Deliciously moist these rich chocolate cupcakes are sure to become an instant classic in your home. A recipe that you will return to again and again for special occasions, birthdays and every day treats.
I am so excited to share this classic chocolate cupcake recipe with you! It is my go to chocolate cupcake recipe. I make this recipe so often that I actually have it memorized. One of my favourite things about this recipe is that you don't need to remember to take your butter out of the fridge beforehand since the recipe calls for melted butter. Here's to not needing room temperature butter!
These cupcakes are deliciously chocolate-y! The touch of coffee really brings out the chocolate flavour. I promise you won't even know there is coffee in the final cupcake! The recipe also includes sour cream (or you can substitute yogurt) which you know means that you will end up with a perfectly moist cupcake! They also bake up really well, into perfect rounded even cupcake domes.
I typically pair these cupcakes with my vanilla buttercream recipe but they are the perfect base for pretty much any kind of buttercream frosting you can think of! Make them double chocolate with your favourite chocolate buttercream recipe. Fill them with Nutella! Top them with a minty buttercream frosting for a delicious chocolate mint cupcake - the possibilities are endless!
Classic Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes: 1 dozen
Adapted from: Annie's Eats Basic Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
1/4 c hot water
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 tsp instant coffee
1 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, cut into cubes
1 c sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c sour cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with liners. In a small bowl, whisk together hot water, cocoa powder and instant coffee. In another medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a small sauce pan, over medium heat combine the butter and sugar. Stir occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted. Remove from heat and pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. On medium, beat butter & sugar mixture until it begins to thicken and pales in colour (approx. 4-5 mins). You want to ensure the mixture has cooled slightly before adding your eggs. Add eggs one at a time, scrapping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add in vanilla and cocoa mixture. Mix until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, add half the flour, followed by the sour cream, ending with the rest of the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
Divide batter evenly into prepared cupcake liners. Fill liners 1/2-2/3rds of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, frost as desired with vanilla buttercream. I tinted my buttercream with wilton gels (Sky Blue & Lemon Yellow) and frosted my cupcakes with a Wilton 1B tip. You can see how I frost my cupcakes here.
