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Make Amazing Chocolatey Chocolate Cupcakes

Sometimes you want chocolate and cake.  There's no better way to satisfy your craving for chocolate cake and maintain portion control than with a chocolate cupcake.  A chocolate-chocolate cupcake to be exact. A moist and delicious chocolate cake topped with a creamy cocoa buttercream frosting.  It's sure to satisfy the kid in you as well as the kids in your life.

Very Chocolatey Chocolate Lovers Cupcakes

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A Very Chocolate Cupcake
A Very Chocolatey Cupcake

These cupcakes are perfect for all the chocolate lovers in your life.  They also make a yummy Valentine's Day treat because we all know, chocolate is the language of love.  Keep them simple or add a little holiday decoration.  Either way, these chocolate cupcakes are sure to delight. This is the best chocolate cupcake recipe.

It's easy to make a delicious light and fluffy chocolate cupcake topped with yummy chocolate buttercream frosting from scratch. Homemade chocolate cupcakes are the best. Sure, those box mixes are easy to use, but they always have that boxed mix taste that no one loves.

The Best Chocolate Cupcakes
You'll find these cupcakes to be all the things a good cupcake should be.  They are moist and tender, as well as light and fluffy.  With both a chocolate cake and a chocolate frosting, you can be certain there is enough chocolate flavor.  What's not to love?

The cake in this cupcake is made with buttermilk because I had buttermilk on hand that I wanted to use up.  You don't have any buttermilk?  Did you know you can make a quick substitution for buttermilk if you are making a recipe that calls for it, but you don't have any in your refrigerator?

Buttermilk Substitutions Tips

There are two substitution methods I have used successfully in the past.  Choose whichever one works with the ingredients you have in your pantry and refrigerator.  They both work perfectly well.

1.  Lemon or vinegar, and milk:  In a one cup measuring cup, add one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or vinegar.  Top the lemon juice or vinegar with skim, low fat, or whole milk.  Stir and let sit for two minutes.  After that, your milk is both acidic and curdled.



2.  Yogurt and milk:  Mix 3/4 cup of plain yogurt with 1/4 cup of milk.  Stir together for a quick buttermilk substitution.  I've also successfully substituted yogurt for buttermilk in equal quantities.

As with most desserts at my house, I like to make these cupcakes and freeze them so I'll have something tasty on hand to satisfy a sweet tooth. First, place your frosted cupcakes unwrapped on a tray in your freezer.  This will allow the frosting to freeze without getting disturbed by the wrapping.  Once the cupcakes are frozen, wrap each cupcake individually with plastic wrap and then in a large zip closure plastic bag. Pop them back into your freezer for long-term storage. You'll be glad you did.  

Are you ready for some yummy chocolatey, chocolate cupcakes?

Very Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes

Printer Friendly Recipe
Prepare the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Preparing Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for Piping
Makes 20 cupcakes
For the Cupcakes:
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cups buttermilk, shaken
  • 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Fill the cups of your muffins tins with paper liners.  In a bowl add the dry ingredients: cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Stir to combine.

Mixing Dry Ingredients
Mix the Dry Ingredients Together
With your electric mixer on low (I used my hand mixer for this) stir in the eggs, water, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla until combined.  Mix the batter on medium speed for about two minutes until the ingredients are fully combined and the batter is smooth.

For uniform cupcakes use a scoop to divide the batter into the muffin cups.  Bake for about 20 minutes on the center rack of the oven.

Distributing Cupcake Batter with a Scoop
Use a Scoop for Uniform Cupcakes

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan completely before frosting.

The Baked Chocolate Cupcakes
Cool Cupcakes Completely before Frosting

For the Frosting:

I always recommend the Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting recipe found on the back of every Hershey's cocoa powder container for a chocolate frosting.  It's easy to make and always delicious. This is my go-to chocolate frosting.

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Melt the butter in a heat safe bowl.  Stir in the cocoa and combine well.  Mix together the milk and vanilla in a measuring cup.

Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk mixture alternately to the butter and cocoa mixture, starting and ending with the powdered sugar.  Beating until the frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency.

I like to use a Wilton #1M tip to swirl the frosting onto my cupcakes using disposable pastry decorating bags.


A Tray of Very Chocolate Cupcakes
The Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes

Would you like to try a different cupcake recipe?  These are yummy, too:
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Boston Cream Cupcakes
Lemon-Lime Cupcakes

Shared on Meal Plan Monday.

Enjoy!

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