Quick & Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

Our famous chocolate cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting really are the best! So simple to make and perfect for birthday parties.

You only need one chocolate cupcake recipe in your life... and it's THIS ONE! It's the best and easiest chocolate cupcake recipe you'll ever try - and makes the most deliciously moist cupcakes. Between this chocolate cupcake recipe and our famous vanilla cupcake recipe... you'll be baking perfect cupcakes forever!

The Ingredients For The Best Chocolate Cupcakes

*Scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and instructions 

For The Chocolate Cupcakes:

• butter (unsalted butter)
• caster sugar (also known as superfine sugar)
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• self-raising flour (also known as self-rising flour), or make your own using plain flour and baking powder
• cocoa powder
• milk - full cream milk (also known as full fat milk) is recommended

For The Chocolate Frosting:

• milk chocolate (or dark chocolate)
• butter (unsalted butter)
• icing sugar (also known as confectioners sugar)
• vanilla extract
• milk - full cream milk (also known as full fat milk) is recommended
• sprinkles (also known as 100s and 1000s), to decorate 

How To Make Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

*Scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom for full instructions

Step 1 - Cream the butter and sugar

Step 2 - Beat through the eggs and vanilla extract

Step 3 - Alternate folding through the cocoa, self-raising flour and milk

Step 4 - Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases and bake

Tips For Baking Cupcakes

• caster sugar is a type of superfine sugar (not granulated). Superfine sugar is best for cupcakes as the sugar dissolves as it's beaten with the butter
• use room temperature ingredients
• fold through the sifted self-raising flour, cocoa and milk - do not over-mix
• add rice to the bottom of the muffin tin holes (this stops the cupcake cases from getting greasy)
• to stop the cupcakes from cracking when cooked, cook in a medium/low oven of 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced)
• bake until lightly golden and the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched
• allow the cupcakes to cool before decorating with frosting and sprinkles
• store cupcakes at room temperature (do not place in the refrigerator as they'll dry out)

How To Store Cupcakes 

Cupcakes are best eaten within 2 days. They should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Cupcakes that have not been frosted can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow to come to room temperature before frosting.

More Popular Cupcake & Cake Recipes

Check out more of our most popular cakes and cupcake recipes here.

• Butter Cake with buttercream frosting (the exact same recipe as our famous vanilla cupcakes… but in one large cake!)
• Vanilla Cupcakes
• White Chocolate Mud Cake
• Caramel Mud Cake
• Classic Chocolate Cake (just like the one your grandma used to make!)
• Chocolate Mud Cake
• Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting

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Quick & Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

Our famous chocolate cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting really are the best! So simple to make and perfect for birthday parties.

5 from 34 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: sweet

Cuisine: cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 serves

Calories: 402kcal

Author: Lucy Mathieson

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• ▢ 125 g butter softened
• ▢ 165 g (¾ cup) caster sugar
• ▢ 2 eggs lightly beaten
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 190 g (1 and ¼ cups) self raising flour
• ▢ 35 g (⅓ cup) cocoa
• ▢ 160 g (⅔ cup) milk

For the frosting

• ▢ 130 g chocolate
• ▢ 130 g unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 220 g (1 and ½ cups) icing sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2-3 tbs milk
• ▢ sprinkles/100s and 1000s to decorate

Instructions

Conventional Method

• Preheat oven to 170°C (fan-forced). Line 12 muffin holes with patty paper or cupcake holders.
• Cream the butter and sugar together with beaters until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined.
• Alternate folding through the sifted flour and cocoa with the milk until combined.
• Spoon the mixture into the patty paper lined muffin pans.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked when tested.
• Leave in the pan to cool for 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in the microwave on 50% power for 2-3 minutes (stirring every 30 seconds until melted). Allow the chocolate to cool slightly.
• Beat the butter in a bowl until soft. Gradually beat in the icing sugar and vanilla extract.
• Fold through the melted chocolate until completely combined. If the mixture is too firm, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk and beat again until smooth.
• Spread frosting over the cooled cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles/100s and 1000s.

Thermomix Method

• Preheat oven to 170°C. Line 12 muffin holes with patty paper or cupcake holders.
• Melt the butter on 60 degrees, 2 minutes, Speed 4.
• Add all of the other ingredients and mix for 30 seconds, Speed 5.
• Spoon the mixture into the patty paper lined muffin pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked when tested.
• Leave in the pan to cool for 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, grate chocolate for 3 seconds on Speed 8. Scrape the sides of the bowl and melt on 50 degrees, 3 minutes, Speed 1 (or until melted).
• Add butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract. Leave the MC off and whip for 10 seconds on Speed 5.
• Check the frosting and if it’s too firm, add 1 tablespoon of milk and mix for another 10 seconds, Speed 5 (repeat with another tablespoon of milk at a time until the frosting is smooth and easy to spread).
• Spread frosting over the cooled cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles/100s and 1000s.

Notes

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

Caster sugar is a type of superfine sugar (not granulated). Superfine sugar is best for cupcakes as the sugar dissolves as it’s beaten with the butter.

Use room temperature ingredients.

Fold through the sifted self-raising flour, cocoa and milk – do not over-mix.

Add rice to the bottom of the muffin tin holes (this stops the cupcake cases from getting greasy).

To stop the cupcakes from cracking when cooked, cook in a medium/low oven of 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced). 

Bake until lightly golden and the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.

Allow the cupcakes to cool before decorating with frosting and sprinkles.

Store cupcakes at room temperature (do not place in the refrigerator as they’ll dry out).

Cupcakes are best eaten within 2 days. They should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Cupcakes that have not been frosted can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow to come to room temperature before frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 595IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 0.9mg

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