These extra moist small batch chocolate cupcakes are topped with my favorite fudgy chocolate frosting. These chocolate cupcakes stay super soft and moist thanks to a combination of neutral oil (think sunflower, vegetable, or canola!) and sour cream. Since the cupcakes don't have butter in them, they stay soft for days. This recipe makes 7 perfect cupcakes (I know a lot of recipes do 6 cupcakes, think of that extra cupcake as your chef's snack).
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Whenever I'm testing a recipe, I tend to start with making a half batch of whatever the recipe is first. This way I'm not wasting ingredients, and there's less food that I have to eat or donate!
When I was originally testing my chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing recipe, I did a half batch of the cupcakes. It was the perfect amount of cupcakes! This small batch chocolate cupcake recipe takes the same cupcake base, but I've added my extra fudgy chocolate sour cream frosting.
I think this is a great recipe if you want to make cupcakes for a small party, birthday party, work event, or, honestly, just for yourself at home. Zero judgment from me.
Grab Your Ingredients
- Oil: Cocoa powder can be super dry, and it can make your baked goods dry. Swapping out butter for a neutral oil will help balance out the dryness and make your cupcakes super soft. Use something without a strong flavor like vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Sour Cream: I use sour cream so often in my baking, because it adds extra fats to the cupcake batter (flavor!) and keeps your cupcakes moist. You also need some sour cream to add to your frosting!
- Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Make sure you're using natural cocoa powder and not Dutch-processed. I've tested this recipe with both, and let me tell you, the natural cocoa powder cupcakes rise better and look nicer.
- Semisweet Chocolate: I recommend using semisweet or dark chocolate for the frosting. I don't really recommend using chocolate chips. The reason being is they contain emulsifiers, which is great when you don't want them to melt in chocolate chip cookies, but not great when you actually need them to melt for frosting.
Let's Make Some Cupcakes!
Step 1: Preheat your oven and line a cupcake pan with 7 liners. In a medium bowl, whisk all of the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl or jug, whisk all of the wet ingredients (except the hot water) together.
Step 2: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined. Then add in the hot water. This water will 'bloom' the cocoa powder, which basically means your cupcakes will be richer and darker.
Step 3: Fill up the liners so they're just under ¾ full. I've tested it at ¾ full and my cupcakes overflowed! Learn from my mistakes. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.
Step 4: Once completely cooled, make your frosting. Beat butter and confectioners' sugar together until light and fluffy, then add in cocoa powder. Finally, mix in the sour cream, a pinch of salt, and your melted chocolate. Mix until well combined and frost your cupcakes!
Swapping Out Frosting
Not a fan of chocolate sour cream frosting (you're missing out!) or don't want to melt some chocolate (I get it)? Here are some other frosting options for you:
- Super creamy Oreo frosting
- Cream cheese frosting without butter
- Vanilla bean buttercream
- The dreamiest cookie butter buttercream
Just note, you will probably have to halve the ingredients as these frosting recipes are for 12-14 cupcakes!
Storage Tips
Keep the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. If you've stored them in the fridge, I recommend letting them come to room temperature before enjoying. When the cupcakes are super cold, the chocolate taste isn't as strong!
Made This Recipe?
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Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Moist Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes with Oil
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (67 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (21 grams) natural cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (33 ml) vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (56 grams) sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup (59 ml) hot water
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
- ¼ cup (55 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- pinch kosher salt
- ½ cup (56 grams) confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup (21 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder or natural cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) sour cream room temperature
- 1.5 oz (42 grams) semisweet chocolate chopped
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C and place 7 cupcake liners in your cupcake pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, light brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.½ cup + 1 tablespoon (67 grams) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 grams) light brown sugar, ¼ cup (21 grams) natural cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a jug, whisk the egg, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.1 large egg, 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (33 ml) vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup (56 grams) 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 water and mix until smooth.¼ cup (59 ml) hot water
- Fill the cupcake liners so they're just under 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.
Chocolate Frosting
- Melt your chocolate in a microwave, stirring every 10-15 seconds so it doesn't burn.1.5 oz (42 grams) semisweet chocolate
- In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar on low speed until well combined¼ cup (55 grams) unsalted butter, ½ cup (56 grams) confectioners' sugar
- Turn the speed to high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add in your cocoa powder and beat on low, then increase the speed to medium for 1-2 minutes.¼ cup (21 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- Add your sour cream, melted chocolate and salt and mix once more.pinch kosher salt, 2 tablespoons (30 grams) sour cream
- Frost the cupcakes and enjoy! This is enough frosting to ice your cupcakes, but if you want a large amount of frosting for each cupcake I recommend doubling the frosting recipe!
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Liz Francis says
Just meet this small batch as a trial for my grandson’s birthday on Wednesday. I will make a bigger batch. They are so light and fluffy. We’ll definitely use this recipe again.