Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

These Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting are the perfect moist and delicious yellow cupcakes with creamy chocolate buttercream and sprinkles! What better way to celebrate a special day!?!

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This month marks The Busy Baker’s 4th birthday or as we call it in the blogging world, my 4th Blogiversary! It’s hard to believe I’ve been blogging for 4 years already, although sometimes it feels like I’ve been at this for a LOT longer than just 4 short years! I’m thrilled to reaching this milestone and I’m sharing my favourite Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting recipe with you all today to celebrate!

When it comes to celebrating there’s nothing better than a really good cake or cupcake and these Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting are a twist on a family favourite birthday cake recipe. I remember celebrating many of my cousins’ birthdays at my aunt and uncle’s house as a kid – my aunt would always make this delicious, spongy yellow cake with the creamiest dark chocolate frosting and we just couldn’t get enough of it! These Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting are my own spin on her classic birthday dessert!

My absolute favourite kitchen tool for making cupcakes like these Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting is a traditional KitchenAid mixer. I have THIS ONE (Amazon affiliate link), and it is by far my favourite kitchen appliance of all time.  I don’t have a kitchen bursting with kitchen tools,  but I’m not sure I could live without my stand mixer since I use it almost daily!

If a stand mixer is way out of your league then this hand mixer (Amazon affiliate link) is the next best thing. They really do a great job and though they do require a little more work on your part, they definitely get the job done in style!

And if you’re looking for a cake stand just like mine, check out THIS ONE or THIS ONE (Amazon affiliate links). There’s really no better way to display gorgeous cakes or cupcakes like these ones than on a beautifully simple cake stand that’s also affordable!

I’ve shared a few of my favourite cupcake recipes before, like these Double Chocolate Cupcakes, or these Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes, or even these Fresh Strawberry Swirl Cupcakes. But when it comes to a birthday celebration none of them trump these classic and timeless Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting!

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I hope you love these cupcakes as much as we do! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite birthday cake flavour? 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

5 from 5 votes

Print

Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

These Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting are the perfect moist and delicious yellow cupcakes with creamy chocolate buttercream and sprinkles!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Birthday, Celebration

Keyword Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Servings 32 cupcakes

Calories 333 kcal

Author Chrissie (thebusybaker.ca)

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 5 egg yolks at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup milk at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

• 2 cups unsalted butter slightly softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder sifted (add one extra tablespoon if you like it very chocolatey)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half cream

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cupcake tin with paper liners.

2. In the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer) whip the butter on medium high speed until very smooth. Add the sugar and mix on high speed until fluffy and creamy. The sugar will start to dissolve into the butter a little bit during this creaming process, so you should be able to feel the grains of sugar getting smaller.

3. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl regularly at this stage to make sure everything is mixed well.

4. Mix in the oil and vanilla on low speed.

5. Measure the milk into a liquid measuring cup and add the apple cider vinegar to the milk. Let stand while you measure the dry ingredients.

6. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a separate bowl and whisk together until combined. 

7. Add the flour and the milk mixture alternatively, mixing well after each addition. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture first, then 1/2 the milk mixture, another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the rest of the milk mixture and then the remainder of the flour. Be sure to mix well after each addition and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl regularly.

8. Mix on medium high speed for about 1-2 more minutes after all the ingredients have been added. This will create a creamy-looking batter.

9. Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake cups (this recipe makes about 30-36 cupcakes, depending on the size, so you'll have to bake in batches) and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into one of the cupcakes comes out clean. 

10. Cool the cupcakes in their tins for 5 minutes, and then remove them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.

For the frosting:

1. While the cupcakes are cooling completely to room temperature after baking, prepare the frosting.

2. Whip the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

3. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together and add to the butter about 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.

4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl well after each addition, and add the salt in with one of the cups of powdered sugar.

5. After the powdered sugar has been added, you'll be left with a very thick frosting. Add the cream one tablespoon at a time until the frosting has reached a spreadable consistency or the appropriate consistency for piping.

6. Pipe the frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes using a piping bag and a star tip (or whatever tip you like!), top with sprinkles, and serve!

Recipe Notes

These cupcakes can be made one day in advance and are best stored in the fridge until 10-15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Birthday Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Amount Per Serving (30 servings)

Calories 333 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Cholesterol 91mg30%

Sodium 86mg4%

Potassium 88mg3%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Sugar 27g30%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 630IU13%

Calcium 42mg4%

Iron 0.9mg5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*This cupcake recipe has been adapted from an old family recipe and Bon Appetit’s Yellow Cake recipe. The frosting recipe is my own.