Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
Based on my most popular Best Moist Chocolate Cake, these Moist Chocolate Cupcakes are equally delicious with a soft, tender crumb and moist texture. This is an easy one bowl recipe that doesn't even require a mixer and it makes beautiful little cakes that have a soft dome, ideal for filling, dipping or decorating. You don't need any special equipment to make them and it takes just 5 minutes to prepare the batter. I use this recipe all the time, especially when there is a last-minute request for a party dessert to feed a crowd.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- One bowl recipe - this 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 chocolate cake - just like my Best Moist Chocolate Cake recipe, this one is super moist and stays moist for days so you can make them ahead.
- Soft texture - these little cakes have a delicate yet sturdy crumb that is soft.
- Rich chocolate taste - the chocolate flavor is smooth and rich without being too bitter nor too sweet.
- The BEST Vanilla Buttercream Frosting - my hybrid American buttercream recipe is perfect on any cake, and especially pairs well with chocolate since it isn't too sweet and complements the cocoa taste.
WHAT MAKES CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES MOIST?
- Dry blending. Blending sugar into the flour before adding wet ingredients means that it will compete for water so that there is less water available to the flour to absorb and form gluten.
- All the cocoa. Cocoa powder 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.
- Dissolved sugar. Plenty of 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.
- Hot water. Hot liquid, in the form of water or coffee, instantly dissolves sugar and accelerates the starch gelatinization process to lock in moisture before it is lost via evaporation during baking.
- Sour cream. 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.
INGREDIENTS FOR MOIST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
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 without interfering with the rich 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 batter is oil to ensure these cupcakes stay soft. Oil is liquid at room temperature which means that the cakes will feel squishier and bouncy rather than crumbly.
- Sour cream - sour cream will balance the chocolate flavor and the sweetness, as well as provide acidity to activate the baking soda.
- Hot coffee - you can brew a fresh cup or use instant coffee, but just make sure it is fresh and hot. You can also use decaffeinated coffee here.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST MOIST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- STEP 1). Prepare the coffee and keep it hot. If you are using instant coffee, add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee granules or 2 teaspoons of espresso powder to 1 cup of just boiled water and set it aside while you prepare the batter.
- STEP 2). Combine dry ingredients. Use a fine mesh sieve to sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add sugar and salt and whisk to blend very well so the ingredients are evenly combined, pressing out any lumps of brown sugar.
- STEP 3). Combine wet ingredients. Add eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla to a medium bowl and whisk to blend well. Use a spatula to make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet ingredients. Mix with an electric handheld mixer on medium-low speed until blended. You can also mix it in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed or mix by hand using a wire whisk starting in the center and slowly dragging the dry ingredients in from the sides to combine evenly with the wet ingredients. It will be thick and somewhat dry.
- STEP 4). Add the hot coffee gradually in two stages to minimize clumps forming and mix until evenly combined and the batter is smooth. The batter will be quite thin.
- STEP 5). Bake. Divide batter evenly among paper liners filling them no more than two-thirds full. Do not over-fill them or the batter will spill over. Tap the pans on the countertop to allow any large air bubbles to surface and pop. 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 15 minutes before transferring individual cupcakes to the rack to finish cooling.
- STEP 6). While the cakes are cooling, prepare my Best Hybrid American Buttercream Frosting.
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
I always prefer sunflower oil for baking as it has the cleanest taste and is very stable, but you can also use canola oil, vegetable oil or even olive oil.
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.
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.
These cupcakes bake with perfect soft domes. 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.
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.
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.
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?
Butter is definitely delicious, but using all oil makes a very soft and tender crumb. Usually all-oil cakes can taste a bit flat, which is why I use sour cream to add body and rich cultured dairy flavor. Butter is hard when cold and a bit firm at a cool room temperature so it will lend a firmer texture to cupcakes especially ones that are kept refrigerated. Oil is liquid at room temperature so cupcakes made with all oil will be soft even straight from the fridge.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
I almost always prefer Swiss Meringue Buttercream. It is so silky and light, and it pipes like a dream. But, it is quite time consuming and absolutely requires heavy equipment. I do not like American buttercream since it is far too sweet and so dense, which is why I developed this hybrid American Buttercream which is the best vanilla frosting I've ever had! It is so smooth, silky and creamy with half the amount of sugar. It is not too sweet and not gritty like most buttercreams can be. To get all the details, see my recipe here.
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 CakeMore cake
Looking for more chocolate cake recipes? Try these:
More mini cakes
Video
Best Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (56g) cocoa powder (I prefer this Dutch cocoa or this one)
NOTE: if you prefer natural cocoa, my preferences are Ghirardelli 100% Cocoa and Hershey's Unsweetened
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon fine table salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil (I prefer sunflower oil)
- ¾ cup (180ml) full fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) hot coffee
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 standard 12 cup muffin pans with paper liners. I generally get 26 cupcakes, so if you have another pan you can make two more, or you can put paper liners sitting upright in a loaf pan and bake them off free-standing like that.
- First prepare the coffee and keep it hot. If you are using instant coffee, add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee granules or 2 teaspoons of espresso powder to 1 cup of just boiled water and set it aside while you prepare the batter.
- Combine dry ingredients. Use a fine mesh sieve to sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add sugar and salt and whisk to blend very well so the ingredients are evenly combined, pressing out any lumps of brown sugar.
- Combine wet ingredients. Add eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla to a medium bowl and whisk to blend well. Use a spatula to make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet ingredients. Mix with an electric handheld mixer on medium-low speed until blended. You can also mix it in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed or mix by hand using a wire whisk starting in the center and slowly dragging the dry ingredients in from the sides to combine evenly with the wet ingredients. It will be thick and somewhat dry. Add the hot coffee gradually in two stages to minimize clumps forming and mix until evenly combined and the batter is smooth. The batter will be quite thin.
- Bake. Divide batter evenly among paper liners filling them no more than two-thirds full. Do not over-fill them or the batter will spill over. Tap the pans on the countertop to allow any large air bubbles to surface and pop. 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 15 minutes before transferring individual cupcakes to the rack to finish cooling.
- While the cakes are cooling, prepare my Best Hybrid American Buttercream Frosting or my popular Vanilla Whipped Ganache.
Hello! Do you have the link to the Best Hybrid American Buttercream Frosting? I couldn't find the recipe. Thank you 🙂
Where is the recipe for the hybrid buttercream recipe? The link does not seem to function. Thank you! Will try and review 🙂
Maybe I missed it but your instructions refer to pressing out the lumps in brown sugar but your ingredient list only has white sugar. Which one should we be using?