Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
I found a great recipe for these super moist chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting online at The Farm Chicks site and they were just what my daughter wanted for her 8th birthday. I halved the recipe because I don’t need 24 cupcakes sitting around my house tempting me. It was an extremely simple recipe to make (my daughter did everything). The cupcakes turned out incredibly moist and had a delicious chocolate flavor and the frosting was also very simple for my daughter to make and it too tasted great. Everyone loved these cupcakes, especially the birthday girl! This will be my new go-to recipe for chocolate cupcakes.
I want to say THANK YOU for all the sweet comments in regards to my cut finger – I have the best readers! I am happy to say that my finger is healing nicely and I am back to cooking.
Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
Ingredients:
Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp flour
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1/4 cup of canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup boiling water
How to Make Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.
Sift together the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
Add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla then beat together with a mixer until combined.
Scrape the sides of the bowl then add the boiling water and mix until just combined. The batter will be very watery so don’t be alarmed. Pour the batter into a measuring cup (it’s so much easier and cleaner than using a spoon) and pour evenly into each liner.
Place into the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- 1/3 cup softened butter
- 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk
How to Make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
Beat the butter in a bowl until creamy; gradually pour in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Once the frosting is well combined, add a few drops of food coloring then beat with the mixer until you reach your desired color.
Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with decorations if desired. Enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp flour
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup of milk
- ¼ cup of canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup boiling water
Frosting:
- ⅓ cup softened butter
- 3 ½ cups of powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.
- Sift together the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
- Add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla then beat together with a hand mixer until combined.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl then add the boiling water and mix until just combined. The batter will be very watery so don't be alarmed. Pour the batter into a measuring cup (it's so much easier and cleaner than using a spoon) and pour evenly into each liner.
- Place into the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- Beat the butter in a bowl with a hand mixer until creamy; gradually pour in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Once the frosting is well combined, add a few drops of food coloring then beat with the mixer until you reach your desired color.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with decorations if desired. Enjoy!
Sorry to hear about your cut finger. That is too bad! Hope it's healing well and that your daughter ate lots of cupcakes. Well, not too many. 🙂
Glad your back! Happy birthday to your daughter. Funny how they know at such a young age that they want cupcakes from scratch. Pretty cupcakes!
Look at her go! Hope she had a happy birthday-how could she not with those tasty treats she made 🙂
wow! I love this, especially moist chocolate cupcakes! Good idea for coming Xmas!
So glad you are back so quickly. I'd tease you about cutting yourself but since I am the one who blocked a falling 10" chef's knife with my bare shin because I didn't want the blade to get damaged….pot=kettle.
Happy Birthday to your daughter! She looks at home in the kitchen….I wonder why that is:)
Gorgeous I have always been afraid of Buttercream frosting! Tell M Happy Birthday from us!
So glad your finger is better! A very happy birthday to your little girl, and sous chef! Cuppies look every so good!!
Glad that the finger is almost better but you have a great helper there. Please wish her a Happy Birthday.
The chocolate cup cakes look really yummy. Diane
I love a girl who knows what she wants…and has GOOD TASTE. I'll take these for my birthday too please!
I am glad that your finger is healing!!
Your daughter's request is a really good one,..no box frosdtings!!
You & your daughter made everything from sctratch & the endresults say it all: These cupcakes with pink frosting are real winners!
I am so happy to hear your finger is better and you are back in the kitchen…you have been missed!
These cupcakes look amazing, and your daughter is adorable, Pam! Happy Belated Birthday to her!
Kim in MD
Children in the kitchen is just the cutest thing! I hope your daughter had a lovely birthday and enjoyed those beautiful cupcakes : )
Your girl knows her food! No box stuff =P
welcome back! these look so good, and so cute for a little girl. my daughter would love these!
You had me at buttercream. Will be making these soon!!
Stephanie 🙂
http://www.simplicitymom.blogspot.com
It's good to have you back. Glad all is well. Your cupcakes look wonderful. I'm sending belated birthday wishes to your daughter. I'll wager she had a great day. Blessings…Mary
Great recipe. I'm glad your finger is healing, mine is also.
i'm glad to hear that your finger is healing! hope your daughter had a great birthday – those cupcakes look fantastic!
Your sweet birthday girl did a beautiful job making her cupcakes. I'm happy to see you back, Pam. Happy to read that your finger healed nicely.
These look delicious! I would love to make these with my niece. She loves cooking/baking with me.
Wow! Your little girl is 8 already. Time flies. Her cupcakes are just adorable!
what a terrific girly birthday dessert!
Happy Birthday to your adorable kitchen helper! She did a great job, the cupcakes are beautiful!!
Glad you are ok! Happy birthday to your daughter. She is super cute! The cupcakes are so pretty and fun!
Oh, how sweet! Happy birthday to the birthday girl! She must have loved participating in making her own birthday cupcakes. They turned out beautiful! Thanks for sharing, Pam.
Those are adorable! Happy Birthday to her =)
I'm glad you're feeling better and are back in the kitchen. Happy Birthday to your big girl! It's cute that she wanted cupcakes from scratch instead of the box mix. My 9 year old just made her first cupcakes from scratch. You should be so proud! Both of your kiddos enjoy cooking just like their Mom.
Good to know that ur feeling better… i adore ur cute little helper…
The cupcakes look really delicious. And your daughter is adorable.
Happy Birthday little girl! I can think of nothing better than choc cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles for a birthday 🙂
So glad to have you back!!
Yum! I've been craving cupcakes lately, this recipe looks like it will do the trick 🙂
The cupcakes were super yummy and everyone loved them! I was hoping you could give me some suggstions on how to put frosting on more professional. I was not pleased with the way they looked after the frosting was placed on (My skills are not the best), but it did not keep everyone from eating the all up!
Thanks in advice for your help!
Nikki
I was Googling chocolate cupcake recipes for my daughter who promised some to her classmates. I found this one and these came out perfect. I didn't have cocoa so I used 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares and increased the sugar to 1/2 cup and these are amazing. So moist and such a chocolately taste. I can't wait to make some more and this will now be my go-to cupcake recipe. Pat do you
Karen,
I am sorry to say that I have never made these cupcakes in cake form so I have no idea how long it would take to cook. Sorry I am not much help!
Cheers,
Pam
Did you use cake flour or all purpose flour?
Volleygirl4,
I used all purpose flour. I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Pam
These were wonderful, HOWEVER, a lesson I needed to learn from this is that they fluff up much more than you think they will, so don't put in as much as you think you need.
Would you mind if I blogged this? I can link out to both your blog, and the blog you found this on.
How
Many does this make I need to make 24
wonderful recipe thank you! my bf loves bananas so for his birthday i made these cupcakes with a banana butter cream frosting was very yummy i will deffinatly make them again
I tried SO many recipes, even the America’s Test Kitchen one – they tasted alright but not great. Now the recipe you have here, this is a keeper. I want to print it out and frame it. My 2 year old (yes she likes to help!) & I followed it exactly and they were moist, not too sweet and so chocolatey. And they were perfect even without the frosting. Thank you so much!
Just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU for posting this recipe, I have been looking for a go-to chocolate cupcake recipe and this is it! The title doesnt do these cupcakes justice, they are absolulutely AMAZING!! I am now unsure if they will last until my hubby gets home from work!! 🙂
Oh, my gosh, thank you. I attempted a complicated Red Velvet cupcake recipe from another site, and I was almost in tears because the recipe turned out to be such a disaster. But I still had enough ingredients to make cupcakes, so I turned to your site. The cupcakes are puffing up beautifully in my oven, and your directions were so easy. I plan to frost these with a peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Thank you again!
Just tried one fresh out of the oven: PERFECT! So moist and delicious!
this recipe is SO good my cupcakes came out sooo moist and delicious thank you!!
Really pleased they came out so well, very moist and chocolatey. The only alteration I made was to use 1/2 cup of buttermilk instead of regular milk and to the 1/2 cup of boiling water I added a teaspoon of instant coffee. SO GOOD! Thanks for the amazing recipe.
These cupcakes were soooo yummy! I shared them with a new neighbor and they loved them!
I really want to make these but I have no canola oil so should I just take it our or is there something i can substitute it with?
Vegetable oil would work great but don’t use olive oil. I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Pam
How many cupcakes does does this yield?
They look so yummy, I want to make cupcakes for my son’s 1st birthday! 🙂
This recipe made 12 cupcakes. I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Pam
these were amazing! super moist and dark, not too sweet (i doubled the brown sugar left our the white). i had several “non-dessert eaters” gobble them up and the halfed recipe was perfect.
I was just wondering is 350 degrees for the oven faren or celcious? 🙂
350 degrees fahrenheit. I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Pam
Thankyou! Oh and What flour did you use? I am 13 and I am about to make these with my sister! I can’t wait 🙂
I used regular flour. Have fun making them and eating them.
Cheers,
Pam
This recipe is amazing, I did put buttermilk as oppose to milk and use vegetable oil instead of canola oil….and since I left out the vanilla by accident it still taste so moist, rich and yummy. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!!!
Also love how your daughter baking so adorable!
How many cupcakes is this recipe for?
12 cupcakes
Well, I hope these turn out good. My friend’s Halloween party is in a couple days and I’m making some cupcakes. What better than to make them by scratch? Thanks! 🙂
Made these today with my kiddos and the cupcakes baked flat (not sure what happened) and when taken out of the wrappers, they basically fell apart. Ho hum!!! The frosting consistency came out great but, oh my was it SWEET!!! I even cut the sugar down to 2 1/2 cups – still way too sweet. I guess I need to keep searching for a good cupcake/frosting recipe. Sorry but did not work for me.
Here is my vanilla buttercream recipe:
1/2 cup of butter, softened
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons of milk, as needed
Beat the butter on medium high for 2-3 minutes, until VERY pale. Add the powdered sugar in 2 additions. Beat on high, then add the vanilla. If the frosting is too thick for you, add the milk.
As for the cupcakes, I’m not sure what happened. Are you sure you measured exactly? I tried measuring with my hands once, and they failed completely.
Did you use light or dark brown sugar? And is it unsweetened cocoa? They look great!
Jenn,
Light brown sugar and unsweetened cocoa.
Pam
How much batter did you pour into each liner? 3/4 full?
Lydia,
Yes, I filled them 3/4 full.
Cheers,
Pam
these are a great idea for a simple pull apart cake will try sooner or later
thank you for the great idea i will try
The best i have tried so far! Thank you for this recipe!!
Help!!
I really love these cupcakes but tried to adapt the recipe to make vanilla ones but the flopped:( can u help me pleas:)
Natalie,
I have never tried adapting this recipe so I am no help. I would search Google for a super moist vanilla cupcakes and see if you can find a recipe that sounds good to you. Sorry I am not much help.
Pam
This is the best chocolate cupcake recipe ever! After getting a comment of my old chocolate cupcake recipe being to dry, I set off for a new, super moist chocolate cupcake recipe. I have definitely found it! Thank you so much. Also, thanks for halving the recipe. You’re right- I really don’t need twenty-four cupcakes in the house! (Especially for how dangerous this recipe is to my growing stomach…..)
thank u for ur recipe it was delicious! & i made some fluffy peanut butter frosting it was awesome!
Really great recipe. These cupcakes can still keep moist after leaving in the fridge for a few days
I just made this chocolate cupcake recipe for my youngest son on his 28th birthday. (I topped it with a homemade caramel frosting and salt to after adding 2 T espresso powder to the cake recipe to mimic his favorite coffee drink.) Just wanted to thank you for this recipe and let you know I posted a link to your site via one of my Facebook postings today.
I just made these cupcakes. They are absolutely delicious – so much better than a mix! Thanks for the recipe.
How much flour is required? 3/4 TBSP or 3/4 Cup, recipe is not clear to me.. new baker!
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp flour.
Just made these cupackes, they came out great! Moist and not too sweet. The frosting however was grainy and a little to sweet for me!
These are the best and easiest cupcakes that I’ve ever made. Absolutely delicious and moist. I’m definitely keeping this recipe. I’m a visual learner so it really helped to have the pictures.
these cupcakes sound good 😀
Great recipe! I’ll never buy a cake mix again! : ) Speaking of cake, would I have to do anything different with this recipe to make one?
These were the best chocolate cupcakes ever!!! So delicious! I was not a fan of the buttercream, too sweet for us, but would definitely recommend this recipe for anyone looking for a moist and super chocolate my cupcake 🙂 mmmmmm
Just wondering if i can sub raw sugar for white sugar and sub applesauce for the oil?
Stephanie,
I’ve only made the recipe as written so I am not sure how they would turn out with your substitutes. If you do make them like that, please let me know how they turn out.
Thanks,
Pam
These are fantastic! I made double so my six kids could have some, and my husband took the rest to work for his soldiers. Everyone loved them! I tweaked it a little – had no baking powder so I did 1 + 1/2tsp of baking soda and used 1/2 c of sour cream instead of milk. I also stirred in 5oz of 60% cocoa chocolate chips before pouring into baking cups. Super yummy! Thanks for the recipe:)
Oh my goodness I made this recipe but instead of cupcakes I poured it into three 6″ cake pans and they baked up PERFECTLY!!! The cake is Super Moist, perfect chocolate flavor and fluffy!!!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I LOVE IT!!! Its so easy and turns out AMAZING, I’m going to be making some cupcakes with this recipe today, i’m so excited, thank you for this recipe its really a life saver!!!
Wow!!! these cupcakes are amazing, simple recipe, simple ingredients, yet simply delicious!!!! have made many times, and they work perfectly for mini cupcakes, with mini silicone cupcake trays:) Thankyou for the recipe, best cupcakes I’ve made:):) are beautiful with raspberry icing(made with jelly crystals) :):)
PROS: This is exactly what I was looking for. Mix dry ingedients, add wet ingredients, mix together and done! Super easy, great recipe to make with kids. No need to lug out the stand mixer. Just use a hand mixer, or maybe even consider mixing by hand. They came out incredibly soft and moist, definitely a keeper! TY for sharing.
CON: Only critique I could offer is I personally would prefer a more chocolate-y taste, so the next time I make this, I will experiment with adding a bit more cocoa.
This is going to be my go-to from here on out when I need a good buttercream. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
i love this recipe!!! I wanted to know if I leave the cocoa out will it work for a vanilla cupcake recipe?
Thanks Cristina. I am not sure how it would turn out without the cocoa – I’ve never tried. If you do try it, please let me know how it works out!
Pam
This is the best chocolate cupcakes recipe out there, very moist and delicious, always a big hit whenever I make them
Trying these tonight. Wanted something quick and chocolatey. We will see. 🙂 hopeful!
The best ever my 92 year old parents loved them, that’s a compliment. Thank You
Joe,
This comment made my day! I’m so happy your parents loved them. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
-Pam
Hi are you able to give the recipe in grams please . I think grams are more accurate and avoids the having to add 2 tablespoons as grams will cover the whole amount of flour . Thanks they look delicious .
Shirley,
Sorry, I don’t measure in grams here in the US, but I bet there are conversion calculators online that can do that for you.
-Pam