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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.

Tomorrow is Lauren’s 30th! Happy Birthday! Man we’re getting old. So what better way to celebrate than with some chocolate cupcakes. I was actually inspired by Half Baked Harvest’s chocolate birthday cupcakes with fudgy chocolate buttercream.

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 cupcakes 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. We 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.

What Ingredients are in these Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting Recipe?

Egg
Buttermilk
Vegetable oil
Sour cream
Vanilla extract
All-purpose flour
Granulated sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Baking powder and baking soda
Salt
Coffee
Butter
Powdered sugar
Heavy cream
Sprinkles

How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

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 2/3 full among the muffin tins so they won’t overflow when baking.
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.
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.
Frost cupcakes. Top with sprinkles if desired.

How to Make a Buttercream Frosting

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.

Why Sour Cream in Cupcakes?

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.

How Long Do Cupcakes Last?

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

Tips for Tasty Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

Do not skip the buttermilk as it helps create the moistness you expect from chocolate cupcakes. If you don’t have buttermilk you can make your own. Use whole milk mixed with 1/4 teaspoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice instead of buttermilk. Fill a measuring cup with the lemon juice/vinegar then the rest with whole milk to reach 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp.
If you don’t have sour cream, you can either replace with Greek yogurt or an additional 2 tbsp 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.
You may not realize this but baking powder and baking soda actually expires pretty quickly. Use baking powder that is less than a year old since it has been opened. If you use older baking powder, it won’t be powerful enough to help leaven the donuts. You can test it by stirring half a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of hot water. It will immediately start to fizz and release carbon dioxide gas if it’s still fresh enough to use. Baking soda should be less than six months old and you can use the same test.
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 2/3 of the way as they do rise.
Allow the cupcakes to completely cool before adding the frosting, otherwise it will melt.

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