Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes are your new go-to for an intensely decadent dessert experience, delivering rich chocolate flavor in every moist bite. This easy-to-follow recipe is perfect for satisfying your deepest chocolate cravings and impressing guests with minimal fuss.
Key Ingredients for Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit for 5 minutes)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil like canola or melted unsalted butter)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water or hot brewed coffee (coffee enhances chocolate flavor)
- For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ cup milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
How to Make Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes
These Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes are a dream for any chocolate lover, offering an incredibly moist and intensely chocolatey flavor with a velvety smooth texture that’s simply divine. The beauty of this recipe lies in its straightforward approach, making it accessible for bakers of all levels. Expect a preparation time of approximately 30 minutes, with baking taking about 20-25 minutes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Dry Ingredients:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. Ensure all ingredients are well combined and there are no lumps of cocoa powder.
Combine Wet Ingredients:
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures:
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer (or whisk by hand) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
5. Gradually add the hot water or hot brewed coffee to the batter. The batter will be quite thin, which is exactly what you want for moist cupcakes. Mix on low speed until the batter is smooth and homogenous.
Bake the Cupcakes:
6. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
8. Once baked, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Chocolate Frosting:
9. While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
10. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and sifted cocoa powder, alternating with the milk or heavy cream, mixing on low speed until just combined.
11. Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 3-5 minutes until the frosting is smooth, creamy, and spreadable. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. If it’s too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
Frost the Cupcakes:
12. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost them generously with the prepared chocolate frosting. You can use a spatula for a rustic look or a piping bag for a more polished finish.
Why You’ll Love This Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes
You will fall head over heels for these Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes because they are an absolute symphony of deep, rich chocolate flavor that’s unlike any other. The secret to their incredible moistness and fudgy texture lies in a combination of buttermilk and a touch of hot liquid, ensuring every bite is a delightful indulgence. This recipe truly rivals any bakery-bought treat, offering a gourmet experience right in your own kitchen without the hefty price tag.
Plus, the velvety smooth chocolate frosting, made with premium cocoa and creamy butter, provides the perfect decadent complement, making these cupcakes a showstopper for any occasion. Unlike more complex chocolate cakes, these come together with surprising ease, proving that extraordinary desserts don’t require extraordinary effort. So, why wait to treat yourself and your loved ones to pure chocolate bliss? Give these Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes a try today – your taste buds will thank you!
Storing and Reheating Tips
These delicious Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container, provided your kitchen isn’t too warm. For longer storage, especially if frosted, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The frosting might harden slightly in the refrigerator, so allow them to sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving to restore their ideal texture.
If you find yourself with a surplus of these chocolate wonders or want to prepare ahead, freezing is an excellent option. Unfrosted cupcakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then placed in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2-3 months. Frosted cupcakes can be frozen on a baking sheet until firm, then wrapped individually and placed in a freezer-safe container. To reheat or thaw, allow them to come to room temperature.
Final Thoughts
These Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes are a testament to how simple ingredients can create something truly spectacular. Whip up a batch today and experience the pure joy of rich, homemade chocolate goodness – you won’t be disappointed!
Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. Ensure all ingredients are well combined and there are no lumps of cocoa powder.1.75 cup all-purpose flour, 0.75 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1.5 teaspoons baking soda, 0.5 teaspoon salt, 2 cups granulated sugar
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.2 large large eggs, at room temperature, 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit for 5 minutes), 0.5 cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil like canola or melted unsalted butter), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer (or whisk by hand) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
- Gradually add the hot water or hot brewed coffee to the batter. The batter will be quite thin, which is exactly what you want for moist cupcakes. Mix on low speed until the batter is smooth and homogenous.1 cup hot water or hot brewed coffee (coffee enhances chocolate flavor)
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and sifted cocoa powder, alternating with the milk or heavy cream, mixing on low speed until just combined.3.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted, 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted, 0.5 cup milk or heavy cream
- Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 3-5 minutes until the frosting is smooth, creamy, and spreadable. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. If it’s too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
- Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost them generously with the prepared chocolate frosting. You can use a spatula for a rustic look or a piping bag for a more polished finish.