Fluffy and Rich — Here’s Your New Go-To Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Deeply chocolatey is an understatement for these fluffy, rich cupcakes. A combination of melted bittersweet chocolate, natural cocoa powder, coffee, and vanilla gives the cupcakes depth as well as sweetness, while oil and sour cream keep these moist for days. The crumb is very tender and moist, but the cupcakes have enough structure so that the tops are firm enough to easily frost. The white chocolate frosting is smooth and adds a color contrast to the dark chocolate cupcakes, though feel free to swap the white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate if you prefer.

What is the secret to super moist cupcakes?

These tender chocolate cupcakes include both butter and oil, which means they stay soft and moist even when cold. Oil is super helpful here: Not only does butter contain some water, which will evaporate while baking, but it is also solid at room temperature. Still, baked goods made with just oil tend to be denser or heavier, and butter does lend its own delicious flavor. In this recipe, we use equal parts of each. The acidity of the buttermilk also helps produce a moister result.

What cocoa powder do I use in these cupcakes?

There are actually multiple kinds of cocoa powder, and it’s important to note that this recipe calls for unsweetened natural cocoa powder, which is not interchangeable with Dutch-process cocoa in this case. Natural cocoa powder is full of bright chocolate flavor and is more acidic than the Dutch-process version, which is alkalized. This recipe depends on that acidity (helped along by the tangy buttermilk) to activate the baking soda, which is key to making these chocolate cupcakes light and springy.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Overmixing the batter can lead to undesirable texture, such as tunneling, or collapsing. Before adding the flour mixture, whisk until just smooth, and once you add the flour, whisk just until combined and there are no more visible streaks or lumps of flour. 

Make ahead

Store baked cupcakes, covered, at room temperature for up to three days. Baked, unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months.

This recipe was developed by Nicole Hopper; the text was written by Breana Killeen.