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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Cupcakes

    Easy Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

    Updated: May 28, 2025 โ€ข Published: May 2, 2022 by Sam Merritt โ€ข 1,574 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    collage of chocolate cupcakes, top image of full cupcake close up, bottom image further away

    My easy chocolate cupcake recipe yields two-dozen light, fluffy, and chocolatey cupcakes that are better than a box-mix (and just as easy!). Made quickly and easily in one bowl, they can be baked and frosted in less than an hour. Recipe includes a how-to video! 

    head-on view of a chocolate cupcake in a hot pink cupcake wrapper topped with piped chocolate frosting and rainbow sprinkles

    The Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes

    You’re going to be so happy you found this recipe. After all, who doesn’t love a perfectly balanced chocolate cupcake (preferably topped with a generous swirl of chocolate buttercream). My recipe is incredibly moist, so soft, and so perfectly fluffy. Taste wise, they’re sweet without being too sweet and have a pronounced chocolate flavor (I’ll share a few tricks to pull this off). Plus, they’re incredibly quick and easy to make in just one bowl!

    I first published this recipe six years ago and it’s been a huge hit with my readers and my own faithful go-to chocolate cupcake recipe (I prefer my slightly heavier chocolate cake recipe for cakes). However, the original recipe made a large, awkward number of cupcakes, so I’ve scaled down the recipe to now make a neat 24 cupcakes with subtly domed tops.

    What You Need

    overhead view of cupcake ingredients including cocoa powder, milk, flour, eggs, and more

    Making chocolate cupcakes from scratch is just as easy as using a box mix, but they taste so much better. Here are a few of the ingredients you’ll be using today:

    • Cocoa powder. I recommend using natural, regular cocoa powder in your chocolate cupcakes. Dutch process will change the flavor and could impact the texture (if the baking soda isn’t fully neutralized), so I’d recommend sticking with the recipe as written.
    • Hot water/coffee. It is very important that you use a hot liquid (the hotter the better, but be careful not to splash yourself with it while mixing) as this reacts with the cocoa powder, causing it to “bloom” and fully develop the rich flavor of the cocoa.
    • Oil. Don’t be tempted to replace the oil with melted butter, please! Using oil makes these chocolate cupcakes super moist without weighing them down. The cocoa powder (when bloomed by the hot liquid) provides plenty of flavor, so butter is unnecessary (never would have thought I would type those words!) and actually yields a less-desirable cupcake.
    • Cornstarch. I’ve updated this recipe to include a tablespoon of cornstarch. One of my favorite secret ingredients (you may recognize it from my best chocolate chip cookies), this simple addition keeps them tender, soft, and fluffy and it also gives these formerly completely flat cupcakes a slight rounded dome.

    SAM’S TIP: If you choose to use coffee, your chocolate cupcakes will not taste mocha-esque; rather the coffee helps to enhance the rich chocolate flavors of the cocoa powder. I recommend you use it!

    Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make My Favorite Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

    Make the Batter

    collage of four photos showing wet ingredients being added to dry to make a chocolate batter
    1. Whisk all of the dry ingredients and sugar together.
    2. Add the oil, egg, and vanilla and mix to combine. It’ll seem a bit stiff, dry and crumbly, but just keep mixing and go until all of the dry ingredients are moistened. Feel free to use your electric mixer for this step, but I usually just use a spatula.
    3. Slowly drizzle in the milk and continue stirring until the batter looks uniform.
    4. Gradually and carefully add the hot liquid and mix until everything is completely combined.

    SAM’S TIP: While you might be able to get away with using buttermilk straight from the fridge, room temp eggs are key here! If your eggs are cold, straight from the fridge, they will not incorporate well into your dry ingredients, leaving you with a batter that’s clumpy, clunky, and not uniform. This can lead to sunken or otherwise wonky cupcakes.

    Divide the Batter & Bake

    collage of two photos showing cupcakes before and after baking

    It’s very important to not fill your cupcake liners higher than ⅔ full. If you do, the batter will spread out over the tops and the resulting cupcakes will have flat tops that are likely to sink in on themselves. Opt for under-filling rather than over-filling, and if you do happen to have leftover batter, make extra cupcakes or discard it.

    1. Evenly divide the batter among a lined cupcake pan and bake for 17-19 minutes.
    2. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

    SAM’S TIP: I recommend baking one pan of chocolate cupcakes at a time, just in case your oven bakes unevenly or does something funky while baking, or even just in case you accidentally leave the first batch in too long. The batter will be fine to wait on the counter while the first batch bakes!

    While you can always stick with chocolate buttercream (shown here), my chocolate cupcake recipe tastes lovely with just about any topping. Some of my top recommendations are brown butter frosting (my husband’s favorite pairing), marshmallow frosting, cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting (perfect for peanut butter & chocolate lovers!), Swiss meringue buttercream, or vanilla frosting.

    three chocolatey cupcakes topped with chocolate frosting and sprinkles on a white platter

    Frequently Asked Questions

    My cupcake batter is watery; what happened?

    This chocolate cupcake batter will be very, very thin–much different from the thick batter of my vanilla cake. It’ll seem almost watery/soupy. This is normal and means you’ve done everything right! 

    Can I use this chocolate cupcake recipe to make chocolate cake?

    While I do have a great chocolate cake recipe, you can use this recipe to make a two layer 8″ or 9″ cake. I provide instructions on how to do this in the recipe notes.

    Can I leave out the cocoa powder to make vanilla cupcakes?

    I don’t recommend it. This batter was carefully developed and the inclusion of the cocoa is critical for the proper texture. Even if you swapped an equal amount of flour, it’s not likely to turn out nearly as well as a recipe that was actually designed to be a vanilla cupcake. I suggest you make my easy vanilla cupcake recipe instead!

    cupcakes in pink and purple cupcake wrappers topped with piped frosting and sprinkles

    With only 15 minutes to prep and only one bowl to dirty, what are you waiting for!?

    Enjoy!

    Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

    head-on view of a chocolate cupcake in a hot pink cupcake wrapper topped with piped chocolate frosting and rainbow sprinkles

    Truly the Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

    These chocolate cupcakes are light, fluffy, and so much better than a box mix. Made quickly and easily in just one bowl, they can baked and frosted in less than an hour.
    Recipe includes a how-to video! 
    4.84 from 511 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: cupcakes, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 17 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 32 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24 cupcakes
    Calories: 96kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 1 ⅔ cups (333 g) granulated sugar
    • 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
    • ⅔ cup (65 g) natural cocoa powder see note 1
    • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch see note 2
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon table salt
    • ½ cup (118 ml) avocado, canola or vegetable oil
    • 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk room temperature preferred
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • ⅔ cup (157 ml) whole milk room temperature preferred
    • 1 cup (236 ml) hot coffee see note 3, may substitute hot water
    • 1 batch chocolate buttercream or preferred frosting

    Recommended Equipment

    • Cupcake tin
    • Mixing bowls

    Instructions

    • Arrange rack to center of oven and preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line two 12-count muffin tins with paper liners.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (I make this recipe with an electric mixer but it can be done by hand using a whisk and spatula instead).
      1 ⅔ cups (333 g) granulated sugar, 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup (65 g) natural cocoa powder, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon table salt
    • Add canola oil, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until batter is combined (it will be a bit dry and crumbly but all of the flour mixture should be moistened before proceeding).
      ½ cup (118 ml) avocado, canola or vegetable oil, 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • Drizzle in milk while stirring and stir until batter is uniform and completely combined.
      ⅔ cup (157 ml) whole milk
    • Gradually add hot coffee or hot water (take care not to burn yourself!) and stir until liquid is completely incorporated into the batter and you have a smooth chocolate batter. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well-combined. The batter will be very thin, this is normal!
      1 cup (236 ml) hot coffee
    • Evenly divide batter into prepared muffin tin, but take care to fill liners between ½ and not more than ⅔ of the way full, this is typically about 3 Tablespoons of batter or less per cupcake liner. Over-filled liners will result in cupcakes with flat tops and they may cave in on themselves. If you have excess batter, discard it (or make extra cupcakes!).
    • Transfer one pan of cupcakes to 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (or clean). Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes in baking pan before carefully removing to cooling rack to cool completely before frosting (I like to use a knife to gently pry up the cupcake from the bottom and then carefully lift it out to a cooling rack). Repeat with second pan of cupcakes
    • Once cupcakes have cooled, frost with my chocolate frosting or your favorite frosting recipe.
      1 batch chocolate buttercream

    Notes

    Cocoa powder

    I recommend using natural unsweetened cocoa powder for best results. However, in a pinch Dutch process cocoa powder can be used instead, but note that the flavor will be slightly different and the cupcakes will be darker.

    Cornstarch

    Cornstarch is my secret ingredient, it makes the cupcakes tender and fluffy and gives them the perfect, slight domed tops. However, if you do not have it on hand you may omit it, note that your cupcakes will likely be flatter though.

    Hot coffee/hot water

    A hot liquid is essential to properly blooming the cocoa powder (which gives the cake a pronounced, rich chocolate flavor). I like to use hot coffee because the coffee flavor enhances the chocolate, making the flavor even richer and deeper. However, you can just use hot water instead. The hotter the liquid the better; boiling is fine, just be careful! Please note I don’t recommend using other hot liquids such as hot chocolate which often have other additives and sugar added and could adversely affect the final outcome.

    Frosting

    I used my Ateco 848 tip to pipe the frosting on the cupcakes in the photos above and in the video. If you wish to frost all of your cupcakes this generously you will want to double the frosting called for in the recipe that I linked to, but honestly you don’t need to and a more modest amount (half the amount shown) works great and allows the cupcake flavor to really shine, it just didn’t look quite as nice in the pictures!

    Baking chocolate cupcake batter in different sized pans

    You may bake these cupcakes in two 8” pans for 35-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
    In two 9” pans the cakes will take a bit less time, start checking at 30-32 minutes.
    This recipe should also work just fine in a 13×9” pan, but I would keep an eye on it as I haven’t tested it in this size pan yet.

    Original recipe

    I’ve received a lot of requests for the original recipe. As I mentioned in my post, this current recipe is the one I recommend, it’s simply scaled down from that one to make an even 24 cupcakes, to prevent the overflowing issue many people were having, and a bit of cornstarch has been added to improve structure. It’s a slightly better cupcake recipe for the changes and I recommend using the recipe as seen here. However, since so many of you have asked, here is the original recipe. Please note that I am not accepting comments or questions on the original and recommend you use the recipe I have published here currently. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
    cupcake topped with lots of chocolate frosting missing a big bite

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    My chocolate cupcake recipe was originally published in March of 2016. A few small modifications were made to scale the recipe down to 24 even cupcakes without changing the texture, and the post has been updated to be more informative and a how-to video has been added.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy Gilbert

      August 17, 2019 at 6:50 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and delicious!

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 17, 2019 at 8:46 pm

        Thank you so much Amy! I am so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Erika

      August 11, 2019 at 2:14 pm

      Only my first time making cupcakes without using those in the boxes and it was the best cupcake i have ever eaten, thank you! I did not have enough butter for the frosting though so I made a peanut butter frosting and it was delicious with this moist fluffy cupcake.

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 11, 2019 at 2:35 pm

        I’m so happy you enjoyed the chocolate cupcakes, Erika!! Thank you so much for commenting ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    3. Elle

      August 11, 2019 at 12:35 am

      How far in advance can I make these? And how are they best stored if able to bake in advance

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 11, 2019 at 7:12 pm

        Hi Elle! I typically don’t keep them longer than a week at room temperature in an air tight container. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    4. Madison

      August 09, 2019 at 8:12 am

      5 stars
      Love it!

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 09, 2019 at 9:07 am

        Thank you so much, Madison! I am glad you enjoyed the chocolate cupcakes. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    5. Harley

      August 05, 2019 at 1:23 pm

      5 stars
      Will 9inch pans work as well?

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 06, 2019 at 2:47 pm

        Hi Harley! This will work in 9 inch pans, I am just not sure how long they would need to bake. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    6. Heather H

      August 03, 2019 at 11:42 pm

      5 stars
      When circumstances demanded that I bake my own birthday cake this year, I whipped up a batch of these cupcakes, and they were perfect! I made a 1/3-sized batch, using my favorite cocoa that comes blended with chai tea spices. They are absolutely as moist and delicious as promised! Thanks so much for this terrific recipe!

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 04, 2019 at 9:21 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed the chocolate cupcakes so much, Heather! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. Karthika Srinivasan

      July 31, 2019 at 11:51 pm

      If I need to make 12 cupcakes can I use half the measurement of everything that is mentioned ?

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 01, 2019 at 10:18 am

        That will work just fine. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    8. Kade

      July 28, 2019 at 7:57 pm

      I loved these cupcakes! I didnt use the frosting and regretted it but the cupcake is moist and yummy!

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 29, 2019 at 11:03 am

        I am so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes, Kade! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    9. Patrycia

      July 27, 2019 at 8:54 am

      5 stars
      Best cupcakes of my life. Ever. Ever!! So easy!!!! Cupcake recipe for life.

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 27, 2019 at 10:15 am

        Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the chocolate cupcakes, Patrycia!! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    10. Stephanie

      July 24, 2019 at 3:32 pm

      5 stars
      These are the best chocolate cupcakes I have ever made/had. After some attempts with other recipes, this recipe is golden. I will use this for everything and to share with family and friends. Thank you for this amazing recipe! It also has COFFEE! What more do you need?!

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 25, 2019 at 12:00 pm

        Thank you so much, Stephanie! I am so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes so much. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    11. Holly Boyd

      July 21, 2019 at 11:58 pm

      Awesome cupcakes !! These were so good that they kept 11 girls quiet ,during my twins 10th birthday party !! Chocolate coma and unbelievably yummy !! The hubby said I could give the professional baker ” a run for her money !!”

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 22, 2019 at 12:00 pm

        Thank you so much, Holly! I am so glad everyone enjoyed the cupcakes so much. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Abdul sadique

          July 23, 2019 at 12:17 pm

          This recipe genuinely works
          Great and easy recipe
          And NOTE make my cupcake more tasty๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜‹

        • Sam

          July 25, 2019 at 12:24 pm

          Thank you so much, Abdul! I am so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes. ๐Ÿ™‚

    12. Stephanie

      July 20, 2019 at 3:08 pm

      Fantastic recipe and I think my first successful frosting, ever! Also, THANK you for the hyperlink to just jump to the recipe. It’s hard to scroll and scroll and scroll to the recipe, especially on sites with so many ads! I’m gearing up for another round this afternoon.

      Also, funny thing – I didn’t have a piping bag or tip so I just used a ziploc bag to frost the cookiees. They 100% ended up looking like the poo emoji! LOL! I have since bought a piping bag and am looking forward to a hopefully prettier final product.

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 22, 2019 at 12:40 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed the frosting so much, Stephanie! I have frequently used ziploc bags in a pinch. The tip in the piping bag is what really makes the difference. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    13. Alex

      July 15, 2019 at 11:00 pm

      Can i use water for the frosting i stead of milk?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 17, 2019 at 9:55 pm

        I don’t recommend it as water is much thinner.

        Reply
    14. Jasmina

      July 12, 2019 at 11:11 pm

      Hi! I just tried this recipe. I did literally step by step, to a T. It took almost 30 minutes for them to finally cook, and the cupcakes look so flat like I made cookies. What do you think went wrong? They taste great, but I cant use them now unfortunately.

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 14, 2019 at 11:47 am

        Hi Jasmina! Was your oven fully preheated before you put the cupcakes in? By chance could your oven temperature be running lower than it is saying? Or could the cupcake liners have been filled up too high? Those would be my best guesses.

        Reply
        • Jasmina

          July 16, 2019 at 4:21 pm

          Hi Sam!
          I honestly have no clue what happened. I filled the liners 2/3rds full. I normally don’t have an issue with my oven. I dis hear the temperature timer ring, I believe i put the cupcakes in about 10-12 minutes later.
          I had some left over batter, those 9 cupcakes came out perfect.
          I will be making these again, as they were THE BEST CHOCOLATE cupcake I have ever tried.

        • Sam

          July 22, 2019 at 12:45 pm

          I’m so glad the second set turned out for you. ๐Ÿ™‚

    15. j

      July 06, 2019 at 12:22 am

      5 stars
      AMAZING!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 06, 2019 at 8:28 am

        So glad you enjoyed!! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
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