Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

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This super easy homemade chocolate cupcake recipe is light and fluffy and perfectly chocolatey. This classic recipe is ready in under 1 hour and only requires a handful of pantry staple ingredients. Serve them plain or topped with frosting and sprinkles for a delightful treat. 

Close up on a frosted cupcake with sprinkles.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.

As you guys know, I love cooking and baking. Special occasions are a fun opportunity for me to try new recipes or to make my family their favorite foods to celebrate them on their special day. 

For my nephew’s birthday, he requested that I make him a homemade chocolate cake. My older sister helped me brainstorm and tweak this recipe and it came out great. He is a huge chocolate fan and he absolutely LOVED the cake. My younger sister helped him decorate it and he really enjoyed his birthday. 

We remade this recipe as cupcakes a few weeks later and we had fun topping them with different flavors of frosting and lots of sprinkles. These cupcakes were thoroughly enjoyed and would make a great birthday dessert or afternoon treat with a cup of tea or coffee.

How to Make These Moist Chocolate Cupcakes:

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners, then set it aside. 

Step 2. In a large mixing bowl add all the dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined. 

Step 3. In either a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the brown sugar, cane sugar, oil, whole milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined. 

Step 4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Then slowly add in the coffee. The batter will be loose. 

Step 5. Next, fill up each cupcake liner ¾ of the way with the batter. 

Step 6. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 7. Top with the frosting of your choice and enjoy!

Kitchen Items You Might Need For This Recipe:

Cupcake pan

Paper cupcake liners

Wire rack

Recipe Notes:

  • To Make A Cake: If you want to make a cake instead of cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and lightly flour two cake pans. Divide the batter between the pans. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool on a wire rack, then assemble the cake with frosting. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my chocolate cupcakes dry?

Using oil instead of butter really helps to create a light and fluffy cupcake. I like to use my homemade ghee but you could also use vegetable oil. 

How can I make my cupcakes moister?

There are a few things you can do to make your cupcakes extra moist. Use vegetable oil instead of butter, add enough milk, use a mixture of brown and white sugar, and start with room temperature ingredients. 

Looking For More Recipes?

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Classic Banana Bread

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

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Close up on a frosted cupcake with sprinkles.

Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

This super easy homemade chocolate cupcake recipe is light and fluffy and perfectly chocolatey. This classic recipe is ready in under 1 hour and only requires a handful of pantry staple ingredients. Serve them plain or topped with frosting and sprinkles for a delightful treat. 
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 16 cupcakes
Calories: 275kcal
Author: Tonya Fowler

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup cane sugar
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup strong coffee

Optional

  • Coconut pecan frosting
  • Chocolate frosting
  • Rainbow sprinkles

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the cupcake pan with paper liners then set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, add the brown sugar, cane sugar, oil, whole milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
  • Mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Then slowly add in the coffee. The batter will be loose.
  • Next, fill up each cupcake liner ¾ of the way with the batter.
  • Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.
  • Add frosting and enjoy!

Notes

All nutrition information is a rough estimate and this recipe card may contain affiliate links. 
Store in an airtight container for up to a week or in the freezer for several weeks.
Defrost cupcakes in the fridge overnight. 
Make it into a cake by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and lightly flour two round cake pans. Divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack, then frost and assemble the cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 328mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg

All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.

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