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Easy Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

This chocolate cupcake recipe makes rich, moist, and tender cupcakes from scratch with cocoa powder and easy baking ingredients. Frost with chocolate buttercream for the ultimate chocolaty treat! Perfect for birthdays and holiday parties.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine british
Servings 16 people
Calories 3702.8 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Muffin Pan
  • 16 Paper or Foil Cupcake Liners
  • 1 Electric Mixer Stand or hand mixer
  • 2 Large Mixing Bowls
  • 1 Wire Rack For cooling cupcakes

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
  • Spoon flour into a measuring cup and level off with a knife. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Beat sugar and butter together in a separate large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with milk; mix only until no streaks of flour remain. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 1/2 full. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or frosting. DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

Notes

For best results, ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature; this allows them to emulsify properly with the sugar, creating a smoother batter and a more tender crumb. Sifting your dry ingredients together is crucial for even distribution and light, airy cupcakes. Be diligent about not overmixing the batter once the flour is introduced; overworking the gluten can lead to tough cupcakes. Mix only until the streaks of flour disappear. For a richer chocolate flavor, consider using Dutch-processed cocoa powder. A pinch of espresso powder (1/2 teaspoon) added to the dry ingredients can deepen the chocolate notes without tasting like coffee. Fill liners precisely halfway to prevent overflow and ensure uniform baking.