Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes

This Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes recipe is packed with deep chocolatey goodness. Topped with a ganache frosting they really are a treat to behold.

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Sometimes you just need a little chocolate. OK, a lot of chocolate! And these cupcakes do not disappoint! They are packed with chocolate in every single bite! Moist chocolate cake, topped with delectable chocolate ganache frosting that’s covered in chocolate curls – yes, please! I’ve shared a variety of chocolate cupcakes and cake recipes, like my Devil’s Food Cupcakes and my showstopping Triple Layer Chocolate Ganache Cake. And while I love them all, if I could only ever bake one chocolate cupcakes recipe ever again, I would be just fine with this one.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Flour: Use all purpose flour/plain flour.
• Cocoa Powder: I use unsweetened cocoa powder as I prefer my chocolate cakes to be chocolatey but not overly sweet.
• Espresso Powder: The espresso powder is optional, but I use it to intensify chocolate flavor. You can also use instant coffee by adding a teaspoon into the wet ingredients and mixing until it dissolves into the liquid.
• Eggs: Always use room temperature eggs, eggs that have been stored in the fridge won’t combine as well with the other ingredients. If you refrigerate your eggs, simply remove them from the fridge and leave at room temperature for an hour before you bake.
• Sugar: This recipe calls for two types of sugar, granulated and light brown sugar. If you don’t have light brown sugar, you can use all granulated, the brown sugar just adds a lovely caramel element to the chocolate cakes.
• Oil: I like to use canola oil in this recipe, but you can use any other vegetable oil you like that has a neutral flavor.
• Butter: I use salted butter, but if you have unsalted that is fine too.
• Buttermilk: Whole or low fat buttermilk will work just as well. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute with full fat sour cream loosened with a little milk.
• Vanilla: I use vanilla extract, but you can use vanilla bean paste too.
• Chocolate Curls: You can make your own chocolate curls (read on to find out how), or you can buy them store-bought. If you can’t find chocolate curls, mini chocolate chips make a great substitution.

Equipment

All you need for this recipe is two 12-section cupcake pans, cupcake liners, two bowls, one whisk, and a rubber scraper. There’s no creaming of butter in this, so there is no need to break out the mixer (although you can absolutely use a hand or stand mixer if you’d rather).

How to Make Chocolate Curls

Chocolate curls are easily made using a vegetable peeler and a room temperate chocolate bar. Just unwrap the bar and gently peel strips off the side of the bar (it works better if you try to dig the peeler into the chocolate). The strips will naturally curl as you go. Rotate the bar as the chocolate warms in your hands. If you’re having trouble achieving a curl, try placing the chocolate bar in the microwave for ten seconds.

Peel chocolate curls onto a flat plate. They will be very delicate so try not to handle them until you’re ready to use them. Store in refrigerator to keep them firm.

Step By Step Instructions

Using a whisk, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, butter, vanilla, and buttermilk together until completely combined and smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently until just combined being careful not to over mix. The batter will be thin.

Fill the liners two-thirds full with the batter. I like to use an ice cream scoop so that I have an equal amount of batter in each cupcake liner.

Bake for 18-21 minutes. To Check for doneness, remove the cupcakes from the oven, then gently press down on the cupcake with your finger. If the cupcake bounces back completely, they are done. If your finger leaves a dent, they need more time.

Allow your chocolate cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting by adding warm cream over chocolate chips and stirring until the chocolate has melted. Then let it set in the fridge until it’s thick enough to spread. For more detailed instructions as well as tips, see my post for chocolate ganache frosting.

Once the frosting has set and your chocolate cupcakes are cool, spread the frosting over each cupcake.

Then cover the frosting with chocolate curls – See why I’ve called them Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes?

Serve and enjoy every last bite!

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Let’s Make Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes

These super moist cupcakes are packed with chocolate goodness in every bite! Chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate Ganache frosting covered in chocolate curls – they’re a chocolate lover’s dream!

5 from 6 votes

Prep15 minutes minutes

Cook20 minutes minutes

Total1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

cooling time: 1 hour hour

Serves: 12

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Ingredients

For The Cupcakes:

• ▢ ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ cup light brown sugar (100g )packed
• ▢ 4 tablespoons canola oil vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter melted and cooled
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ cup buttermilk at room temperature

For The Frosting:

• ▢ 1½ cups whipping cream heavy cream double cream and whipping cream are all good options
• ▢ 12 ounces dark chocolate no more than 60% Cocoa solids chopped
• ▢ 1 pinch kosher salt optional

For the topping:

• ▢ ½ cup chocolate curls or mini chocolate chips

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. This recipe makes 12 to 15 cupcakes, so have a second pan and a few more liners handy.  Set aside.
• Using a whisk, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, butter, vanilla, and buttermilk together until completely combined and smooth.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined being careful not to over mix. The batter will be thin.
• Fill the liners two-thirds full with the batter. Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

• Heat the cream, in a small saucepan or in the microwave until it’s hot and starts to bubble.
• Place chocolate in a medium bowl and pour over the hot cream. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add the salt and whisk until the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is smooth.
• Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to cool and thicken. It will fully cool within 2 hours at room temperature. Refrigerating will expedite things, but the frosting may not set evenly. Stir it a few times as it sets in the refrigerator so it remains even and smooth.
• Frost cooled cupcakes and cover in chocolate curls.

Tips + Notes

• I suggest using chocolate that is no more than 60% Cocoa solids as higher percentages chocolates are much harder to melt and can cause your ganache to break or cease.
• When ingredients are at different temperatures, they don’t combine well. Bringing ingredients to the same temperature helps them to mix together better.
• Only Mix your batter until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. Overmixing will result in a tough, dense cupcake.
• Use good quality, grease-proof liners to avoid your cupcakes sticking to the liner.
• Follow the recipe instructions. Over or underfilling can lead to disaster. When in doubt, fill the liners 2/3 of the way full.
• Allow your chocolate cupcakes to cool completely before frosting – This may sound like a no-brainer, but if you’re a beginner, you may not know that trying to frost a warm cupcake will cause the frosting to melt and slip right off. Be patient and wait until they are completely cool.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 477 (24%)| Carbohydrates: 43g (14%)| Protein: 6g (12%)| Fat: 33g (51%)| Saturated Fat: 17g (106%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g| Monounsaturated Fat: 11g| Trans Fat: 1g| Cholesterol: 76mg (25%)| Sodium: 203mg (9%)| Potassium: 354mg (10%)| Fiber: 4g (17%)| Sugar: 28g (31%)| Vitamin A: 563IU (11%)| Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)| Calcium: 81mg (8%)| Iron: 4mg (22%)

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

Erren’s Kitchen is written and produced for informational intentions only. We are not certified nutritionists, and the nutritional information found on this site has not been assessed or authorized by a nutritionist or the FDA. The nutritional information found in our recipes is offered as an estimate and should not be considered a guarantee or fact. The estimated data is provided as a courtesy and calculated through a third-party online nutritional calculator, spoonacular API. Although we do our best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered rough estimates. Many factors, such as brands or products purchased and the nutritional fluctuations that naturally occur in fresh produce, can alter the effectiveness of the nutritional information in any recipe. Furthermore, various online calculators provide different results depending on their particular algorithms and nutrition fact sources. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Author:Erren Hart

Course:cake

Cuisine:American

Diet:Vegetarian

Keyword:choclate cupcakes recipe, chocolate cupcake recipe, chocolate cupcakes

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