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?
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I need that cupcake. Preferably, several!
I just want to lick my screen. Drooling at the chocolate cupcakes and frosting.
Finding the perfect chocolate cupcake is really no easy feat! I definitely need to try this. So gloriously decadent.
These look perfect!
I made the cupcakes but my own SMBC. I thought he flavor was really good but my cupcakes were crumbly. I did not overbake could it possibly inproper mixing?
For the cupcakes- can I substitute the sour cream for either yoghurt or double or whipped cream?
For the frosting- can I leave the cream cheese out? And if so do I need to adjust the other ingredients?
For the cupcakes- can I substitute the sour cream for either yoghurt or double or whipped cream?
–> I have asked a similar question (about kefir instead of sour cream. The key is having the yogurt be full-fat. If it’s low fat, it will have a higher water content and the cake won’t be as moist) I have successfully substituted kefir in other recipes with good results. Haven’t tried it here yet, but it should be fine.
For the frosting- can I leave the cream cheese out? And if so do I need to adjust the other ingredients?
–> Yes, you will – that’s obvious. As you go, you will see what you need to adjust: the wet or the dry.
I want to say ‘I do’ to these cupcakes!
I WANT THEM IN MY FAAAAAAACE!!!!!! They look so perfect.
For some reason we don’t usually have sour cream, but we have lots of kefir. Do you think that might work in its stead?
Thanks!
EvEn after a LOT Of frosting, I Have a lot left oVer,,,can it be frozen?
It can be refrigerated for 3 months. 🙂