Chocolate Cupcakes

Fudgy, bakery-style chocolate cupcakes made from everyday pantry ingredients.

Chocolate Cupcakes
Servings
12
Total Time35 minutes
Prep15 minutes
Cook20 minutes

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
  • ½ cup (42g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • ¾ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil (or canola oil or melted coconut oil)
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • chocolate buttercream and sprinkles, for decorating

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners, plus 2 liners in a second pan.
  2. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, both sugars, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Alternate adding half the wet mixture then half the buttermilk into the dry ingredients; repeat with remaining. Mix until just combined — batter will be thin.
  5. Fill liners halfway. Bake 18–21 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool completely, then frost with chocolate buttercream.

Notes

  • Storage: Keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days.
  • Substitution: No espresso powder? Grind coffee beans on the espresso setting, steep in a small amount of boiling water, cool, and use 2 tsp of the concentrate in place of the powder.