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A rich and moist chocolate cupcake topped with an easy vanilla frosting will have you finding an excuse to make these cupcakes at every chance you get.
Who doesn't love cupcakes - from s'mores cupcakes to apple pie cupcakes.
But what about chocolate and vanilla. There is just something so simple about those two ingredients, but they are two of the most popular flavors out there when it comes to desserts.
Yes you can create some really crazy cupcakes and I've done them myself, but there is nothing wrong with something that is simple but tasty and these chocolate cupcakes don't disappoint.
To me what puts these chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting over the top is the coffee. It just highlights the chocolate flavor. If you don't have coffee, you can use boiling water in a pinch.
I actually whipped these cupcakes up for a birthday party recently and they were a hit. This recipe is far superior to anything you'll find from a box and really doesn't take that much extra work.
Believe me when I say it is the best chocolate cupcake recipe out there. And don't be nervous about the vanilla frosting as it's full-proof and can be used for a variety of cupcakes. So if you're feeling like something simple but elegant, these chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting should be at the top of the list.
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Ingredient Notes
- Cocoa powder - it is important to use natural, not Dutch cocoa powder as the cake is already rich enough. Dutch doesn't have acidity so needs to have baking powder to react.
- Buttermilk - important as the acidity reacts with the baking soda to create rise but also adds moistness to the cake.
- Sour cream - adds extra fat which makes the chocolate cupcakes moister and richer.
- Coffee - if baking anything with chocolate, I always use coffee as it just enhances the chocolate flavor.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- I mentioned above that I use natural cocoa powder, but Dutch cocoa powder works if you use more baking powder instead of baking soda.
- Sour cream is my go-to for bake goods, but Greek yogurt is a good substitute.
- Vegetable oil is important for the added fat, but canola oil or melted butter work as well.
- If you don't want or have coffee, just replace with the same amount of hot water.
Step-by-Step Photos
Beat together the wet ingredients, except the coffee, in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until smooth. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until there are no more clumps. Add the coffee and mix until just combined and then stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter ⅔ full in muffin tins lined with paper liners. Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes or until done. Remove them immediately from the tins and place on a cooling rack.g.
Make the vanilla frosting by beating the butter and sugar together with a whisk attachment for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and heavy cream and beat for another minute. Frost the cupcakes and top with sprinkles if desired.
Keys to a Vanilla Buttercream
The key with a buttercream frosting is beating the butter and sugar together on medium speed with a whisk attachment for at least 3 minutes so it gets nice and fluffy.
At that point, you add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and beat for another minute. If frosting is too thin, add a little more sugar or if it is too thick, add some cream. It should be the right spreading consistency without altering however.
FAQs
If you don’t have buttermilk you can easily make it at home. Simply add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes and it’s ready.
Sour cream adds additional fat and a level of acidity that creates a light texture, while keeping the cupcake moist. You can also use Greek yogurt.
You know cupcakes are done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
The key with baking is DO NOT OVERMIX. It’s the death of any baking recipe and with cupcakes, it can lead to something that is dense and just not very appetizing.
So what does not overmixing mean? Well you mix all of your ingredients right until you see the flour disappear.
The other issue can be baking too long. Trust the toothpick test!
To maximize the shelf life of cupcakes, place them in a covered airtight container or cover with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
• Cupcakes at room temperature will last 1-2 days
• Cupcakes in the fridge will last 1 week
• Cupcakes in the freezer will last 4 months
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Do not skip the buttermilk as it helps create the moistness you expect from chocolate cupcakes.
- All refrigerated items should be at room temperature, which helps the batter mix easily and evenly.
- When adding the batter to the muffin tin, don't fill more than ⅔ of the way as they do rise.
- Allow the cupcakes to completely cool before adding the frosting, otherwise it will melt.
- If you want mini chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting, fill mini liners only halfway and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F. It yields about 3 dozen.
Other Cupcake Recipes
If you’ve tried these chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon buttermilk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoon sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoon hot black coffee
- ¼ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Vanilla Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat together the egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until there are no longer any clumps. Add the coffee and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter ⅔ full among the muffin tins and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. When cupcakes are done remove immediately from tins and leave on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting. Top with sprinkles if desired.
Vanilla Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix butter and sugar. Mix on low speed until blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract and heavy cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 more minute, adding some more cream if needed for spreading consistency. Place in fridge until ready to use on cupcakes.
Notes
- Do not skip the buttermilk as it helps create the moistness you expect from chocolate cupcakes.
- If you don't have sour cream, you can either replace with Greek yogurt or an additional 2 tablespoon buttermilk.
- All refrigerated items should be at room temperature, which helps the batter mix easily and evenly.
- Use natural cocoa powder vs Dutch-processed cocoa powder as natural cocoa powder isn’t as intense of a flavor.
- The coffee helps just intensify the chocolate flavor. But if you don't believe me or don't have any, just use hot water.
- When adding the batter to the muffin tin, don't fill more than ⅔ of the way as they do rise.
- Allow the cupcakes to completely cool before adding the frosting, otherwise it will melt.
- If you want mini cupcakes, fill mini liners only halfway and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F. It yields about 3 dozen
Chris says
These look fantastic!