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chocolate cupcakes recipe by sugar and sparrow
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Chocolate Cupcakes With Chocolate Buttercream

Rich and moist chocolate cupcakes topped with decadent chocolate buttercream.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 15 cupcakes

Ingredients

One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 1 Cup (132g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 Cup (150g) white granulated sugar
  • 1/3 Cup (30g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 Cup (60ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Cup (120ml) buttermilk, room temperature*
  • 1/2 Cup (120ml) hot coffee or hot water**

Chocolate Buttercream

  • 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 Cup (45g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 Tbsp (45ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Make The Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF/177ºC and line a cupcake pan with 12-15 liners.
  • Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix on low with either a hand mixer, the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, or by hand until combined. Add the hot coffee (or hot water) in a slow stream. Continue mixing on low until fully combined and smooth, 1-2 minutes. The batter will be very thin.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake liners (no more than ⅔ full) and bake for 15-18 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Make The Chocolate Buttercream

  • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter on high speed until creamy and light in color, about five minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle and turn the mixer to low, then add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue mixing on low speed until fully combined and uniform, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.

Assembly

  • Let the cupcakes cool thoroughly before frosting with chocolate buttercream. In the images above, I've used Wilton tip 1M to pipe a swirl with the buttercream before adding these sprinkles. 

Notes

*DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 
**hot coffee will not add any coffee flavor to the cupcakes, but it does help amplify the chocolate flavor better than hot water. 
Make Ahead Tips: 
  1. The chocolate cupcakes can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, they can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months. 
  2. The chocolate buttercream recipe can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix with your stand mixer on low speed to bring it back to frosting consistency.