Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes
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Rich, moist chocolate buttermilk cupcakes are a timeless classic. This recipe delivers tender cake, real chocolate flavor, and perfectly domed tops each and every time. Top with a luscious swirl of frosting to make the chocolate lover in your life swoon!
Chocolate cupcakes are classic: a foundational recipe every home baker should have at the ready. When you need a quick homemade treat, whether for the birthday, the bake sale, or an everyday celebration, chocolate cupcakes carry the day.
This is a hybrid of two cake recipes I swear by: my late mother-in-law’s buttermilk chocolate cake and Hershey’s “perfectly chocolate”. After baking many, many batches of cupcakes, I believe the exact combination here delivers the best cupcake results without fail. The blend of buttermilk for rich flavor and tender crumbs plus a bit of hot water to lighten and lift the batter results in the most perfect tiny cake.
If you want a dense interior similar to flourless chocolate cake, this won’t be the recipe for you, but if you want true chocolate flavor and melt-away texture, get ready to bake!
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Cupcakes
- Supremely moist and full of deep chocolate flavor
- Light and tender crumb on the inside that seems to melt in your mouth
- Perfectly domed on top—the perfect base for a pretty swoop of frosting
- Quick and easy to make in just one bowl
Twice, in a pinch for big parties, I’ve resorted to box mix chocolate cupcakes, and both times was so disappointed in how they compare to these that I’ve completely sworn it off for the future. Once you try these cupcakes, you’ll be spoiled for life!
Ingredient Notes
Why use buttermilk?
Buttermilk adds unique tang and tenderness to cupcakes, cakes, waffles, and more, with a subtle tartness that pleasingly complements sweet flavor profiles. It’s slightly acidic, which accomplishes two things: it helps break down gluten, leaving your baked goods more moist and tender on the inside, and it activates baking soda for extra fluffy, well-risen treats. In the case of these cupcakes, buttermilk specifically helps develop the moist interior and nicely domed top.
Buttermilk Substitutions
You can make a quick buttermilk substitute using regular milk + lemon juice or white vinegar. The standard ratio for making a buttermilk substitute is 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Whole or 2% milk both work well.
Because this recipe calls for 3/4 cup of buttermilk, measure out a scant 3/4 cup of milk, then stir in 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 5-10 minutes, stir again, and proceed with the recipe.
How To Make Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes
Another reason to love this recipe is that it’s truly easy to make in just one bowl.
First, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Combine until even, then add the liquid ingredients directly to the same bowl.
An electric mixer makes this a cinch, but you can mix by hand as well. Just be sure to mix very well to remove any lumps. A whisk is helpful.
Divide the batter evenly among lined muffin tins. I swear by these unbleached baking cups—they are earth-friendly, attractive, and don’t stick to your cupcakes.
Bake for 18-22 minutes. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick poked into the middle comes out clean. I also love using a cake tester for this—another earth-friendly move, and cute besides!
Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack, then frost as desired. I’ve included the recipe here for my favorite everyday chocolate frosting, which is super simple to make and has a wonderful true chocolate flavor.
Keep it simple and spread on a bit of frosting with the back of a spoon or a small spatula, or go fancy and pipe it on. The Wilton 1M star tip is a classic that lets you pipe either rosettes, as shown here, or towering swirls with ease.
More Easy Cupcake Recipes
- Chocolate Stout Cupcakes
- Paloma or Mojito Cupcakes
- Perfect Filled Lemon Cupcakes
- One-Bowl Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Easy Champagne Cupcakes (extra easy doctored cake mix recipe)
Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk see note
- 1/2 cup hot water see note
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks, 16 tablespoons), softened
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk any kind
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Like two muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on medium speed until well-combined.1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- Add buttermilk, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, just until the liquids are somewhat incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl at least once to ensure everything is well combined.3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup hot water, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Divide the batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the centers are set and a toothpick or sharp knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Allow cupcakes to cool for 10-15 minutes inside the baking tins, then remove to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat the softened butter using an electric mixer or vigorously by hand. Add cocoa powder and mix well. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the milk along with the vanilla and pinch of salt, and mix to incorporate. Add another 1 cup powdered sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar and/or extra milk to thicken or loosen the consistency, as desired, or just to make a smidge more frosting if you plan to frost generously.1 cup butter, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 3-4 cups powdered sugar, 2-3 Tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt
- Frost cupcakes as desired. You can simply use a knife or an offset spatula to sweep a layer on top of each cupcake, or scrape frosting into a piping bag and pipe into rosettes, crowns, or another design.
Notes
- Cocoa Powder: Use regular natural unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey’s, not Dutch-process.
- Buttermilk: Can use full-fat or reduced-fat, I haven’t noticed a massive difference.
- Buttermilk Substitute: To make a substitute for the buttermilk, measure out a scant 3/4 cup of milk (whole or 2%), then stir in 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 5-10 minutes, stir again, and proceed as you would with true buttermilk.
- Hot Water: Tap hot is fine; it doesn’t have to be boiling.
- Mix by Hand Option: If you don’t have an electric mixer, these can be made by hand as well. Just be sure to mix very well to remove any lumps. A whisk is helpful.
- Favorite Baking Cups: These unbleached baking cups are earth-friendly, attractive, and don’t stick to your cupcakes.
- Just For Fun: Use a cake tester instead of toothpicks or a knife to test.
- Piping: Frost as you like; my go-to is the Wilton 1M star tip, which lets you pipe either rosettes, as shown here, or towering swirls with ease.
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Freezing Baked Cupcakes: Yes you can freeze these prior to frosting! Use a freezer-safe zip-top bag and press out as much excess air as you can possibly can. Defrost on the counter for 12-24 hours before you need to frost and serve.
This post was originally published on November 8, 2021. I’ve updated the photos and added some details on ingredient options and freezing. No changes to the recipe!
Thank you!! This is the best chocolate cupcakes recipe I’ve ever tried. It is the only recipe I use and I gave made them more times than I can count. I always get rave reviews and requests for the recipe. They are super moist and have a deep chocolate flavor. These cannot be beat!!!
Thank you for sharing this! I just updated the post with new photos (don’t worry, same exact recipe!) and realized I never replied to this kind comment. It means the world that they are helping you spread joy!
Can these be frozen without frosting? Ziploc bag? Or freezer container? They look amazingly delicious and am excited to make these. Thanks for sharing.
Yes you can freeze them prior to frosting! I recommend a bag so that you can press out as much excess air as possible, and to defrost on the counter for 12-24 hours before you need to frost and serve.
Trying this recipe tomorrow. Will come back and let you know how it goes.