Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Dark chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting

How to make DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES! These are so soft and moist and topped off with a silky peanut butter frosting!

Course cupcakes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 18

Total Time 43

Servings cupcakes

Calories 223kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Ingredients

1 ¾ cup (215 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar tightly packed
1 cup (200 g) sugar
¾ cup (75 g) dark cocoa powder (see note)
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
½ cup (118 ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil or canola oil may substitute vegetable oil
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk room temperature preferred
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
4 oz (113 g) dark chocolate very finely chopped, I use 75%
½ cup (118 ml) hot coffee* or 1 teaspoon instant coffee dissolved into ½ cup hot water
1 batch peanut butter frosting or your favorite frosting

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and line 2 12-count muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whisk together flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup sugar, ¾ cup dark cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
Add melted butter and oil, stir well.
½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup avocado oil or vegetable oil or canola oil
Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pause occasionally to scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl.
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
Stir in vanilla extract. Gradually add buttermilk and stir well, then stir in chopped chocolate.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup buttermilk, 4 oz dark chocolate
Add hot coffee, stirring until ingredients are well-combined (be sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl again).
½ cup hot coffee*
Evenly divide batter into prepared muffin tins. Do not fill muffin tins higher than ⅔ of the way full or the batter will spread out over the top of the pan and you'll have awkward and unappealing flat-topped cupcakes.
Bake on 350F (175C) for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center should come out with moist crumbs (not wet batter).
Allow to cool completely in the muffin tins before removing and decorating with your favorite frosting. I recommend using my peanut butter frosting.
1 batch peanut butter frosting

Notes

*If you don't have hot coffee, hot water can be used.

Cocoa Powder

A few people noted that Hershey's has changed their cocoa powder from the one shown in my post. As of August 2021 I have tested the recipe with their new formula and it still works great here with no issues!

Nutrition