Simple to make and even easier to eat, these 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! Or you can even swirl chocolate and vanilla frostings together, which you’ll also see below.
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 birthday cupcakes with chocolate frosting!
These Chocolate Cupcakes With Vanilla Frosting Are:
- Super moist and richly flavorful
- 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 for celebrations and birthday parties
Overview: How to Make Them
- Combine the dry ingredients: Whisk together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cocoa powder takes the place of some flour, so that’s why there is so little flour in this recipe. 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.
- Combine (most of) the wet ingredients: Whisk oil, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk together.
- Combine everything together: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry, add hot coffee/water, then whisk until smooth. 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 muffin pan: 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. This recipe makes enough batter for 15 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with 3 liners, or bake in batches.
- Bake: The cupcakes take about 20 minutes in the oven.
- Frost: After they cool, frost the cupcakes with vanilla buttercream or swirl vanilla and chocolate buttercream together like we do for these marble cupcakes!
Expect a thin batter. We don’t want a super thick batter because that would yield dense cupcakes. That’s great for brownies, but we want spongey, cakey, and rich chocolate cupcakes.
Remember: don’t overfill the cupcake liners. This recipe makes enough batter for 15 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with 3 liners, or bake in batches. Don’t try to fit all the batter into 12 muffin cups—you will have a disaster on your hands!
Vanilla Frosting OR Swirled Frosting
I love sweet, creamy vanilla buttercream frosting on these chocolate cupcakes. And don’t forget the sprinkles!
If you want to take it a step further, try swirled frosting instead! You can find instructions for the swirled frosting in my marble cupcakes recipe. Basically, you’ll make two bowls of frosting, spoon them side-by-side in your piping bag, then pipe. It’s very easy!
I used Wilton 1M piping tip in these pictured cupcakes.
Baker’s Tip: Place your piping bag in a tall cup. This makes transferring frosting to the piping bag MUCH easier, neater, and quicker.
Chocolate Cupcakes With Vanilla Frosting
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 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 coffee or hot water
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4–5 cups (480–600g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
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 15 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with 3 cupcake liners or bake in batches.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, sugar, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot coffee/water, and whisk until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners, filling only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. You should have enough batter for 15 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 4 and 1/2 cups 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. You can swipe the frosting on with an icing knife or use a piping tip such as Wilton 1M. Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 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 | Whisk | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 1M Piping Tip
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY version of buttermilk 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.
Keywords: chocolate cupcakes, vanilla frosting
This recipe is a flop. Every single time i make it. I won’t be using it again. I love your vanilla cupcake recipe. but this chocolate needs to go back to the drawing board. Every single time I have made it, the look like they are baking up really nice. doesn’t matter how long i bake them for. as soon as I pull them out of the oven. the begin to sink in the middle and shrink. Now before I get excuses as to maybe it’s your baking powder. maybe it’s your baking soda. maybe you overfilled. I did none of the sorts and I bake a ton almost every day so I know for a fact none of my ingredients are bad. I go through them too quick for them to be bad. Also this cupcake has NO structure. it’s super light and fluffy. will literally crumble. The vanilla recipe you have is such a winner! makes a nice sturdy, full beautiful cupcake. I think i might try to convert your vanilla recipe into a chocolate version of my own.
Either way this chocolate recipe isn’t worth wasting time on unfortunately
★
Thank you so much for your feedback. You may have better luck with my updated recipe for chocolate cupcakes. You can leave out the filling and use this buttercream. I’m in the process of updating this. Thank you again.
PERFECT! I have little experience making cupcakes. I had never given too much thought to the difference between natural and Dutch-processed cocoa…. so after the warning and having read the explanations about baking soda vs baking powder, and the two type of cocoa, I dragged myself over to the store to buy natural cocoa.
With the vanilla buttercream frosting, and despite substituting flax milk with a few drops of lemon for the buttermilk, the cupcakes were EXCELLENT! Thank you!
★★★★★
Easy-to-follow, straight-forward recipe. Thanks for the tip about filling the liners halfway – I would have filled them more if left on my own – I actually managed 16 cupcakes that turned out perfect. Followed your link to your chocolate buttercream frosting – equally easy and terrific results. My grandchildren declared this a success so I’ll be making these cupcakes regularly.
★★★★★
Hi sally!
Quick question, can I add something to this to make it even more chocolatey, such as chopped baking chocolate or chocolate chips?
Thanks!
Hi Kyler, absolutely — we’d start with 1/2 cup to 1 cup depending on how much you’d like. Enjoy!
Hey Sally! If you needed to make a few dozen of these, is it best to make one batch at a time or is it ok to double/triple up the recipe? I know with some recipes (like your amazing peanut butter cupcakes) it’s best to just make a single batch at a time.
Hi Alicia! You’re correct — for best taste and texture, we recommend making separate batches rather than doubling or tripling. Increasing the recipe also increases the chance of under or over mixing the batter. Hope this is helpful!
These came out perfect! They were incredibly moist and delicious. I baked mine for 18 minutes and that was all they needed. I used your cream cheese frosting recipe and rainbow sprinkles. Magic!
★★★★★
This recipe is perfect! I made exactly as written and they were delicious and moist. The recipe made exactly 14 normal size cupcakes, as stated, and I doubled the recipe, which turned out fine. The recipe says the batter is thin, but I didn’t find that to be the case. It was the consistency of normal cake batter, which worried me and made me think I had left out some liquid. They turned out great though! Also, when Sally says to not fill the cups more than halfway full, listen to her. I used my large muffin scoop to fill the cups, which ended up being slightly more than half full and some of them did overflow. I should’ve listened!
★★★★★