Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Make Chocolate Cupcake Recipe in just 1h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Cupcakes Batter
Chocolate Frosting
Optional Garnish
Method
Cupcakes Batter
Preheat and prepare pans
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with 12 paper liners or lightly grease and flour the cups.
Combine dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together 1.25 cups all-purpose flour, 0.33 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp baking soda, and 0.5 tsp fine salt until evenly combined.
Mix wet ingredients
In a separate large bowl, whisk together 1 large egg, 0.5 cup whole milk, 0.33 cup vegetable oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.
Combine wet and dry
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula just until incorporated and no large streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix; batter will be slightly thick.
Add hot water
Slowly stir in 0.5 cup hot water (hot, not boiling) a little at a time until the batter is smooth and thinned. The batter will be loose — this yields a moist cupcake.
Fill the liners
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full (approximately 3 tablespoons batter per cup).
Bake
Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 16–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
Cool
Remove cupcakes from oven and let cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (about 45–60 minutes) before frosting. Frosting warm cupcakes will melt the frosting.
Chocolate Frosting
Beat butter
Place 0.5 cup room-temperature unsalted butter in a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1–2 minutes.
Add flavor & adjust consistency
Add 0.5 tsp vanilla extract, 0.125 tsp salt and 2 tbsp heavy cream. Beat on medium-high for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add additional 1 tsp heavy cream at a time until spreadable; if too thin, add a tablespoon more powdered sugar.
Frost cupcakes
When cupcakes are completely cool, use a spatula or piping bag to frost each cupcake with about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of frosting per cupcake. Smooth or pipe as desired.
Garnish (optional)
Top frosted cupcakes with chocolate shavings/sprinkles (about 2 tbsp total) and a light pinch of sea salt flakes (about 1/4 tsp divided) if desired.