Simple to make and quick to disappear, these moist and flavorful chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting will be your new favorite. For best results, use natural cocoa powder and buttermilk in the cupcake batter. Love chocolate buttercream? You can definitely make the switch!
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos and success tips.
Have you tried my triple chocolate cake before? This chocolate cupcake recipe was adapted from that super-popular recipe. Like my classic vanilla cupcakes recipe, these chocolate cupcakes hold a sacred spot in my baking repertoire. There’s no reason to find a better version—this is THE chocolate cupcake recipe I use time and time again. I use the same batter to make these cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, too. (Try those next!)
Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting are a birthday party classic, so I want to make sure you have a recipe for just that. They’re the perfect party tray complement to these yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting!
One reader, Melissa, commented: “I tried this recipe and it came out perfect. This is my go-to cupcake recipe. I even made the DIY buttermilk with vinegar and milk… excellent! Thank you for this recipe. ★★★★★“
These Chocolate Cupcakes With Vanilla Frosting Are:
- Super moist and deeply chocolatey
- Soft with a spongey, cakey texture
- Based on the recipe for this reader-favorite chocolate cake
- Easy to prepare
- A delicious combination of vanilla + chocolate
- Perfect dessert for celebrations and birthday parties
Comparing My Chocolate Cupcake Recipes
I have another chocolate cupcake recipe in my favorites collection. The chocolate batter is similar, but it skips the hot liquid in lieu of another egg. The recipe works, but I find today’s cupcakes have a stronger chocolate flavor. The hot liquid in the recipe below encourages the cocoa powder to “bloom” or, in other words, extract its flavor. (Similar to how hot water extracts flavor from coffee or tea.)
Both recipes produce outstanding and deliciously moist chocolate cupcakes. But, when I’m looking for a stronger chocolate flavor, I choose today’s batter.
5 Key Points to Remember
- Cocoa powder takes the place of some flour, so that’s why there is so little flour in today’s batter.
- Make sure you’re using natural unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutched cocoa. Why? Here’s the difference between dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder. And if you are interested, here’s some info on the difference between baking soda vs. baking powder and why I use both in these chocolate cupcakes.
- Hot liquid enhances the cocoa powder’s flavor. It also encourages it to bloom and dissolve appropriately. If you don’t drink coffee, you can use hot water. For deeper and darker flavor, though, use coffee. (Decaf coffee works!)
- Fill your cupcake liners only 2/3 full. Trust me, you don’t want to fill them any more than that, or they will overflow when baking, then sink in the center.
- This recipe makes enough batter for 14 to 16 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with a few liners, or bake in batches.
Grab these ingredients:
Expect a thin batter. We don’t want a super thick batter here because that would yield dense cupcakes. That’s great for brownies, but we want spongey, cakey, and rich chocolate cupcakes.
Remember: this recipe makes enough batter for 14 to 16 cupcakes. Don’t try to fit all the batter into 12 muffin cups—you will have a disaster on your hands!
Vanilla Buttercream + Other Options
I love sweet & creamy vanilla buttercream frosting and rainbow sprinkles on these chocolate cupcakes. If vanilla frosting isn’t your top choice, you can use any of the following:
- Chocolate Buttercream
- Strawberry Buttercream (similar to these chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes)
- Whipped Frosting (not too sweet)
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Marshmallow Creme Meringue Frosting (dairy free)
- Cookie Dough Frosting
I used a large open star tip for the pictured cupcakes: Ateco 826 piping tip. A smaller version of this, which produces a similar look, is Wilton 1M piping tip.
Chocolate Cupcakes With Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes
- Yield: 14-16 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made from simple everyday ingredients, these chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting will be your new favorite. For best results, use natural cocoa powder and buttermilk in the cupcake batter.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (42g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk*, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water or hot coffee (decaf is fine)
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- salt, to taste
- optional for garnish: sprinkles
Instructions
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. This recipe yields about 14 to 16 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with a few more liners or bake in batches.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, preferably with a pour spout, whisk the oil, sugar, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk together until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the hot coffee/water, and whisk until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.
- Pour the batter into the liners, filling only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. You should have enough batter for 14 to 16 cupcakes.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cupcakes must be completely cooled before decorating.
- Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream/milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. I always add 1/8 teaspoon. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, or more cream/milk—a Tablespoon at a time—if frosting is too thick.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles, if desired. You can swipe the frosting on with an icing knife or use a piping tip such as Ateco 826 or Wilton 1M.
- Store leftover cupcakes covered at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can bake the cupcakes 1 day in advance. Keep cupcakes covered tightly at room temperature and frost the day of serving. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before frosting and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-cup Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls or Mixing Bowl with Pour Spout | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Ateco 826 Piping Tip or Wilton 1M Piping Tip | Cupcake Carrier
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, lower-fat or nondairy milks can work for this soured milk, but the cupcakes won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe. You could also substitute sour cream.
- Hot Coffee: Hot liquid enhances the cocoa powder’s flavor. It also encourages it to bloom and dissolve appropriately. I promise these cupcakes don’t taste like coffee at all! If you don’t drink coffee, you can use hot water. For deeper and richer flavor, though, use coffee (regular or decaf, but make sure it’s black with no sugar or cream). You can either brew it in a coffee maker or make instant coffee.
- Mini Cupcakes: Fill mini liners only halfway and bake for 10–12 minutes at 350°F (177°C). Yields about 3 dozen.
- Cake: Here’s a chocolate cake that is just as moist and chocolate-y. To make enough vanilla frosting for that 2-layer cake, use the frosting ratios from this white cake recipe.
- Why Room Temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly.
- More Success Tips: Be sure to check out my How to Use Piping Tips post for instructions on how to fill a piping bag, and you can also read my 10 Tips for Baking the BEST Cupcakes.
Reader Comments and Reviews
OMG!I made the cake with the frosting,we all loved it.we are especially picky about frosting,we find most frosting too heavy and sweet.this was perfect!thank you
I made this cupcakes today! They were really good! However, the top came out a little hard and they are a little dry. Should I cover the top half way through or from the beginning to avoid this? Like in the Lemon Pound Cake recipe? Or would opening the oven make these sink? Any recommendations? Thank you!
Hi Nicole! Sounds like they were simply over-baked. An easy fix for next time!
Hi!! I have used this recipe so often and love it! My question is while the taste and moistness is out of this world, I find the cupcake doesn’t support frosting. It’s almost fragile. I am not sure what I could be doing wrong? Thank you!!
Hi Lisa, we recommend storing these in the refrigerator to firm up the cupcake base a bit. Hope this helps!
Hi! I love your chocolate cupcake recipes. But I was wondering if you have a recipe that will give the cupcakes a dome and not come out flat.
Hi EM! These moist chocolate cupcakes do not dome like a vanilla cupcake would. We don’t have a recipe for a chocolate cupcake that would dome.
Is it best to pipe the frosting right after it’s made or is it easier if it’s chilled for a little while first
Hi Mickey, you can pipe right away or let it chill just slightly if it seems a bit thin. The colder it is, though, the more difficult it will be to pipe.
Hi. If I were to double this recipe, would I need to use the ratios from the chocolate layer cake recipe, or do I simply double all the ingredients in this recipe?
Also, out of curiosity, why is the sugar mixed in with the dry ingredients in the layer cake recipe, but mixed in with the wet ingredients in this recipe?
Hi CH, for more than a dozen cupcakes, we recommend using the batter from our triple chocolate cake. We’ve made that cake both ways, with the sugar in the dry ingredients and in the wet ingredients, and either works just fine!
This recipe was pure perfection! I just made it for a friend’s birthday and it was a big hit. The cake was soft and spongy and the coffee really enhanced the chocolate flavor. But the real star was the vanilla buttercream frosting. Everyone couldn’t get over how smooth and tasty the frosting was and how well it paired with the chocolate cake. I will be making this again and again!
I followed the recipe for the frosting, even used 1/2 cup icing sugar more, but it’s still thin
I made it was so good Sally!
I would like to make these in advance would it be possible to do 2 days ahead? How should I store them if so?
Hi Cassy, for that length of time, we’d recommend covering tightly and storing in the refrigerator.
Is the amount of frosting enough to cover a 2 layer 9 inch cake? Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Sherene, you can follow the frosting ratios written in this white cake for a two layer cake.
I am going to make these in a few days for a child’s birthday party. I usually bloom cocoa with the hot coffee or boiling water in chocolate recipes. Should I do this with this recipe?
I’m willing to try this recipe for the first time for an event, because I have used many of your recipes with great success – thanks!!
Hi Catherine, the hot water or hot coffee in this recipe does serve the purpose of helping the cocoa to bloom, so you should be all set! Hope the cupcakes are a hit!
Can you tell me the guide on cupcakes to get the good hi-top while baking. Thank you
Hi Linda, filling your cupcake liners the correct amount is key. Although we don’t want super high tops like when baking muffins, filling it the proper amount prevents overflowing or sinking, giving just a slight dome that is still easy to pipe on. You can learn more about properly filling your liners and other cupcake baking tips in this post. Hope this helps!
Such an amazing recipe! I made mini cupcakes and they were truly a HIT at a baby shower.
Not sure what I did wrong. They came out ugly and with a very strong coffee taste. I halved the recipe and measured mostly in grams. I didn’t have buttermilk so I followed the substitution method. Disappointed, it seemed like a great recipe.
Hi, can I use this recipe to make a chocolate bundt cake instead of cupcakes?
Hi Ophelia, we recommend you use this chocolate Bundt cake recipe instead, but without the cream cheese filling. Reduce buttermilk in that recipe to 1/4 cup and increase sour cream to 1 cup.
I will try this. Thank you!
Me again. They didn’t completely collapse; they have a dimple in the middle. Just wanted to be clear!
I got 16 cupcakes, doing my best to eyeball 2/3 full, but some of my cupcakes still fell. Do you have any advice on how to portion out batter more precisely than just my (obviously) imperfect eyeball method?
Hi Sue! Could they have been slightly under-baked? That will also cause cupcakes to full. For very even filling, some bakers use a larger cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to measure.
These were amazing! I always bake your chocolate cupcakes for my kid’s parties and was curious to see the difference between your older chocolate cupcake recipe and these. The others are great, but I like these even more – so light with a deep chocolate flavor! Yum! And I frosted with your chocolate buttercream – a chocolate cake delight!
I was wondering what kind of cocoa powder you recommend, and where do you get it?..
Hi Karen, this recipe calls for unsweetened natural cocoa powder. We typically use Hershey’s or Ghirardelli brands, but any unsweetened natural cocoa powder will work. We find it in the baking aisle of our grocery stores, or you can order it online.
This recipe is perfect! I used 1/4 cup buttermilk and 1/4 sour cream. I put 1/4 cocoa in my hot coffee and rest into the dry ingredients. The cupcakes are so moist and light. I had enough batter for 12 regular and 12 mini size cupcakes and a mini loaf.
I would like to make larger cupcakes; can I double recipe to make this happen?
Hi Jeff, for a jumbo muffin pan you mean? Doubling will promise more cupcakes if you’re increasing their size, but I fear this batter won’t bake up evenly for such large cupcakes; it may sink in the center with a cupcake that large. But I have not tested it to be certain.
I found that my cupcakes were flat and over risen. Is 1 tsp soda and 1/2 tsp baking powder really correct? Most recipies normally have less soda to powder or at least equal. If I try this again I will definitely reduce the soda.
Hi Amelia, the measurements are correct as written, but perhaps your batter was overfilled a bit? That can cause the cupcakes to over flow and then bake up a bit flat. Be sure to only fill the liners 2/3 way full. Thank you for giving these a try!
Hi can we use the dry buttermilk blend to mix with water! Will it work too?
Absolutely. Follow the instructions on the buttermilk container to yield the 1/2 cup needed for this recipe.
I substituted the vanilla extract and cocoa powder with some Filipino ingredients, mostly ube. It’s my friend’s birthday tomorrow, and I’m just making some ube cupcakes for her. Love this recipe, I’m going to fill in the cupcake with frosting!
Can I make the frosting ahead of time as well and refrigerate and just pipe until next day ?
Hi AB! Frosting can be made and refrigerated a few days ahead of time. After refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.
What oil would be best in this recipe as substitute for veg oil?
Hi AB, canola or another neutral-tasting oil is best.
Hello! I would like to decorate my cupcakes the day before. Can be storage in a plastic container without put them in the fridge?
Hi Madelaine, we’ve left these frosted cupcakes at room temperature for up to 24 hours without issue. Any longer than that and we’d recommend storing in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Hi Sally, what brand of buttermilk can we use? Can we get low fat buttermilk for this recipes because it’s hard to find whole buttermilk!
How much teaspoon coffee do we add to mix for 1/2cup ?
Can you help me out please and thank you.
Hi MM, you can use low fat buttermilk in a pinch, but the cupcakes may not be as moist and rich. You can follow the directions on your instant coffee to make the 1/2 cup required for this recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
Do you mean it’s best to use whole buttermilk?
Do you have any chocolate cupcakes that I don’t use buttermilk. Or we could substitute to use sour cream and milk together! How much should we add if it say 1/2cup? Thank you!
See recipe Notes for details on making your own DIY buttermilk if it is unavailable!
Hello,
My cupcakes came out flat. Any idea why? Nothing was expired. The taste was amazing but I usually prefer a dome on my cupcakes.
Hi Beatriz! These moist chocolate cupcakes do not dome like a vanilla cupcake would.
These were so good! Simple to make but absolutely delicious. great recipe! Everyone couldn’t believe they were homemade.