Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with the Ultimate Chocolate Frosting are delicious chocolate cupcakes topped with a smooth creamy chocolate frosting. These amazing moist chocolate cupcakes will be your new favorite! Try my Black Bottom Cupcakes for another delicious cupcake recipe!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Chocolate: I prefer using bars of chocolate, chopped, for this recipe. You can substitute chocolate chips in this recipe. Unsweetened cocoa powder is also used in this recipe for additional chocolate flavor.
Coffee: Coffee will enhance the flavor of the chocolate, not overpower it. You can substitute with hot water if desired, but that would affect the flavor.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients (butter, eggs, sour cream, and cream cheese) will help you get the best results when baking these cupcakes.
How to Freeze Chocolate Cupcakes
- To freeze, first allow the cupcakes to cool. I recommend freezing these cupcakes without the frosting.
- Place the cooled cupcakes into a labeled and dated freezer-safe container or bag. Store for up to 3 months.
- Allow the cupcakes to thaw before frosting and serving.
How to Store
Because there is cream cheese in the frosting, you will need to store these cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container. These cupcakes will last up to one week.
Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with Ultimate Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter
- 2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream, room temperature
- ½ cup (42 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chips or chopped bar
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks / 339 g) unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups (250 g) confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup freshly brewed coffee
- chocolate sprinkles, optional
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with liners. Set aside.
- Add the butter and chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second increments, stirring after every 20 seconds, until the chocolate is melted and smooth (about 1-2 minutes total). Set aside to cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and sour cream. Whisk on medium speed until smooth. (about 1 minute)
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the butter and chocolate mixture to the stand mixer and whisk for about 30 seconds, or until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, slowly sprinkle in the flour mixture, about ¼ cup at a time. Mix until just combined. The batter will be very thick.
- Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full with batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes. The center of the cupcake should spring back up if gently pressed, and a toothpick should come out mostly clean when inserted in the middle. Allow the cupcakes to cool.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second increments, stirring after every 20 seconds, until the chocolate is melted and creamy (about 1-2 minutes total).
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate. Scrape the sides as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the hot coffee and cocoa powder. If the mixture seems too thick, an additional tablespoon of hot coffee can be added.
- Add the coffee mixture to the butter mixture. Mix on low until combined.
- With the mixer still on low, add in the confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time. Once incorporated, turn mixer on high for 1-2 minutes.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes, add sprinkles if desired, and serve.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Hi don’t have coffee! Does it make a big difference if left out? Or do you suggest using it? Or is there a substitute? Thanks!
You can use hot water.
Made these three times already, with each achieving wonderful result. Extremely moist.
Can you just bake as a cake if don’t want to make cupcakes?
Would this cupcake be good with a white buttercream icing and coconut for garnish?
Amanda, i tried the cupcakes. I’m not sure what went wrong. They were sooo dry!! 😩
Hi, Tina! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. It sounds like the cupcakes could have been overbaked. Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer to make sure it is at the heat it is set. In addition, be precise with all the measurements, like the flour, and use room temperature eggs. I hope this helps, and have a great day!
My cupcakes came out dry and crumbly even though I followed the recipe exactly – careful measuring, not over mixing, used an oven thermometer, took them out at 15 minutes as soon as they bounced back when pressed. I am perplexed as others have raved about how moist they are. Any suggestions would be great as I’d like to try again. The frosting was amazing! I did have to refrigerate it a bit to firm it up, but it piped well and did darken over time.
Oh dear! So very sorry to hear this. Nothing worse than a dry muffin! It may be just slightly overbaked. If you are willing to give it another go, try taking them out at 13 minutes. OR, you can set your oven to 350°F then right after you put them into the oven decrease the temperature to 325°F. That should work!
Great looking cupcakes but can I use cream instead of sour cream.. no sour cream in the shops or could I use plain yogurt Instead Xxx
Hi, Maggie! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. You could substitute the 1/2 cup sour cream in the recipe with 1/2 cup plain yogurt plus 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. I hope this helps. Have a great day!
Hi Amanda,
Can i use cake flour instead of APF?
Thank you
Hi, Jen! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. If you substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour, use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for every cup of all-purpose. I hope this helps, and have a great day!
Is it okay if I use a salted butter instead of unsalted?
Yes
These were very good. I made them one afternoon with my daughter. Great baking and bonding activity.
They are a little dry. but baked really even and pretty.