These super moist chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting are perfect for chocolate lovers! This is such an easy recipe to whip up, so I love making them for birthday parties (or whenever I want a sweet treat, let's be honest). You don't even need a mixer to make these chocolate cupcakes and this chocolate cream cheese frosting can be piped - no runny frosting here!
After making my chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, I really wanted to make a chocolatey version! Ok well, an even more chocolatey version.
These chocolate cupcakes use the same chocolate cream cheese frosting from my brownies with cream cheese frosting recipe and chocolate cinnamon rolls. It is super silky smooth but holds its shape thanks to using cold cream cheese.
The chocolate cupcakes are my tried and true recipe, I've used this for my chocolate salted caramel cupcakes, peppermint chocolate cupcakes, and Nutella filled cupcakes!
It's a super moist cupcake base because it uses oil instead of butter. The oil means the cupcakes will stay moist and soft for days, and adding sour cream (though you could swap it out for Greek yogurt!) also helps the cupcakes remain moist.
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Why I love this recipe!
- Really Easy - this is a really easy recipe, if you're a beginner baker then you can definitely tackle this recipe! Plus, you don't need a mixer to make the chocolate cupcakes so there's minimal cleanup.
- Simple Ingredients - you only need 14 ingredients to make these chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting. Nothing too fancy, you might even already have everything you need in your kitchen.
- Celebration Cupcakes - I wouldn't say no to these cupcakes for my birthday! Add some rainbow sprinkles and voila! Perfect for birthday parties or any celebration. Or you could use seasonal sprinkles!
Grab your ingredients
- Oil: use a neutral oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil. Using oil instead of butter is going to make these cupcakes so moist. Usually, I like the use a mix of butter and oil in cupcakes (like I do with my vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting) because that gives you the best of both worlds - flavor and moistness. But because you have such a strong chocolate flavor in these cupcakes, we can use just oil. Plus that means you don't need to use a mixer! It's a win-win.
- Butter: you will need butter for the chocolate cream cheese frosting, but if you don't have butter on hand you could always swap out this frosting for my cream cheese frosting without butter recipe.
- Flour: I've only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour. Let me know if you try it with gluten-free all purpose 1:1 baking flour though!
- Cocoa Powder: I'm using Dutch-processed cocoa powder for both the cupcakes and the frosting. Dutch-processed cocoa powder reacts differently to baking powder and baking soda than natural cocoa powder, so you can't just swap it out! You can use natural cocoa powder for the frosting though.
- Espresso Powder: just a pinch of espresso powder is going to really enhance that chocolate flavor, I promise it won't make the cupcakes taste like coffee! You can leave it out if you don't have it on hand though.
- Cream Cheese: make sure to use full-fat cream cheese! It really will make a difference when you make your frosting, I recommend using the Philadelphia brand if you can.
How to make chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit and line a cupcake pan with liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 2: In another bowl or jug, whisk together the eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla extract until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the espresso powder with the hot water.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined. Add the hot coffee and mix once more. It will be a pretty thin batter!
Step 4: Fill the cupcake liners so they're ¾ full. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 5: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter with the powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, salt and cold cream cheese.
Step 6: Beat on medium speed until everything is well combined. If your frosting is too thick, you can add in heavy cream a tablespoon at a time, until it is spreadable. Frost your cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
Ella's Baking Tips
- Cold Cream Cheese - I know I usually say to use room temperature ingredients, but for this chocolate cream cheese frosting you're going to want to use cold cream cheese! Using room temperature cream cheese is going to make the frosting runny and you won't be able to pipe it, so keep the cream cheese in the fridge until you're about to add it to the mixing bowl!
- Weigh Ingredients - I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out your ingredients. If you use measuring cups, it's really easy to add too much flour or cocoa powder to the cupcake batter, which is going to make them dry.
- Mini Cupcakes - if you want a mini version of these cupcakes, try my mini chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting.
- Layer Cake - want a layer cake version of these chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting? Try my chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting recipe! The frosting in this recipe actually uses a whipped cream base, so I don't use butter in it, making the frosting extra light and fluffy.
Storage & Freezing
You can make the cupcakes up to 2 days ahead of time, just store the cooled cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. Once frosted, store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Let come to room temperature before enjoying!
To freeze the unfrosted cupcakes, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or place in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw before adding frosting.
Try these cupcake recipes next!
If you've made this recipe, make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! I love seeing when you make my recipes, so tag me on Instagram @alpineella so I can see! You can also follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok!
Recipe
Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 12 cup cupcake pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder dutch processed
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ cup hot water
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 oz cream cheese cold
- ½ cup dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream optional
Instructions
Make cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C and place 16-18 cupcake liners in your cupcake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.1 cup all purpose flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup sugar
- In a mug or small cup, mix together the espresso powder and hot water until the espresso powdered has dissolved. Set aside.1 teaspoon espresso powder, ½ cup hot water
- In a large jug, whisk the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.2 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup sour cream
- Pour the wet mixture into the flour, stirring until it is just about smooth - we don't want to over mix the batter! Then pour in the hot coffee and mix until smooth.
- Fill the cupcake liners so they're ¾ full and bake for 18-20 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool for 15 minutes in the tray, then take them out and place on a cooling rack.
Make Frosting
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together on low speed until combined.¾ cup unsalted butter, 3 ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
- Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes
- Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the cold cream cheese and cocoa powder. Mix until combined. If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until you have your desired consistency.4 oz cream cheese, ½ cup dutch processed cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Frost your cupcakes and enjoy! I used a Wilton 1M piping tip.
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