Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes

Name: Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 19 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped); ¼ cup heavy cream; 1 tablespoon powdered sugar; 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped); ⅓ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder; ¾ cup hot coffee; ¾ cup bread flour; ¾ cup granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 6 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 eggs; 2 teaspoons white vinegar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1¼ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 cup powdered sugar; ¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder; Pinch of salt; ¾ cup light corn syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 8 ounces chocolate (milk, semisweet or dark, melted and cooled)

by Michelle
published May 9, 2017

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4.2 (86 ratings)

These are the BEST chocolate cupcakes – a moist chocolate cupcake recipe made from scratch with a chocolate ganache center and dreamy chocolate frosting.

I have shared approximately one billion (actually, 40) cupcake recipes over the years, but this is the ONLY chocolate-chocolate version you’ll find. I’ve had some chocolate cupcake bases, but those were topped with things like peanut butter frosting, espresso buttercream and salted caramel frosting… then there were the faux Hostess cupcakes, the black-bottom cupcakes and the vegan chocolate cupcakes.

They are all amazing cupcakes, but when you need something fabulously rich and overflowing with chocolate flavor, this recipe is absolutely IT… done and done. I use this recipe anytime I want chocolate cupcakes; I’ve never even been tempted to try other recipes since finding this one.

First things first – the cake part of these cupcakes is phenomenal. It’s often times hard to find a cupcake recipe that not only domes perfectly when baked, but is also moist and tender inside (not dry and crumbly). These are all of that and more; they totally melt in your mouth.

To enhance the flavor and the moist texture, a dollop of chocolate ganache is placed on top of the cupcake batter before they are baked. It’s an optional step and you can make the cupcakes with out it, but I highly, highly recommend it (obviously, ha!).

And oh my, the frosting. It’s almost beyond words. Satiny smooth, buttery, just sweet enough and oh-so-chocolatey. I could (and did!) eat it with a spoon. Piled high on those cupcakes, it’s the perfect frosting-to-cupcake ratio for me. I do the whole “go big or go home” when it comes to frosting on cupcakes; no wimpy swirls here, only big, billowy mountains of chocolate frosting.

The way things were meant to be.

A couple of quick notes on this recipe:

The recipe calls for bread flour, which has a bit more protein than all-purpose flour and helps to keep the cupcakes stable enough for the ganache filling. I always use bread flour (even if I omit the ganache filling, which I do at times), but some readers have reported success using all-purpose flour, as well.
It’s important not to chill the ganache filling for too long, or it will be too firm and dense, and will sink to the bottom of the cupcakes (see evidence below!). It will still be there, and still be delicious, but will be firmer and lower in the cupcake than intended.
This is probably the most fabulous chocolate frosting I’ve made and have used it in a number of different recipes; it has corn syrup in it, which turns a lot of people off. I beg you to try it, but if you don’t like or don’t want to make it, then might I suggest my chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s totally different, but would be my #2 option for you.

Do you Need Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes?

While I have not personally created a gluten-free version, here are comments from readers who HAVE turned these into gluten-free cupcakes with success:

My daughter made these, at 11 years old. We made them, with gluten free baking mix, but otherwise followed the recipe and boy were they beyond delish. Just the right consistency in the cake, and the ganache in the center was a lovely addition. She shared them with our friends, and has been commissioned to make some more for them, as they have to eat gluten free…and rarely get such a delicious dessert. Well done! ~Gretchen A.

The best cupcakes ever! I changed them to Gluten Free all purpose flour and one teaspoon on Xantham gum, the best gluten free cupcakes we have every made! Thank you ~Dawn

This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day and I know everyone is clamoring for light, bright, spring-y desserts loaded with fruit, and I have a couple of those coming for you this week, but if your mom (or grandma, aunt, sister, wife, or whoever you are celebrating on Mother’s Day) is a chocolate lover, you can give her no better gift than these amazing cupcakes!

Bake away!

One year ago: Healthier Honey-Fig Scones
Four years ago: Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Five years ago: Mimosa Truffles