A super moist double chocolate cupcake made from scratch using real melted chocolate in the cake and frosting. These are bound to become your go-to chocolate cupcake recipe!

Super moist chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting

Everyone needs to have a solid super moist chocolate cupcake recipe on hand. It is such a classic recipe and finding one that guarantees results each and every time is a treasure. These cupcakes can be filled and frosted with literally anything. It has become my one and only used recipe, truly everything you could ever desire in a chocolate cupcake.

I make these cupcakes whenever I need to satisfy my chocolate cravings.

Why I adore this recipe:

Ease: this is a super simple, no mixer required recipe. The batter comes together quickly.
Pantry staple ingredients: while there are some power ingredients required, all of them are common and most likely already in your kitchen.
Flavour: the chocolate flavour in the cupcake alone is undeniable. Intensely deep and fudge-like without being too heavy.
Texture: the cakes yield a delightful super moist crumb that is fudgy yet cakey and very tender.

The cupcakes have enough structure to stand up to tons of frostings and flavours while still being super soft with that wonderful melt-in-your-mouth feel.

Cross section of sliced chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream mousse frosting

While this recipe is very easy, it does call for some specific ingredients to ensure that the cupcakes bake as they are supposed to.

Key Ingredients

Butter: I know most chocolate cupcake recipes claim that oil is the fat of choice but for these, it’s butter all the way. The moisture, texture & flavour is irreplaceable and can only be achieved using butter.
Melted real dark chocolate: we are going all out with chocolate here. Only real melted chocolate can give you that deep, chocolatey flavour and craveable crumb texture.
Cornflour/cornstarch: only a small addition is used to thicken the cakes and make them extra soft.
Brown sugar: it goes without saying, brown sugar is a must in creating a chocolate fudge cupcake. Reacting with the baking soda, the sugar will give a slightly dense crumb with a delicious caramel undertone.
Sour cream: the moist maker of the recipe, sour cream is a must. It ensure the cakes stay moist, light and soft.

Chocolate cupcakes can be paired with just about any frosting such as vanilla, peanut butter or caramel. Today I went the classic route with a delicious double chocolate buttercream frosting.

This is my favourite chocolate frosting recipe and I use it whenever I need to frost with chocolate. The recipe calls for both cocoa powder and melted chocolate which give a beautiful complexity of chocolate flavour and texture. I also love using evaporated milk to loosen the frosting as it makes creamy yet light. Having said that, you can just as easily use regular milk or cream instead.

Chocolate buttercream tips:

Whipped butter: use softened room temperature butter and whip it well before adding anything to it. This paves the way for the frosting to become light and airy. I always used salted butter to bump up the flavour and cut the sweetness.
Cocoa powder: I use unsweetened 100% cocoa powder, use the best quality you can find. It really makes a difference.
Melted dark chocolate: anywhere from 50% to 100% dark chocolate can be use and it’s a must as it gives that true chocolate flavour and texture.

Chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting.

Tips for success:

The cupcakes come together using just a regular whisk and spatula. The batter is thick. Do not worry because that is how it’s supposed to be, almost like a frosting or custard. Make sure not to over mix the batter.
Try your best not to substitute ingredients as any change can give a different result to the baked cupcakes.
Bake the cupcakes at a lower temperature for a slower, more even bake, and fill each cupcake liner only 2/3 full. If you over fill the cupcake cups than the cupcakes can sink or rise to much and spill over.
My ultimate tip for baking any cupcake is to cool the cakes on a wire rack for only 5-10 minutes. Then immediately store them in an airtight container to continue cooling completely. This technique locks in the moisture.

I really want to thank everyone for all your amazing comments and fabulous feedback on my recipes that you’ve tried! I’m so happy you guys are enjoying them and please do continue tagging me with your pics, I love seeing your baked creations. If you make these super moist chocolate cupcakes, tag @dutchbakerblog and hashtag me #dutchbakerblog on any one of my social media, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. You guys are awesome! 😄