Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes
These chocolate cupcakes are the BEST! They are super moist, made from scratch, and are packed with rich chocolate flavor. Take them over the top with the optional creamy chocolate ganache center! Use the incredibly silky chocolate frosting included in the recipe, or change up the frosting for different seasons or occasions; there are many options linked below!
I have shared approximately one billion (actually, 35ish) 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 and the black-bottom cupcakes.
They are all amazing cupcakes, but this recipe is IT when you need something fabulously rich and overflowing with chocolate flavor. I use this recipe anytime I want chocolate cupcakes; I've never been tempted to try other recipes since finding this one.
Why I Absolutely LOVE These Chocolate Cupcakes
First things first - the cake part of these cupcakes is phenomenal. It's often hard to find a cupcake recipe that not only domes perfectly when baked but is also moist and tender inside (not dry and crumbly) with a rich chocolate taste. These are all of that and more; they 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 without it, but I highly recommend it.
And oh my, the frosting. It's almost beyond words. Satiny, smooth, buttery, just sweet enough, and oh-so-chocolatey. I could eat it with a spoon. Piled high on those cupcakes, it's the perfect frosting-to-cupcake ratio for me.
Ingredients Breakdown
Below are notes on the most important ingredients in these cupcakes (be sure to check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities):
- Bittersweet Chocolate – This is used in the ganache and the cupcake batter; bittersweet chocolate comes in a variety of percentages. I usually opt for around 60% which is closer to semisweet territory (and you can use semisweet if you prefer it), but you could go up to around 72% bittersweet if you’d like! I prefer to use Ghiradelli baking bars.
- Heavy Cream – For the ganache; I don’t recommend substitutions to ensure it sets up correctly.
- Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder – Don’t substitute unsweetened cocoa powder. You can find Dutch-process at some grocery stores, and also Amazon.
- Hot Coffee – The coffee really enhances the chocolate flavor and takes it to another level). Feel free to use decaf coffee if preferred; if you cannot have coffee for other reasons, you can substitute hot water.
- Bread Flour – This is used because it 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.
How to Make the Cupcakes
Here is a quick rundown on how to make the best chocolate cupcake recipe!
First, get your muffin pan ready by lining it with paper liners.
Step #1: Make the Chocolate Ganache – Melt together the chopped chocolate, heavy cream, and powdered sugar, then whisk together and chill in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.
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Step #2: Make the Cupcakes – Pour hot coffee over the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder, whisk until smooth, then refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together all of the dry ingredients (including sugar) in a medium bowl. Then, whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake liners, then place one rounded teaspoon of ganache on top of each cupcake batter. Bake until cupcakes are set and firm to the touch, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step #3: Make the Frosting – In a food processor, process the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the corn syrup and vanilla extract and process until just combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add the melted chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy. Frost the cupcakes as desired.
Recipe Notes & Success Tips
- Equipment Used – Muffin Tin / Paper Liners / Food Processor
- Ganache Filling – 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. It will still be there, and still be delicious, but will be firmer and lower in the cupcake than intended.
- Chocolate Frosting – This is a phenomenal chocolate frosting – it’s luscious and silky, not at all too sweet. It does have corn syrup in it, which turns a lot of people off. I beg you to try it, but if you don't like it or don't want to make it, then I suggest my chocolate buttercream frosting. It's different, but would be my #2 option for you. You could also use vanilla frosting, cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting, 7-minute frosting, or Swiss meringue buttercream!
- Gluten-Free Cupcakes – While I have not personally created a gluten-free version, multiple readers have reported success using gluten-free flour or baking mixes.
- Chocolate Cake – If you are looking for a chocolate cake recipe, I don’t recommend modifying this one, but highly recommend my best-ever chocolate cake!
- Double Batch – You can double this recipe to make 24 cupcakes.
- Storage – The frosted cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Make-Ahead Frosting – The frosting can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 hours before using, or refrigerated for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
- Freezing the Cupcakes – The baked (and cooled) cupcakes can be frozen in an airtight container or resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator, then frost as desired.
More Favorite Cupcake Recipes:
- Classic Vanilla Cupcakes
- Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Meringue Buttercream
- Coconut Cupcakes with Toasted Coconut Frosting
If you make these chocolate cupcakes and love them, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Ganache Filling
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (59.5 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
For the Cupcakes
- 3 ounces (85.05 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (28.67 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (177.75 ml) hot coffee
- ¾ cup (93.75 g) bread flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 1¼ cups (283.75 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (64.5 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup (255.75 g) light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) chocolate, milk, semisweet or dark, melted and cooled
Instructions
- Make the Ganache Filling: Place the chopped chocolate, heavy cream and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave on high power until the mixture is warm to the touch, 20 to 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth, then refrigerate until just barely chilled, no longer than 30 minutes.
- Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin pan with liners. Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Pour the hot coffee over the mixture and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin pan cups. Place one slightly rounded teaspoon of ganache filling on top of each cupcake. Bake until the cupcakes are set and just firm to the touch, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Make the Frosting: In a food processor, process the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the corn syrup and vanilla extract and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add the melted chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 one-second pulses. Frost the cupcakes as desired. The frosted cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- The ganache filling can be omitted it if you’d like a more traditional chocolate cupcake.
- The frosting can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 hours before using, or refrigerated for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Photography by Dee Frances
This recipe was originally published on August 20, 2013.
This is a great recipe, but it’s funny that the pictures have changes from the last one I printed out. I came to print another copy as my other copy didn’t print well the first time. The other pictures depicted a better image of the cupcake.
Hey there, I make this recipe quite often, it’s my favorite! For the first time today I noticed you have 3/4c bread flour and in brackets (117g). I always weigh my flour and had been weighing to the weight on the Robin Hood flour bag, which is 90g or 30g per 1/4c. Should your recipe read 1c bread flour (120g) or 3/4c (90g)?
Kindly,
Eilish
Hi Eilish, Some brands and some sites use different weights. I always use King Arthur Flour, but if the weight is on the bag you use, then I would go with that.
Can the leftover frosting be frozen, or does that not work out well?
Hi Melissa, I’ve never frozen it, so I couldn’t say for sure, but I think it might be okay!
Hi, in regard to the recipe for the chocolate cupcakes, which look amazing btw, I have a question. Can I use this batter also to make a cake ? Hoping to hear from you soon ! Bye, Myriam
Hi Myriam, I’ve never done so, but I know other readers have, with success. Enjoy!
Hi,
I have a quick question. I was wanting to use this icing on 9×13 cake, is this amount of icing enough to cover that size of cake? Thanks!
Hi Mary, Yes, it would be enough! Enjoy :)
Has anyone tried freezing this cupcake? I wanted to make ahead for a party but I am concerned about the ganache filling not holding up once thawed.
This turned out so good! So good information for making a cake. I’ll need to use your tips ;) this one looks amazing…
Definitely the best chocolate cupcake recipe I’ve made! I loved the texture and the flavor was amazing. I found that the flavor was even better on the 2nd day. The frosting wasn’t my favorite, it reminds me of store bought frosting. I’ll try the chocolate buttercream next time.
These cupcakes are phenomenal. Thank you for sharing This awesome recipe! They were fairly simple to make, I made sure to weigh all of my ingredients and they came out perfect. My only suggestion to others making these is to start with less ganache per cupcake, because I ran short toward the end and some cupcakes therefore had too much and fell apart when I took them out of the pan. You can always add more, but you can’t make it less once it’s on there! Another note is that I made the frosting with brown rice syrup instead of corn syrup and it was fine. It made a lot more frosting than I needed though, that’s for sure! Not that it didn’t get used :) Overall a wonderful recipe I will definitely be using in the future. Thanks again for sharing!
Made these a few days ago. I found the frosting delicious (used my stand mixer and it worked fine) the ganache unnecessary (not really noticeable) and the cupcake itself too dense for my tastes. next time I will try with regular flour and no ganache. Definitely a dark chocolate lovers cupcake (my milk chocolate lover friend did not like it…….I told her she wouldn’t, but she didn’t believe me and had to try it). I used hersheys dark cocoa as it’s part dutch.
HIGH ALTITUDE~bakers heads up, I live in Wyoming elevation 7165 and I made 3 batches first one would not rise, 2nd batch made high altitude adjustments that usually work and didn’t than I tried different ones on third batch….no rising~just so you are aware of this, the batter tasted delicious the Ganache tasted delicious! But just wanted to give heads up to help others….thanks for letting me do so.
Hi, what can I use as a substitute for hot coffee?
Hi Kent, You can use hot water, but the chocolate flavor in the cupcakes will be a bit muted (the coffee helps to enhance that flavor, the cupcakes do not taste like coffee).
I LOVE that icing recipe. It’s very similar to European buttercream, but not nearly as tricky to make. I think some bakers don’t like to use corn syrup because they think it is the same as high-fructose corn syrup, which we all know is so bad for us. But regular corn syrup is NOT the high-fructose .
Hello, I would like to make this recipe because it looks really good, but I wonder: I only have an espresso maker, can I use an equal amount of espresso in the recipe or should I water it down? I’m afraid the coffee taste would be too strong.
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Linda, I think I would water it down. Enjoy the cupcakes!
Well, you’ve done it again! I always use your frosting recipes & this one is the best ever. My boss is retiring & I made chocolate & vanilla cupcakes (using mixes) and was going to make both chocolate & vanilla icing. I made this frosting first. There was enough to frost all 40 cupcakes generously & I had about 1/2 cup leftover. I’m sure no one will complain about this yummy, creamy frosting.
Aw that’s awesome! I’m so glad you loved the frosting!
Hi Michelle, can you please tell me what brand of Dutch cocoa powder you use? I think it does make a difference in the finished product. BTW, these cupcakes look phenomenal!! Can’t wait to try them. Thanks so much.
Hi Carol, I’ve been using either Valrhona or King Arthur Flour for a few years now. Love both!
Phenomenal recipe! Elegant, easy to follow, and the cupcakes were delicious. I brought these to a work event and several people asked for the recipe so I directed them here. I didn’t have a food processor for the icing, so I used a large Ninja blender. This left the ingredients not fully incorporated, but a few seconds with a handheld mixer afterwards, and the icing was great : ) Thanks, Michelle!
I was wondering why you put bread flour into these cupcakes. I’ve never seen hi gluten flour used in a cake other than with yeast.
The bread flour has a higher protein content, which helps keep it stable enough to support the ganache center being baked right in. I hope that helps!
I tried 3 chocolate cupcake recipes before this one and they all came out dry! These came out perfectly:). Thanks for an awesome recipe!
10/10. Will make again.
I was asked to make cupcakes for my mother-in-laws wedding and was quite nervous about finding the perfect recipe until now. Made a test batch this morning and I honestly think they are the best chocolate cupcakes I have ever had. Thank you for the awesome recipe.
Would just like to let you know I tried the frosting and. the ganache and they tasted amazing, would of tagged you in my instagram page but I’m not sure you have one x
So glad you enjoyed them! My Instagram handle is @thebrowneyedbaker :)
Why is bread flour used instead of cake flour?
It helps to keep the cupcakes sturdy enough for the ganache center.
Finally got around to making these! Your rendition has always stuck with me. : ) Boy oh boy, they are a chocoholic’s dream come true. I loved them too much. Thank you for sharing! : )
Hands down best chocolate cupcake recipe:) I love the fact that it asks for real chocolate for the sponge mixture and the icing.
I just had one question – the ganache sinks to the bottom of the cupcake instead of staying somewhat in the centre. There’s no ganache at all IN the actual cupcake. Do you have any idea what I may be doing incorrectly?
Thank you!
Hi Lateefah, So glad you love these! As for the ganache center, be sure that you aren’t refrigerating longer than 30 minutes, or until it’s just BARELY chilled. If it starts to set and get firmer, it will sink in the batter. I hope that helps!
These were SPECTACULAR. I’m usually not a big cupcake fan since they’re often so dry, but wow are these moist! Almost like brownies but with a lighter, cakey texture. I made them for a friend’s birthday, one batch with the chocolate frosting above and one with the espresso buttercream from your Mocha Cupcakes recipe and both were amazing. I wow-ed many cupcake skeptics that night ;) Thanks for the recipe!
These cupcakes are MONEY!!!! I made these today for our parent-teacher conference carry-in and ALL the teachers loved them. The best thing about these cupcakes are that they are not too sweet and are incredibly moist!! These will be my go-to cupcakes from now on.
Is there a way to make the frosting without the corn syrup? Or do you have a good chocolate frosting that doesn’t use corn syrup? Thanks. I try and avoid corn syrup in all my food products. GMOs and all that.
Hi Susan, This particular recipe wouldn’t quite work without it, but this is also a great chocolate frosting recipe:
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/classic-yellow-cupcakes-with-chocolate-frosting/
I am making these now. I don’t have corn syrup and asked my hubby to pick some up on the way home. However, I just creamed the butter, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar, and it’s definitely tasty enough to frost the cupcake. Hubby can come straight home to delicious. Only other comment, I baked needed to bake these for 23 minutes. Maybe my oven.
What did you use or how did you frost the cupcakes to look like that? Do I need to get or buy something? We are having a “cup cake” wars at work on Tuesday and I want to win! Can you double the recipe?
Thank You, I can’t wait to make them. They sound Delicious! Donna ~
Hi Donna, I used the Ateco #823 decorating tip for piping the frosting. Good luck! :)
I just baked this cupcake yesterday to RAVE reviews. I didn’t use the frosting, but a did use an espresso buttercream and it was the most amazing chocolate cupcake I’ve ever had. Thank you for an AMAZING recipe!!!
I made these cupcakes for the superbowl party that I hosted this past weekend. HOLY CHOCOLATE OVERLOAD, and I mean that in the best way possible. The recipe is a bit of a process but nothing too involved. The frosting oh my God, I want to take a bath in this frosting. I did opt to make the ganache and im glad I did but did notice that it sank to the bottom of the cupcake after baking. It still tasted delicious and I re-read the directions to make sure I put it in at the right time and from what I read I did it correctly. I would absolutely make these again as they are phenomenally moist and creamy at the same time. Soooooo good!