These chocolate fudge cupcakes are a chocolate lover's dream! These moist chocolate cupcakes are filled with homemade chocolate ganache and topped with a super fudgy whipped chocolate ganache frosting. Plus, you don't need a mixer to make these cupcakes.

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These chocolate fudge cupcakes are like the cupcake version of my triple chocolate layer cake! These super indulgent cupcakes are basically like pure fudge, it's just too good. I'm a huge lover of chocolate desserts, and I feel like this is the ultimate chocolate cupcake recipe!
When I'm developing and testing recipes for my blog, I'm always trying to find ways to make recipes easier with less equipment, but still impressive. I feel like these chocolate fudge cupcakes check all those boxes!
You don't need a mixer for the cupcakes; the frosting and filling only need 3 simple ingredients, and they're so easy to decorate. If you want even more chocolate cupcakes, try my chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting or hot cocoa cupcakes!
Recipe Snapshot
- Super Moist: because I'm using oil instead of butter, these cupcakes are super moist.
- No Mixer: you don't need a stand mixer to make the cupcakes!
- Crowd Pleaser: this makes 12 cupcakes, so I love making them for birthday parties. Because who can say no to chocolate? Not me!
- Fudge Filling: each cupcake is filled with homemade chocolate ganache, which I promise is so easy to make.
Recipe Testing
Just like my chocolate walnut cake and chocolate Nutella filled cupcakes, these chocolate cupcakes have an oil base instead of butter. Using a neutral oil will make the cupcakes super soft and moist for days.
I originally didn't have a filling for these chocolate cupcakes but I wanted to make them a bit different.
Since they're topped with a whipped chocolate ganache frosting, I thought how about filling each cupcake with ganache? It makes these cupcakes super rich and indulgent.
Recipe Ingredients


- Flour: I've only tested these cupcakes with all purpose flour.
- Cocoa Powder: make sure to use dutch-processed cocoa powder. Not sure what you have in the pantry? Check the ingredients on the cocoa powder! If it mentions alkali or acidity regulator, then you have dutch processed cocoa powder.
- Greek Yogurt: this is going to make the cupcakes extra moist!
- Espresso Powder: this isn't going to make the cupcakes taste like chocolate, it will just give a very intense chocolate flavor and deepen that flavor.
- Oil: use a neutral oil like vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Chocolate: be sure to use a high quality chocolate bar for the chocolate ganache, I don't recommend using chocolate chips because they contain emulsifiers so it's harder for them to break down.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: if you're in Europe you can use double cream.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Greek Yogurt: you can swap out the Greek yogurt for an equal amount of sour cream or buttermilk.
- Frosting: If you don't want the chocolate ganache frosting, you can use my fudgy chocolate sour cream frosting instead.
- Cocoa Powder: if you only have natural cocoa powder, be sure to not add the vinegar to the cupcakes!
- Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes: swap out the ganache filling for a strawberry cake filling or store-bought strawberry jam!
- Skip Out Filling: feel free to just not make the second batch of chocolate ganache and not fill the cupcakes, they'll still be delicious double chocolate cupcakes!
How to Make Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Step 1: Start by making the chocolate ganache. It needs a few hours to set so I recommend doing this first! Place chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Heat the heavy whipping cream either in the microwave or on the stove, bringing it to a simmer but not boiling. Pour it over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Use a rubber spatula (not a whisk! This will create air bubbles) and mix the heavy cream and chocolate until the chocolate is completely melted. Let sit at room temperature until hardened.
Even though the frosting and the filling use the same ingredients and method, I found it easier to make the ganache in two batches when testing this recipe. That way I knew exactly how much frosting and filling I had rather than having to portion it out.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit/175°Celsius and place cupcake liners in a cupcake pan (this is the one I use!). In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients - the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 4: In a large measuring jug or a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, Greek yogurt, oil, vanilla extract, white sugar, light brown sugar, coffee and white vinegar. Whisk until smooth.

Step 5: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold everything together with a rubber spatula. Fold until the batter is smooth.
Step 6: Pour the chocolate cupcake batter into the cupcake liners (I like using a large cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop for this) until they are ¾ of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Step 7: For the bowl with a large amount of chocolate ganache, use a handheld mixer to mix until the ganache is fluffy. This is now your whipped chocolate ganache frosting!
Step 8: Use a cupcake corer or the base of a piping tip to core each cupcake. I recommend placing the filling in a piping bag to make it easier to fill each cupcake, but you could also use a spoon. Then pipe the whipped ganache frosting on top of each cupcake!

My Top Baking Tips!
- Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before you fill and frost them, or the chocolate ganache filling and frosting will melt.
- It's so important to use a kitchen scale to make your cupcakes, it's really easy to add too much flour and cocoa powder which would give you super dry cupcakes.
- When making the chocolate ganache, don't let the cream come to a boil. If the cream is boiling, it might split the ganache and you'll have to start over! I've done that a lot of times so I prefer using the stovetop to heat the cream because I feel like I have more control over how hot it's getting compared to a microwave.
Making Ahead
Chocolate Cupcakes: I know when I have a party, I always want to make the desserts ahead of time to make my life easier! You can make the cupcakes 2 days in advance, just keep the cooled cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature.
Chocolate Ganache: You can make the chocolate ganache for the filling and frosting ahead of time too. Make up to 4 days ahead of time and place both in the fridge. I recommend not whipping the frosting until you're ready to decorate. When ready to fill and decorate, take both bowls from the fridge and warm them up in 5-second increments in the microwave until they've reached your desired consistency.

Try these chocolate-related recipes next!

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Thank you!
Ella
Recipe

Moist Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Chocolate Filling
Equipment
- 12 cup cupcake tray
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 95 grams (¾ cup) all purpose flour
- 43 grams (½ cup) cocoa powder dutch processed
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) kosher salt
- 2 large (2 large) eggs room temperature
- 100 grams (½ cup) sugar
- 100 grams (½ cup) light brown sugar
- 50 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 113 grams (½ cup) greek yogurt room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) espresso powder
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon) hot water
- 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoon) white vinegar
Whipped Ganache Frosting
- 340 ml heavy whipping cream
- 340 grams semisweet chocolate chopped
- pinch salt
Chocolate Filling
- 113 ml heavy whipping cream
- 113 grams semisweet chocolate chopped
Instructions
Make Frosting and Filling
- Set side one large bowl and one medium bowl. We're going to make the frosting and filling in two separate bowls just to maek our lives a bit easier!
- Make the frosting first. Place the chopped chocolate in the large bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream until it begins to simmer but not boil. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.340 grams semisweet chocolate, 340 ml heavy whipping cream
- Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon (not a whisk which will incorporate too much air) and stir the two together until completely melted. If you're finding there are still large chocolate pieces, place in the microwave in 5-10 second increments.
- Stir in the salt. Let sit at room temperature for a few hours until hard but still scoopable.pinch salt
- Repeat those steps above for the filling, using the medium bowl. Pour over the steaming heavy cream over the chopped chocolate, let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Let sit until hardened.113 ml heavy whipping cream, 113 grams semisweet chocolate
Make Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C and place 12 cupcake liners in your muffin tray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.95 grams (¾ cup) all purpose flour, 43 grams (½ cup) cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) kosher salt
- In a mug or cup, mix together the espresso powder and 2 tablespoons of hot water to make coffee. This isn't going to make the cupcakes taste like coffee, it just enhances the chocolate flavor and also 'blooms' the cocoa powder.1 teaspoon espresso powder, 2 tablespoon hot water
- In a large jug, whisk the eggs, coffee, greek yogurt, oil, vanilla extract, vinegar and two sugars until smooth2 large eggs, 100 grams (½ cup) sugar, 50 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 113 grams (½ cup) greek yogurt, 2 teaspoon white vinegar, 100 grams (½ cup) light brown sugar
- Pour the wet mixture into the flour, stirring until it is just about smooth - we don't want to over mix the batter!
- Fill the cupcake liners ¾ of the way 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.
Finish Frosting and Filling
- Once your cupcakes have cooled completely, use a cupcake corer or the base of a large piping tip to core each cupcake. Set the cupcakes aside.
- Scoop out chocolate ganache from the medium bowl into a piping bag with a round tip, and fill each cupcake with ganache. You can also use a spoon to do this but I found using the piping bag was much easier! If the ganache has gotten too hard, place in the microwave in 5 second increments until it's scoopable.
- Use a handheld mixer to whip up the large bowl of ganache until light and fluffy. Place into a piping bag and pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake. Enjoy!












Tonya Lenting says
I don't have coffee or espresso powder. Can I leave it out? Should I add water instead? Can't wait to try these!
Ella says
Hi Tonya! Swap out the coffee for an equal amount of hot water!