turned out PERFECT! I think the buttermilk made such a big difference. Everyone at my party loved them!
I made these for my kiddos Birthday Party. SO GOOD! I used cacao powder instead of cocoa powder, and replaced vanilla with maple syrup. Still turned out perfectly moist, rich, and fluffy! Thank you for the the fantastic recipe 😊
I bake quite often and try new recipes and this really is the best chocolate cupcake recipe I’ve tried, so far. It stayed moist and fluffy for days!
Definitely a new favorite!
I just made these and they are pretty great! Nice crumb and moist.
I made caramel buttercream and sprinkled with a bit of seasalt flakes.
So yum!
Easy to follow recipe. Very good flavor and moist! Came out of the oven with a dome and it did not sink. I used hot coffee for the liquid and it worked perfectly. Will make this again.
Came out great!
I’m going to try this recipe! But I was wondering if the measurement for All-purpose flour is correct as I’ve always measured 1 cup of All-purpose flour to 120g or 4.25oz. This recipe states 141g (4.97oz) for 1 cup. Can you tell me how you come to 141g for 1 cup of All-purpose flour? When I try this recipe I’m going to replace the 1/2 cup hot water with a 1/2 cup of hot coffee.
Everybody measures their flour a little differently unless they are going solely by weight (which is the most accurate method). Way back when I was first testing this recipe I used to scoop my flour and level it (I know, I have learned things over the years of blogging and being a self-taught home baker). After a lot of learning and testing, I have come to realize that when I scoop my flour it is almost always 141 grams per cup vs. when I spoon and level flour (and get 125 grams per cup). So those are the measurements I have been using going forward as I update posts with measurements. As for replacing the water with hot coffee – go for it! I have had lots of people do the same and say they love it.
Y las cantidades? No las encontré.
The recipe instructions and ingredients will always be listed. A quick way to find it is click the “jump to recipe” button right underneath the recipe title.
Very delicious!! Not too sweet. Followed directions exactly and everyone loved them! Thanks for a perfect cupcake recipe 😊
Oh wow thank you!
I’m not sure what these are supposed to be, but the cupcakes were some of the worst things I’ve ever baked. The taste was ok, but they took almost 10 minutes longer than advertised and over half fell in the middle. Even after the 10 extra minutes, the insides were still under cooked.
I followed the entire recipe to a T. After adding the water, the mix was like a liquid. The whole thing, from ingredients to instructions were seemingly off. I’d like to recommend these but I cannot.
I’m sorry these didn’t work out for you, Josh. Have you considered calibrating your oven? It might be worth getting an inexpensive oven thermometer to check the accuracy of the oven temp because if it took that much longer to bake these my guess is that it’s cooking on the cool side.
Its a great recipe
Very disappointed. Followed recipe exactly as listed. Cupcakes were not at all domed. Couldn’t even frost them as they were sunk down in holders.
These cupcakes are perfect every time! I don’t usually have buttermilk on hand so I use a mixture of sour cream or yogurt thinned down with water to a consistency similar to buttermilk as a replacement and haven’t noticed a huge difference. But truly these are awesome! Very delicate, moist, chocolate-ty without being overtly rich!
Wow! Thank you for making them! Great substitutions for the buttermilk.
how many servings does this recipe make?
Hi! It makes 14 cupcakes.
Hi, these cupcakes were absolutely delicious. I did experience one small problem and wanted your advice. When we remove the cupcake case it always sticks to the cupcakes and makes a mess. I’m not sure why the cupcake itself does not hold its shape (it just crumbles and we then have to eat it with a spoon instead).
I think a little bit of stickiness is normal when it sticks to the cupcake wrapper but if they are having an issue getting really sticky you can spray the liners with a little bit of non-stick cooking spray but also as soon as your cupcakes are out of the oven take them right out of the pan and onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Once they are completely cooled you can unwrap them. Also making sure they are fully baked in the oven will help because an underbaked cupcake can result in it being sticky.
Hi, I just made these this weekend and they were awesome.Great taste and texture.I will soon make a cake.
Thank you for a great recipe.
Thank you!
Can these be made with sugar free ingredients
To be honest I haven’t tried it with sugar free ingredients so I don’t know how it would turn out but you could certainly try it! Let me know how it goes and other readers could also benefit from your results!
Hi i wanted to turn into cake i got 2 glass square pyrex trays i dont know sizes but i know big tray holds over 2 litres water under 3 litres water an i know small tray holds over 1 litre water under 2 litre water an i got springform pans one each 24cm 26cm 28cm so wil i use glass square pyrex tray an if yes the big one an with same measurements? An same bake time? Or its better to use my round springform pan, all my springform pans is round so should i use 1× 28cm round springform pan and same quantity? An wats baking time
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.
Did you publish a recipe for Sour dough Bread?
Yes I did! https://houseofnasheats.com/sourdough-bread/
My go to chocolate cupcake recipe, absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you for telling me! That’s great!
Hi!
I haven’t made these yet but am going to for my daughter birthday. I was just wondering if there’s a good substufor the Vegetable oil? We have been trying to stay away from that and wasn’t sure if there was good one I could use or not?
Thank you!
You could try Avocado oil. It’s flavorless and you most likely wont even notice the switch.
I don’t even like chocolate cake but ya know the cool has to try the food before serving guests. And this blew my mind!!!!!!! I kept saying God I don’t even like chocolate cake but this is amazing lol. I could not stop sampling 😂
Thank you so much, best chocolate cake ever!!!!
Wow this is the best! Thank you! I guess not all chocolate cakes are made equal!