Chocolate Cupcakes
These Chocolate Cupcakes are incredibly moist and decadent, frosted with a silky smooth chocolate buttercream and topped with fresh raspberries! Wow your special person with these fun and flirty cupcakes, they're ready in just 30 minutes and don't require any special skill!
Ingredients
For The Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) water room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp high-quality instant coffee
- 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) whole milk room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50 ml) sunflower oil or vegetable or canola oil
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For The Chocolate Buttercream
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 and 2/3 cups (345 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk or up to 2 tablespoon if needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F (218C) and line a 12-cupcake baking sheet with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Prepare the coffee and chocolate mixture. Dissolve the instant coffee in room temperature water and mix until fully dissolved. Add the sifted cocoa powder to the coffee and mix until fully combined and smooth. The mixture will be quite thick. Set it aside.
- Combine together the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine together the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined, then pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Then pour the chocolate mixture into the remaining wet ingredients, mix until combined, and pour into the batter. Mix on medium for 30 seconds, until just combined. Do not overmix!
- Bake. Fill each cupcake liner until 3/4 full. Pop into the oven and bake at 425F (218C) for 10 minutes then at 325F (165C) for another 13-15 minutes. You can do a toothpick test to test for doneness: simply poke the center of one of the cupcakes with a toothpick, if it comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs, they're done. Take them out, remove them from the baking sheet and allow them to cool down completely before frosting.
- Make the buttercream frosting. Add the room temperature butter to a medium bowl, beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until soft, fluffy and pale in color. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt and beat for 30 seconds on medium, then increase the speed to high and beat for another minute. The frosting should be creamy, fluffy, and completely smooth.
- Frost. Transfer your prepared buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and gently squeeze the piping bag while keeping the tip close to the cupcake (no need to move around). Keep piping until a dome starts forming, then stop squeezing and lift the piping bag completely.
- Decorate. Top each cupcake with a fresh raspberry and dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve.
Notes
Make-Ahead Instructions: I recommend making the cupcakes on day 1 and frosting them on day 2. You can make them up to 2-3 days ahead of time and store them covered or in an air-tight container at room temperature. I don't recommend chilling them as they will slightly dry up in the refrigerator.
Freezing Instructions: you can freeze your unfrosted cupcakes for up to 1-2 months and let them come down to room temperature the day you plan on frosting and serving them.
📷 DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?! Tag @itsdamnspicy on Instagram and hashtag it #itsdamnspicy
📷 DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?! Tag @itsdamnspicy on Instagram and hashtag it #itsdamnspicy
Nutrition
Calories: 244kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 63mgPotassium: 174mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 276IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 2mg
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