This’s the best chocolate cupcake recipe you’ll ever try! Easy, moist and rich chocolate cupcakes with ultra-smooth whipped chocolate ganache.

Ready for a truly indulgent chocolate treat?
We’re about to make the easiest, yet most delicious chocolate cupcakes in the world!
- Melt-in-your-mouth moist crumbs. Check!
- Rich chocolate flavor. Check!
- Light and fluffy texture. Check!
This time-tested recipe requires basic ingredients and no mixer needed!
This’s my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe, and I hope it will be yours too!

Ok, enough teasing, let’s get to baking!
How to Make the Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe:
This’s truly the simplest recipe.
Since we’re not beating butter and sugar, or relying on whipped eggs for a good rise, you won’t need an electric mixer!
- In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
- In another bowl, combine wet ingredients.
- Then add dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter into cupcake pan and bake for about 20 minutes at 350°F, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Tip
Use a large cookie scoop for measuring the batter for cupcake cups. 1 scoop in each cupcake cup is perfect!

The best frosting for chocolate cupcakes:
Obviously, any frosting would go well with these chocolate cupcakes. But I think the easiest and most satisfying frosting is whipped chocolate ganache!
I’ve dedicated a whole post on how to make a chocolate ganache with detailed recipe and tips.

Other frosting ideas for chocolate cupcakes:
- Peanut Butter Buttercream frosting
- Salted Caramel Buttercream frosting
- Ultimate Cream Cheese frosting
- Indulgent Mocha frosting

Craving chocolate cake?
- The best simple chocolate cake is a quick and easy sponge cake! Perfect foundation for any frosting and filling your heart desires.
- My supreme chocolate cake with chocolate mousse frosting is a reader favorite!
- And Ina’s Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting is da bomb!

The Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder Note 1
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup buttermilk at room temperature, Note 2
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 250 g semi-sweet chocolate
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Instructions
- To make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175° C). Line 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold the batter until just combined.
- Divide the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, about 1/4 cup of batter in each cupcake cup. (TIP: Use a large cookie scoop, to measure the batter. 1 large cookie scoop full of batter in each cupcake cup.)
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
- To make whipped ganache frosting: Roughly chop chocolate with a sharp knife and place in a large bowl.
- Heat heavy whipping cream in a microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until hot. (Alternatively, you can heat the cream on stovetop until almost boiling, but not quite to a boil.)
- Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and let it sit for good 2-3 minutes.
- Add salt and whisk the mixture gently from the center, stirring in one direction and slowly incorporating cream into the chocolate, until it's nice and smooth, about 2 minutes. (NOTE: Here's detailed ganache tutorial.)
- To whip the ganache: Cool ganache completely at room temperature, about 1 hour. Then place the cooled ganache into a mixing bowl with whisk attachment and whip until fluffy and doubled in size.
- To assemble: Transfer the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with star tip. (I used Wilton 1M tip.) Pipe the frosting on cooled cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
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