Mocha Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes

If you're here, you love chocolate just like me! These Mocha Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes are so incredibly decadent and also easy to make featuring fudgy moist chocolate cake, airy fluffy mocha chocolate mousse filling and a dense fudgy espresso chocolate frosting. There is so much chocolate going on... they are a dream! The cake itself is an easy one bowl recipe and the frosting/filling also require minimal effort. The filling is made from the frosting, so there aren't many extra steps even though this is a 3 part recipe. Oh, and I also drizzle them with hot fudge sauce, because: why not! If you love chocolate cake, make sure you also check out my most popular recipe: The BEST Moist Chocolate Cake.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• One bowl recipe - the cupcake batter is so easy to make as it can be made in one bowl with just a whisk! You don't even need a mixer.
• Moist fudgy chocolate cake - the cake is SO super moist and fudgy with melted butter and rich cocoa.
• Chocolate and coffee pairing - I absolutely adore the combination of chocolate and coffee. They complement each other very well. If you just want to make plain chocolate mousse cupcakes, you can simply leave out the coffee. See my tips below in the FAQ section near the bottom of this post.
• Airy chocolate mousse filling - each cupcake is filled with a light-as-air chocolate mousse that you make using the frosting so you don't need to make a separate component! It's so easy.
• Fudgy chocolate frosting - I use a rich chocolate ganache made for the frosting. It is so easy to make and you don't need softened butter nor icing sugar. It's simple and so decadent and fudgy! Many people have told me this is the best frosting they've ever made!

INGREDIENTS

Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• All purpose flour - you do not need specialty cake flour to make wonderful chocolate cake. Just be sure to measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour is the most common mistake and leads to tough and dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup and use a knife to level it off. This batter is meant to be quite runny so refrain from adding more flour to make it thicker.
• Granulated sugar - simple white sugar will keep these cupcakes moist and sweet.
• Brown sugar - a bit of brown sugar will add a hint of molasses flavor for extra richness to enhance the chocolate taste.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to enhance the flavor of the chocolate. Do not leave it out!
• Cocoa powder - you should get your hands on some good quality cocoa powder! It's the main flavor and you want it to shine so use the best you can find. I love to use this Dutch Process cocoa powder for this recipe. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder and not cocoa mix.
• Espresso powder - this is truly where the "mocha" flavor comes in. It adds really nice depth and heightened roasted notes to these cupcakes which enhances the chocolate taste.

• Eggs - two whole eggs will set the structure of this cake and help emulsify the batter.
• Butter - this recipe uses melted butter to make fudgy cupcakes. Use unsalted butter or salted butter.
• Hot coffee - this recipe is unique in that uses hot coffee in the batter. The hot liquid dissolves the sugar and activates the leavening agents so that the cake begins to rise and set instantly. It is also the reason why this cake is so moist.
• Dark chocolate - you'll need pure dark chocolate to make the frosting. Anything between 50 and 70% cocoa solids will work, but I highly recommend dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids. You can blend semisweet chocolate with my favorite bittersweet chocolate callets which are very convenient.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

This recipe is SO EASY and you can make it all with a bowl and a whisk -- no mixer required if you don't have one!

• STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add both sugars and salt and whisk to blend well, pressing out any lumps of brown sugar.
• STEP 2). Combine wet ingredients. Combine eggs, melted butter and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk to blend well.
• STEP 3). Mix wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk or an electric hand mixer on medium-low until blended. It will be thick and somewhat dry.
• STEP 4). Mix in hot coffee. Add the hot coffee gradually in two stages to minimize clumps forming and beat until evenly combined and the batter smooth.
• STEP 5). Bake. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling them not more than two-thirds full and bake for 18-20 minutes until cupcakes spring back when pressed gently and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto the rack to cool completely.
• STEP 6). Make the frosting. Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and pour it over the chocolate in the bowl. Add honey, butter, vanilla, espresso powder and salt and whisk gently until smooth and glossy. Place it in the freezer and stir every 5 minutes until thickened but not stiff.
• STEP 7). Make the filling. Take ⅓ cup of the frosting and place in another medium bowl. Whip the remaining cream to firm peaks and fold it into the chocolate frosting.
• STEP 8). Assemble cupcakes. Use a small knife to cut out the centers of each cupcake and fill with the mocha mousse filling. Spread or pipe the frosting on top and drizzle with my Easy One Pot Hot Fudge Sauce!

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Do not reduce the sugar - the right amount of sugar will make cakes moist because it binds water so that it stays tightly in the batter and doesn't evaporate excessively during baking. If you reduce the sugar, it will affect the texture of the cakes.
• Measure the flour accurately. Adding too much flour is often the culprit of dry and crumbly cakes.
• Keep an eye on the baking time. Set a timer for the first time stated in the recipe and check with a skewer - it should come out clean.

RECIPE FAQ

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For coffee-lovers

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Video

Mocha Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes

Christina Marsigliese

Moist fudgy chocolate cupcakes infused with coffee, filled with mocha mousse and topped with fudgy espresso ganache frosting. These cupcakes are for true chocolate lover's, and coffee lover's too! It's a match made in dessert heaven.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 14 minutes mins

Servings 20 cupcakes

Ingredients

  

Mocha Cupcake Batter:

• 1 ⅔ cups 235g all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup 56g cocoa powder (I prefer this one)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup 200g granulated sugar
• ½ cup 110g packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup 113g unsalted butter, melted
• ¾ cup 180ml whole milk
• 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup 240ml strong hot coffee

Espresso Ganache Frosting:

• 10 oz 284g semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 ½ cups 360ml 35% whipping cream, divided
• 3 tablespoon 45ml honey
• 2 tablespoon 28g unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Chocolate Mousse Filling:

• ⅓ cup 80ml Espresso Ganache Frosting
• ¼ cup 60ml 35% whipping cream, whipped to firm peaks

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
• Make the cupcake batter. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, espresso powder and salt and whisk to blend well. Add eggs, melted butter, milk and vanilla and whisk until it comes together. It doesn't have to be completely smooth yet. Add the hot coffee gradually in two stages to minimize clumps forming and whisk gently until evenly combined and the batter smooth.
• Spoon or pour batter into lined muffin cups filling them no more than ¾ full and bake for 16-20 minutes until cakes spring back when pressed gently and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before transferring individually onto the rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting, place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a simmer (or heat in the microwave) and immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Add honey, espresso powder, vanilla and salt, then cover and let stand for 2 minutes. Whisk gently until smooth and glossy, then place it in the freezer and stir every 5 minutes until it is very thick, but not firm. It should be the consistency of soft pudding and this will take about 30 minutes.
• Make the frosting. Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat 1 ¼ cups (300ml) of cream until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and pour it over the chocolate in the bowl. Add honey, butter, vanilla, espresso powder and salt and whisk gently until smooth and glossy. Place it in the freezer and stir every 5 minutes until thickened but not stiff. It will take 20-30 minutes. If you use the fridge it will take about 40 minutes to an hour.
• Make the filling. Take ⅓ cup of the frosting and place in another medium bowl. Whip the remaining ¼ cup (60ml) of cream to firm peaks and fold it into the chocolate frosting.
• Use a small knife to cut out the centers of each cupcake and fill with the mocha mousse filling. Spread or pipe the frosting on top and drizzle with my Easy One Pot Hot Fudge Sauce!