These Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting are soft, fluffy, and loaded with rich cocoa flavor. They bake up with domed tops and a tender crumb, making them the perfect base for any celebration. The simple chocolate batter comes together quickly, and the buttercream frosting is smooth, light, and easy to pipe or spread. Whether you’re making them for birthdays, parties, or late-night cravings, these cupcakes always hit the spot.
If you love chocolate desserts like our Double Chocolate Cookies or the rich flavor of Nutella Brownies, these cupcakes will feel familiar and comforting. They’re also great paired with chilled spoon desserts like Chocolate Pudding or a few Chocolate Truffles on the side.
Why You’ll Love These Cupcakes
- Soft, moist chocolate crumb
- Smooth, pipeable buttercream topping
- Easy pantry ingredients
- Perfect for birthdays or holidays
- Great alternative to richer treats like Cream Puff Cake
- Pairs beautifully with simple sides like Easy Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
Ingredients You’ll Need
These cupcakes use basic ingredients but deliver a strong chocolate punch similar to the flavor level of our Hot Fudge Brownie Bread and Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies.
For the cupcakes:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder + baking soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Milk
- Oil
- Vanilla
- Hot water or coffee
For the frosting:
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Milk or cream
- Vanilla
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes
1. Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
2. Add the wet ingredients
Mix in the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.The batter should look similar to the glossy mixture in our 3-Ingredient Nutella Brownies.
3. Add hot water or coffee
This thins the batter and deepens the chocolate flavor, giving the cupcakes a moist crumb like our Hot Fudge Brownie Bread.
4. Bake
Fill cupcake liners and bake until the tops spring back when touched.
5. Make the buttercream
Beat butter until creamy, then slowly add powdered sugar, cocoa, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
6. Frost the cupcakes
Once cooled, pipe or spread the frosting on top.Try adding sprinkles, shaved chocolate, or a mini Chocolate Truffle for extra flair.
Serving Ideas
- Add fresh berries
- Top with mini chocolate chips
- Drizzle melted chocolate from our Skillet S’mores Dip
- Serve with a scoop of Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Storage
- Store cupcakes at room temperature (covered) for 2 days
- Refrigerate up to 5 days
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for 2 months
