This chocolate cupcake recipe makes the best cupcakes ever – fluffy and topped with chocolate buttercream frosting! Make this easy cupcake recipe from scratch using ONE bowl!
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Guys, something really exciting happened this month and I’m sharing this chocolate cupcake recipe from scratch to celebrate!
This not-so-little-anymore blog of mine hit the ONE MILLION mark! That’s right, every month The Busy Baker gets over a million page views from readers like you, and I can hardly believe there are so many of you reading my posts and making my recipes!
So cheers to you, my dear readers, for visiting my blog and giving me the opportunity to develop more and more delicious recipes for you!
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for The Busy Baker! But in the meantime, let’s enjoy some cupcakes!!
These truly are the perfect chocolate cupcakes. This is my FAVOURITE chocolate cupcake recipe to make because you make it in ONE bowl, and in under 20 minutes.
Plus, the frosting is almost as easy to make. It’s a simple buttercream base with some cocoa powder and melted semi-sweet chocolate for extra structure. If you love chocolate, they’re the best cupcakes you’ll ever try.
Because this one-bowl recipe is so easy it’s perfect for beginning bakers too!
And of course, adding sprinkles is the perfect way to make birthday cupcakes party-worthy. I made these recently for a friend’s birthday and they were a BIG hit!
Looking for other easy cupcake recipes?
Try these Vanilla Bean Cupcakes or these Birthday Cake Cupcakes!
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I hope you love these chocolate cupcakes from scratch as much as we do!
Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite dessert to make for celebrations? I’d love to know!
KITCHEN TOOLS I RECOMMEND:
Looking for more delicious desserts? You’ll LOVE these!
- Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Mascarpone Buttercream
- Double Chocolate Cupcakes
- Black Forest Icebox Cake
- Chocolate Mocha Tiramisu Icebox Cake
- Strawberry Cheesecake Fruit Dip
- Easy No Bake Oreo Cheesecake
Best Ever Chocolate Cupcake Recipe from Scratch
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk at room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
For the frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons milk (or 3 tablespoons if needed)
- sprinkles for decorating (if desired)
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line cupcake tins with 28 to 30 paper liners.
- Add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Measure the milk and the vegetable oil into a glass liquid measuring cup. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk everything together with a fork.
- Add the milk and egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix together just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Add the 1 cup of boiling water into the batter slowly, whisking everything together as you add the boiling water.
- Once the batter comes together and the boiling water is combined throughout, portion the batter into the 28-30 prepared cupcake liners until each are about 2/3 full.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
For the frosting:
- While the cupcakes cool, mix the butter on high speed in a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer until the butter is fluffy and creamy (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix on medium high speed after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the cocoa powder in with the last addition of powdered sugar and mix until combined.
- Add the cooled melted chocolate and mix well until combined.
- Add the milk one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the frosting reaches piping consistency.
Assembly:
- Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with an open star tip.
- Pipe the frosting onto each of the completely cooled cupcakes in a circular motion and top each cupcake with sprinkles.
Mary Ann says
Will this recipe make 2 round cakes? If so, how long should I bake?
Chrissie says
If you’re looking for a chocolate layer cake recipe, feel free to check mine out here: https://thebusybaker.ca/chocolate-layer-cake/
Emily says
I used to think I made good cupcakes. Clearly, I was wrong. These are amazing!
The Busy Baker says
😁Thank you so much Emily! Really glad to hear you like this recipe!
Devin Timon says
Legit! best ever! my cupcakes are always dry and blah, these are delicious and fluffy and fudgy!
The Busy Baker says
Thank you!! Glad you enjoy the recipe so much!!
Nonhlanhla says
Delicious and very moist! It’s for keeps!
The Busy Baker says
Thanks for the feedback!!
Lara Alsop says
These are amazing Cupcakes. Easy to make. Made them for my 5 year old son’s birthday! He is super picky and success he loved them 😍.
The Busy Baker says
So glad to hear that!🙂
Rachel says
Made these today with bailey icing…love them!! Always good to have a fluffy, flavorful not dry cupcake recipe on hand and it uses most things you probably have already! Mine did “explode” at first in that they rose a lot more than I remember cupcakes rising, so the second round of pans I filled them like 1/4 full and turned out much better!
Thank you! Will use this again 🙂
The Busy Baker says
Thank you for your feedback Rachel! Glad they turned out fluffy and delicious!
Verusha says
At first I thought this mixture was way too runny but followed through with recipe and so happy I did! It’s now one of my favourite recipes to make chocolate cupcakes! The cupcakes raise and come out so moist. It did make way too much so going to freeze them for playdates. Thank you.
The Busy Baker says
So glad that they turned out great!! Thank you Verusha!
Stephanie Knight says
I’ve never left a review on something- ever. These cupcakes are NEXT LEVEL! I can stop going to a bakery and can just make these. When I was adding the boiling water (which I didn’t put the whole cup in) I was thinking “this is so soupy…what is going on with this crazy recipe?” Turns out- mind blown! I have four girls with cook book binders and we added this recipe. Hopefully, they will blow people away with this cupcake recipe for years to come!
The Busy Baker says
I’m so happy to hear that Stephanie!! Thanks so much for your feedback!