In need of an easy chocolate cupcakes recipe? Look no further – these are the BEST when you’re short on time!
You don’t even need a mixer to make them. Made with simple ingredients and a quick method – they can be yours in just 30 minutes from now. Great for birthdays, parties or even Valentine’s Day ❤
I thought about the title of this recipe for way longer than I’d ever care to admit. At first, I wanted to call them the best chocolate cupcakes.
But since cupcakes are usually made by creaming butter and sugar… And these are not… And cupcakes usually have a smooth and flawless surface… And these do not… So I ultimately decided against the bestest ever terminology.
Don’t get me wrong, they are incredibly delicious.
All I look for in a cupcake:
- Moist
- Fluffy
- Tender
- Very soft…
They just lack the perfect appearance – see photo of the slight cracks in the surface (but, I mean, that’s going to get covered by frosting anyways):
And since I’m usually eating them on the couch in cute PJs anything clean I have in my closet – WHO EVEN CARES what their top looks like!
I do love baking a great cake that’s creamed for 10 minutes, but lately the tiny humans in my care have been acting… Insane? I think that would be the appropriate term here.
So I’ve put cakes that require a mixer (like my all-time favourite raspberry yogurt cake) on the proverbial shelf for now and focus on recipes I can throw together in 5 minutes, possibly with one child hanging from my knees and the other clinging to my hips.
These cupcakes tick all of those boxes – and then some. To me, they are perfect.
*sings all I want for Valentine’s Day is youuuuuu*
While we’re talking about it… V-Day? Do you guys even celebrate? We really want to make an effort this year, and by effort I definitely mean dinner at home and a movie in sweats. Also, chocolates? Forget about them. Flowers? Love. Wild roses, please. And Chocolate Cupcakes with a mountain of frosting?? YES OBVS GIMME.
How to make easy chocolate cupcakes:
So simple.
- Mix dry ingredients
- Mix wet ingredients
- Add wet to dry and stir just until combined – there will be lumps and it’s OK
- Scoop into cupcake liners, aka muffin liners
- Bake
- Slather in frosting
- Eat one. Or seven. Nobody judge.
I think you’ll love them just as much as you love your special person in life. Ok maybe not that much. But enough to make them for February 14, the day every florist looks forward to all year /internal cynic off
Just don’t forget to drop yourself the hint to make the easiest ever chocolate frosting, too. Oh, the sheer decadence.
Look, I’m not a dainty food genius. I seriously lack the patience and interest in spending hours on making food look pretty. But these are simple to dress up – slather in frosting (NOT EVEN PIPED and I don’t even care), add sliced strawbs on top and sprinkle with some shaved chocolate and shredded coconut for contrast.
So easy. Makethemmakethemmakethem, k? K. Then let me know in the comments what you think. Thank you internet friend ❤️
Watch me make these:
Get the recipe for easy chocolate cupcakes:
Printable recipe
Recipe details
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon chai spice mix optional
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup hot water OR hot coffee!
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C) and line a 12 cup cupcake pan with liners.
- Mix dry ingredients: Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add all wet ingredients to a medium bowl or measuring cup and whisk until smooth.
- Add wet to dry: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir (no whisk! use a wooden spoon or spatula) just until combined. The batter will be thin.
- Fill liners and bake: Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely before adding any frosting.
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