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!
Servings 12
Calories 477
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
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 until it’s just below boiling, around 190°F to 200°F (88°C to 93°C). Don’t let it fully boil—if it does, let it cool back down to the right temperature before moving on.
- Put the chocolate and salt in a medium bowl, then pour the hot cream over them. Let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Whisk the cream and melted chocolate together until fully combined and smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to cool completely until it thickens to a spreadable consistency. This will take about 3 hours at room temperature. You can refrigerate it to speed up the process, but the frosting may not set evenly. If refrigerating, stir it often to keep the texture smooth and consistent.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and cover in chocolate curls.
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
Calories: 477 | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 354mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 563IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg