Inspired by the Starbucks Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino, these insanely chocolaty cupcakes are flavored with just a hint of coffee, bursting with chocolate pieces, then crowned with a lusciously whipped frosting.
There are squiggly little red lines all over my computer right now as I try to figure out the correct way to spell Frappu— Frappe—Frappuc (omg… one “c” or two?)… Frappuccino without looking it up. Well there it is, I finally had to give up and Google it, and good thing I did because evidently my computer doesn’t recognize frappuccino as a real word, anyway (it keeps suggesting cappuccino”), so those squiggly lines aren’t going anywhere.
Spelling (and misspellings) aside, while it’s pretty well-documented that I don’t like coffee, every few weeks I’m struck by an insufferable craving for a frappuccino… but there’s a very particular kind that I crave every time.
I’m absolutely head over heels for Starbucks Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccinos. Those ridiculous, fancily-named drinks are irresistible with their rich chocolate with just the slightest hint of espresso (though of course you can get it without)… and that chocolate drizzled whipped cream just takes the cake.
Every time I sip on one it takes me back to being a kid, sipping on a big glass of highly-coveted cold chocolate milk (before I decided that I hated drinking milk, chocolate or not).
While I could’ve tried my hand at replicating the frappi-howeveryouspellit myself, I fancy myself as a baker rather than a barista, so cupcakes it was.
To make the oh-so-chocolaty cupcake portion of this recipe, I slightly modified my recipe for my favorite, one-bowl chocolate cupcakes.
While the original chocolate cupcake recipe is pretty much perfect as-is, I made a few tweaks to make them copycat-frappuccino-worthy. Each cupcake is flecked with tiny bits of finely chopped real dark chocolate, and the flavor is further intensified with a few heaping spoonfuls of instant coffee for a subtle hint of espresso flavor in each melt-in-your-mouth bite. These additions make for decadent, richly flavored cupcakes that are packed with flavor, but aren’t at all dense.
Even though these cupcakes were extremely well-received by everyone who tried them, it was the frosting that really had everyone buzzing.
This light, mock-whipped cream frosting is made out of homemade, hand-whipped cream (don’t worry, it’s easy to do!) which is then folded in a mixture of cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. The cream cheese does an excellent job of keeping the frosting from becoming too sweet (or too bland), while still making it light as a feather and airy. Unlike regular whipped cream, it also stays nice and stabilized for at least two days after it’s been piped (I can’t vouch for any longer than that, as it was a struggle to get a cupcake to last to the two-days post-baking point without being eaten).
Also, even though they’re called “chocolate chip” frappe–whatchamacall’ems, the chocolate pieces inside a frappeuccino are smaller than your average chocolate chip, so we’re using finely chopped dark chocolate pieces here instead.
Make sure to chop them splinter-fine for flecks of melty chocolate in every bite.
Enjoy!
Copycat Starbucks Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino Cupcakes
Cupcakes inspired by Starbucks' double chocolate chip frappuccinos!
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup ⅔ canola oil vegetable oil would also be fine
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs lightly beaten (preferably room temperature)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup very hot water
- 2 Tbsp instant coffee
- 6 oz premium dark chocolate chopped into very small pieces.* I use a Ghirardelli baking bar
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups heavy cream
- Chocolate syrup for drizzling
- 2 oz dark chocolate finely chopped or mini chocolate chips . if desired
Instructions
Cupcakes
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Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin tin with cupcake liners (or lightly grease and flour).
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In large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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Stir in canola oil and milk, stirring until combined.
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Add eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition.
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Stir in vanilla extract.
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Measure out your hot water (carefully!) and stir the instant coffee into the hot water.
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Add the water to the batter and stir until the mixture is evenly combined (it will be a thin batter. When you first add the water/coffee to the batter will separate a bit, so stir until it is even in texture and smooth. Be careful with the hot water as it may splatter as it is stirred, and it will be hot).
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Fold in finely chopped chocolate pieces.
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Fill prepared muffin tin cavities just over ⅔ of the way full. Occasionally scrape the bottom of the bowl and stir to evenly-redistribute any chocolate pieces that may have settled on the bottom of the bowl.
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Bake at 350F for 18-22 minutes (use the toothpick test to check).
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Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
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Stir together cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until well-combined. Set aside.
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In a clean, dry, separate bowl, combine your heavy cream and the remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat on high-speed just until stiff peaks form (stiff peaks exist when you can dip a knife or spatula into the mixture and the peaks that form when you remove the utensil hold their shape without the point of the peak significantly folding or receding back into the mixture -- a small amount of folding or receding is OK, don't overbeat the cream!)
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Fold your cream cheese mixture into the whipping cream mixture. With the mixer on low-speed, stir until well-combined (again, try not to over-whisk).
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Pipe frosting generously onto cooled cupcakes.
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Drizzle with chocolate syrup and garnish with chopped chocolate or mini chips, if desired.
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Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
* Chop the chocolate into teeny tiny pieces--smaller than mini chocolate chips. I used a large knife and "minced" the chocolate as if I were mincing garlic. If you do not make the chocolate small enough, it will sink to the bottom of the cupcakes, you want it to be dispersed throughout the cupcake (though, trust me, a few pieces on the bottom isn't anything to cry over). The heat from the added coffee will also help shrink the pieces a bit.
**This recipe makes enough batter for just over 24 cupcakes. You could either discard the excess batter (blasphemy!) or wait for your pans to cool and bake the extras. In my case, I used the leftover batter to make a few mini cupcakes.
Other Recipes to Try
Dark Chocolate Mini Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting
Petite Vanilla Bean and Almond Scones
Easy One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
These are so cute! Obsessed 🙂
Sam says
Thanks, Medha! 🙂
Melanie | Gather for Bread says
OH my goodness! These look crazy amazing Sam. You’ve definitely made me hungry for chocolate!
Sam says
Thank you so much, Melanie! 🙂
Lucy @ Globe Scoffers recipes says
These look insanely delicious!
Sam says
Thanks, Lucy!
Amanda says
I’m so glad I don’t live near a Starbucks because I’d order one of those bad boys every day. But who needs that when you have these cupcakes. These are the world’s cutest cupcakes!
Sam says
Thank you so much, Amanda! 🙂
Anna says
I made these and they taste exactly like the recipe on the back of the Hershey’s cocoa powder box… Not impressed.
Sam says
Sorry you didn’t like them! Everyone here thought they were delicious!
Sam says
If you’re looking for a richer, more decadent cupcake you might want to try these out: http://sugarspunrun.com/dark-chocolate-cupcakes-with-fresh-raspberry-frosting/
mitzi says
i dont see in the directions where you add the finely chopped chocolate pieces?
Sam says
Hi Mitzi! Add them in last, after you stir in the water/coffee. I hope you love them!
Naomi says
I made your cupcakes for a birthday celebration at work today! They were a huge hit, and the presentation (with the little straws) was admired by all! Thank you for sharing such a fun, creative idea.
Sam says
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that they were a hit, thank you for coming back and letting me know!! ☺️
jenaiah says
these cupcakes look the bomb thanks for making these by the way frappiccino’s and cupcake are one of my fav thing also s you know me well hope to see you real life like in indiana or something.
Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons says
These are just so darn cute!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed says
These look awesome! So creative and fun!
KK says
I made these today for my daughter’s 13th birthday party tomorrow. How long can the cupcakes sit out? Do I need to put them in the fridge tonight? I don’t bake much so not sure. I did a test run and my girls liked them.
Sam says
If you haven’t frosted them yet you could just keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, but once you frost them they will need to be kept refrigerated (also in an airtight container, like a large tupperware container).
I hope that helps, and glad your girls like the cupcakes! 🙂
Cortney Kepesky says
Well first I will say, I GOT 31 CUPCAKES! 😱
I honestly didn’t even look at how many it would make but wow, I am currently freezing the ones that aren’t fitting in my cake stand (hopefully the tip I read will help preserve them since the four of us should not be consuming so many…even though I would in a heartbeat!)!
Secondly, I don’t taste the coffee at all so I would suggest to anyone wanting a coffee taste to use more than what’s directed (same amount of water though) or a stronger freshly brewed coffee.
Having said all that, this is a really delicious cupcake! I love sweets and I am a chocolate addict but I never ever look forward to eating cupcakes because they’re always so bland and too heavy and spongy, this is the exact opposite! It’s hard to not eat them quickly since they are not so dense. And the frosting, wow, it’s perfect! Again, not a heavy cream cheese frosting and not just a bland whipped cream!
This is an absolutely perfect, chocolatey, better-than-a-cupcake recipe I have ever had!
*The directions are also very easy to follow*
Sam says
Whew, 31!? Quite a bonus!!
I am SO glad that you and your family enjoyed these cupcakes so much. Perhaps I’ll add a note so that people can add espresso powder for a stronger coffee flavor, I just started experimenting with that and that would probably do the trick!
Thank you so much for coming back to comment and tell me how you enjoyed them! 🙂
jenaiah says
31 is a LOT what made you start baking or something.
Robin says
Could you send the link to get the Starbuck cupcake wrappers?? I found it once but cannot find it & my to be 14 yr. old granddaughter would love to have it on her cupcakes!! Thanks
Sam says
Hi Robin! The wrappers in these pictures are just dark green wrappers that I was able to find at my local grocery store. These (affiliate) look similar to the ones that I used.
Tembra says
Loved them ! Made about 30 good size cupcakes . Used instant coffee and had great flavor . A keeper !
Sam says
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed, Tembra!! 🙂 Thank you for coming back and commenting!!
Tembra says
Have you tried the cupcake batter as cake ? I LOVE this recipe but not sure if I should try it as a cake
Sam says
It should be perfectly fine as cake 🙂 My Hot Chocolate Cake recipe is extremely similar, you could follow that recipe but substitute hot coffee or hot water for the hot chocolate. I hope that helps!