Moist One Bowl Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Updated: Oct 1, 2025 by christina.marsigliese · 48 Comments

If there's anything greater than Triple Chocolate Cupcakes, it's triple chocolate cupcakes made in one bowl! These cupcakes are so moist, rich and chocolaty, plus they are so EASY to make. If that's what you're looking for, then "Hello baby"! You've come to the right place. When it comes to desserts, I always gravitate toward chocolate. Maybe you know that already 😉 Maybe the 212 chocolate-labelled posts on this site gave that away. If you're a fellow chocoholic, be sure to try my #1 recipe for 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 oil, melted butter, brown sugar and rich cocoa.
Chocolate ganache glaze - each cupcake is dipped in a glossy chocolate glaze before topping with frosting.
The BEST chocolate buttercream frosting - my best chocolate buttercream frosting is smooth, not too sweet and SO chocolatey.

triple chocolate cupcakes on cooling rack

Cake is great. I like cake, but sometimes when I want something quick to bake on a weeknight or I don't feel like heavy clean-up then I tend to stray away from it. These cupcakes though, they are the exception. The batter for this light, moist cake comes together in just one bowl with a whisk. You don't even need to pull out your mixer if you don't feel like it. And believe it or not, they taste better as they age. Seriously. Who knew? For a quick fix, this is the best moist chocolate cupcake recipe.

WHAT MAKES TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES MOIST?

Dissolved sugar and lots of cocoa. Blending sugar into the flour means that sugar will compete for water so that there is less water available to the flour to absorb and form gluten. All the cocoa (which contains no gluten) also prevents excess gluten development because it dilutes the flour and gets in the way of the flour particles making it a bit more tricky for them to suck up water so quickly. All the liquid in this recipe means that the sugar will dissolve readily. Dissolved sugar will form a syrup that holds in moisture and stays dissolved for a moist texture.
A blend of sour cream and milk. The creamy viscous texture of sour cream adds thickness to the batter which translates to better volume and moisture retention when the cakes are baking. There is a lot of information around the internet that describes how the acidity of yogurt, buttermilk and sour cream helps to break down gluten and makes the cake more tender, but really you would need so much acid to do this that the cake would taste terrible.

triple chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache glaze

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.

Eggs - two whole eggs will set the structure of this cake and help emulsify the batter.
Oil - the main fat in the cake batter is oil to ensure they stay soft. Oil is liquid at room temperature which means that these cupcakes will feel squishier and bouncy rather than crumbly.
Butter - this recipe uses a bit of melted butter to make fudgy cupcakes. Use unsalted butter or salted butter.
Sour cream - just a bit of sour cream will balance the chocolate flavor and the sweetness, as well as provide acidity to activate the baking soda.
Milk - this recipe is unique in that uses warmed milk. The hot liquid helps dissolve the sugar.
Dark chocolate - you'll need pure dark chocolate to make the frosting. Anything between 50 and 60% cocoa solids will work. You can blend semisweet chocolate with my favorite bittersweet chocolate callets which are very convenient.

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

What type of oil is best for triple chocolate cupcakes?

I always prefer sunflower oil for baking as it has the cleanest taste and is very stable, but you can also use canola oil or vegetable oil.

What is the secret to super moist cupcakes and how do I make my cupcakes more moist?

It's not more fat! Moisture comes from liquid, not fat. So you can add more butter and more oil, but it will really just make the cake more dense and more tender by shortening the texture. Fat will not make a cake moist as only liquids can add moisture. This cake is moist because of the amount of liquid and careful mixing.

What causes a cake to be moist?

Sugar and liquid will create a moist cake among several other things. Having the right proportions of wet and dry ingredients is important when creating a moist cake recipe. Sugar is hygroscopic which means that it strongly binds water and will hold moisture in. Being cautious to not over-mix will also ensure that the cake is soft.

Why are my cupcakes flat?

These cupcakes bake with perfect soft domes for dipping in the glaze. If your cupcakes baked up flat, it may be that your raising agents are no longer active, so be sure to use fresh baking soda and fresh baking powder. It may also happen if you let the batter sit out for too long before baking. In this case the leavening agents will react in the batter and release gases before the batter sets and the gas will escape through the surface of the batter instead of being trapped as air bubbles in the cake crumb structure.

Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?

If your cupcakes sink in the middle, then this is often a sign that there is too much leavening so they react very fast and all the gas escapes the batter before it has a chance to set. This also causes the batter to puff up and creates large air bubbles that the baked batter cannot support structurally so as it cools after baking, the gas contracts and the cakes collapse.

What is a substitute for sour cream?

If you do not have sour cream, you can also use plain full fat yogurt. For this recipe, you can also replace the combined sour cream/yogurt and milk with a total of ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk.

Can I double the chocolate frosting?

This recipe for chocolate frosting makes plenty to generously frost the cupcakes. If you prefer more to make a big layer cake you can easily double it or make 1.5x the recipe. Just be careful not to over-whip it once the melted chocolate is added.

Can I freeze triple chocolate cupcakes?

Yes! You can freeze the cupcakes before you glaze them and frost them. Once cool, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, place them in a resealable plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

BUTTER VS. OIL IN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES?

BOTH! These Triple Chocolate Cupcakes benefit from both butter AND oil. Using all vegetable oil makes a very soft and moist yet flat-tasting cake despite all that cocoa. Don't waist your cocoa on that. Butter is hard when cold and still a bit firm at a cool room temperature so it will lend a firmer texture to cupcakes especially ones that are kept while refrigerated, but it elevates the taste of chocolate in a way that oil could never do. Oil, however, is liquid at room temperature so cupcakes made with all oil will be soft even straight from the fridge. I choose a blend for the best of both worlds.

HOW TO MAKE SMOOTH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

I almost always prefer Swiss Meringue Buttercream. It is so silky and light, and it pipes like a dream. But, for a quick and easy topping American buttercream is the way to go. There's no measuring temperature of boiling syrup and no 10 minutes of necessary whipping. It is just a bit less fussy. However, I find most American buttercream recipes use way too much powdered sugar that they taste cloying and gritty. Let's not do that this time!

Sift the icing sugar. Powdered sugar is often very lumpy and those pesky lumps sometimes don't even break down with the mixer. For the fluffiest texture, I recommend sifting the icing sugar.
Always use 35% whipping cream to thin out frosting. Firstly, we need liquid to help dissolve the sugar so that it doesn't feel gritty. Milk will do this but it also has a very high water content so it will not be compatible with all that butter. Cream not only has 35% fat but it also contains some stabilizing agents that will help to emulsify the frosting.
Have the cream at room temperature. Adding cold cream to your room temperature butter is a great way to break it! Cold liquid will not blend easily into soft butter and in order to coax liquid and fat to form a smooth emulsion, they must be at the same room temperature.
Do not over beat - do not over-mix the frosting once you add the melted chocolate. Whipping the chocolate can make it too stiff and it may become difficult to spread.

If you love cake, check out these recipes!

Sticky Toffee Date Cake The BEST Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe Moist Lemon Blueberry Bread Olive Oil Chocolate Bundt Cake Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe with Chocolate Fudge Frosting Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Creamy Milk Chocolate Frosting Blueberry Peach Upside Down Cake

Looking for more chocolate cake recipes? Try these:

More mini cakes

Video

Moist Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Christina Marsigliese

Super moist and rich chocolate cupcakes that are so easy to make in one bowl, with a CREAMY chocolate frosting and dark chocolate drizzle.

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcake batter:

¾ cup 105g all-purpose flour
½ cup 42g unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup 100g granulated sugar
⅓ cup 70g packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup 60ml sunflower oil
2 tablespoon 28g unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoon 45ml full fat sour cream or plain yogurt (or replace the combined sour cream and milk with ½ cup total of buttermilk - see FAQ above in the article)
6 tablespoon 90ml whole milk, slightly warmed
½ cup mini dark chocolate chips (optional)

Chocolate ganache glaze:

4 oz 113g semisweet chocolate, chopped
¼ cup 60ml 35% heavy whipping cream

Frosting:

1 batch Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add both sugars and salt and whisk until thoroughly combined and there are no lumps of brown sugar remaining.
Add oil, melted butter, eggs, sour cream and vanilla and begin whisking gently until just combined. Start by poking the eggs to break up the yolks so they blend easier. The mixture will still look dry and thick at this stage.
Warm the milk gently in the microwave until just lukewarm and add it to the bowl. Continue to whisk until the batter is completely smooth. Fold in chocolate chips if desired.
Pour or spoon the batter into the liners filling them no more than two-thirds full (this is important to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking). Bake for 17-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze. Combine chopped semisweet chocolate and cream in a medium bowl and place in the microwave for 1 ½ minutes at 50% power. Once you see the cream start to bubble, it's ready. Stir gently until smooth and glossy, then let cool until thick but still glossy and not totally set. Dip the tops of cooled cupcakes into the glaze and then place on a tray. Place the tray in the fridge to set the glaze before piping on the frosting.
Make the frosting. Prepare the frosting as per the instructions here.
Pipe the chilled cupcakes with the frosting and then decorate with chocolate sprinkles.