Ultra Moist Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe With Chocolate Frosting

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4.7 from 44 votes
22 Comments

These soft, tender, and ultra moist chocolate cupcakes are topped with a swirl of my silky smooth chocolate buttercream. They’re so rich in chocolate flavor they give you goosebumps. The cake itself is soft, tender and moist, and the frosting on top is silky smooth and rich in chocolate flavor because it uses melted chocolate and cocoa powder.

Showing a close up of frosted cupcakes on a cooling rack shot from the side

Hey team! Nick here, coming in with an easy chocolate cupcake recipe that you can make from scratch at home using simple ingredients. It’s no secret I’m obsessed with anything chocolate. That’s why I have loads of chocolate recipes on the site. This one hits the spot because each bite is a melt in your mouth hit of chocolate.

The first thing you notice when you bite into these cupcakes is just how soft, tender and moist they are. They stay moist for days too.

Related → if you have a healthy obsession with chocolate, you’ll love my Chocolate Fudge Cake (a reader favorite!) and my

After realizing how soft they are, you’re smacked in the tastebuds with chocolate. I’m talking rich, deep chocolate flavor. And that’s because right at the end of the batter making process you add boiling water which not only makes these cupcakes moist, it kind of wakes up the cocoa powder and brings out its full flavor potential.

The sky’s the limit with frosting options. Pairing them with a swirl of my chocolate buttercream is a no brainer. It’s silky smooth and creamy and it uses two types of chocolate, because why not! But it also goes really well with my cream cheese frosting (kind of like cheesecake in frosting form) and my chocolate ganache which is so smooth and dreamy!

Moist, tender and so rich, These Chocolate Cupcakes are the ultimate hot of chocolate! They stay moist for days, use simple ingredients and are topped with dreamy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting!

MOIST Isn’t A Bad Word. It’s The Goal.

Here’s why everyone should start using the word moist and love it. These cupcakes are ultra-moist. That’s because we use boiling water as our last step when making the batter which does a couple things:

  • Makes these cupcakes fluffy – the hot water further activates the baking powder and bicarb soda in the batter ingredients.
  • Makes them more chocolatey – it helps dissolve the cocoa powder and gives these a smooth and ultra-chocolate flavor.
  • It adds more moisture! – the boiling water helps make this Chocolate Cupcake recipe even more moist. Water = moisture. Science.

Get a load of this… Chocolate!

This recipe uses Natural cocoa powder which is untreated and is a little more acidic, not in flavor, just chemically which means it reacts with the bicarb soda. That creates gas which means fluffy cupcakes. It’s different to Dutch processed cocoa powder which is treated to be less acidic and stronger in chocolate flavor.

A hand holding a single frosted cupcake

The magic happens when you add boiling water to the batter at the end. It blooms the cocoa powder which wakes up the flavor potential. That means a deeper chocolate flavor, smoother texture, and a richer color. It also adds loads of moisture to the cupcakes which means a deliciously moist and fluffy cupcake!

Frosting options

Pretty much any frosting will go nicely with these cupcakes but here are my recommendations!

Ingredients To Make Chocolate Cupcakes

  • All-purpose flour – also known as plain flour. Don’t be tempted to use cake flour as the plain flour mixed with cocoa powder basically makes this as light as cake flour.
  • Caster sugar – also known as superfine sugar.
  • Cocoa powder (cupcakes) – It’s best to use Natural cocoa powder for this recipe as it reacts with the bicarb soda in the dry ingredients and helps the cupcakes rise while giving it a deep rich chocolate flavor.
  • Baking powder
  • Bicarb soda – also known as bicarbonate of soda or baking soda.
  • Salt – I used fine salt.
  • Butter (melted) – I used unsalted butter. You want to make sure your butter is cooled a little before adding to the batter.
  • Vegetable oil – canola oil will also work.
  • Eggs – I used large eggs. Make sure they’re at room temperature. If they’re straight out of the fridge pop them into hot (not boiling) tap water for 10 minutes before using.
  • Milk – use whole-fat milk and make sure it’s at room temperature.
  • Boiling water – The boiling water is one of the most instrumental ingredients in this recipe. It’s what helps makes these cupcakes ULTRA moist!

Making the perfect Chocolate Cupcake.

Combine dry ingredients together.
Combine wet ingredients together

Add wet to dry and mix until no dry ingredients are showing
Add the boiling water

Mix until smooth
Scoop the mixture into your cupcake tray lined with cupcake liners

Bake and cool down on a cooling rack
Frost with chocolate frosting!

How To Make Silky Chocolate Frosting

My Chocolate Frosting pairs so well with this. It just completes the chocolate experience.

You whip the butter until it’s fluffy, mix in the sugar and cocoa powder, then add melted chocolate and cream for that rich, silky texture. It’s smooth, holds its shape, and melts in your mouth. I’ve got a full post with the recipe, step-by-step photos, and all my tips for making the perfect chocolate buttercream. You can check it out here.

Front shot of a frosted cupcake with a bite taken out

Tips and Tricks For Recipe Success!

  • Sieve your cocoa powder to make sure it’s lump free in your batter.
  • Don’t overmix your batter, it can cause your cupcakes to shrink and come out tough. Only mix until no dry ingredients are showing.
  • Scrape down the bowl – It’ll make sure no dry ingredients are left behind.
  • Room Temperature ingredients are important in this recipe. Make sure your eggs and milk are at room temperature. Microwave your milk for 30 seconds if needed. If you’re using fridge cold eggs place them in ab owl and cover with warm tap water. Let them sit for 10 minutes before using to come to room temp.
  • Fill your liners the right amount – about 3/4 of the way is the right amount for this recipe. Anything more than that and they can overflow.
  • When frosting your cupcakes – avoid using a round piping tip with chocolate frosting unless you’re going for the 💩 emoji look! 🤣

What happened to the old recipe?

I updated this recipe because I believe recipes can always get better and you can always find new ways to make recipes tastier. The old recipe is great and is used widely through this website with my older, over the top cupcake recipes. This recipe is designed as a stand alone and not really designed to work with those older recipes. Basically both recipes are great, but I prefer this new updated recipe, it’s just so moist and delicious.

Why is this recipe in grams and not cups?

The short answer is accuracy! It is far easier, more accurate and you get more consistency results when you measure ingredients by weight, especially in dessert and bread baking! I wrote all about this in my post about using digital kitchen scales!

Loved the recipe? Let me know!

If you enjoyed this recipe, leave a star rating and comment below. It helps others find the recipe and keeps the baking community growing. Tag me on Instagram so I can see your version too!

A square image of a single cupcake on top of a cooling rack with other cupcakes in the background

Ultra Moist Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe With Chocolate Frosting

These rich and fluffy Ultra Moist Chocolate Cupcakes are topped with creamy chocolate frosting, making each bite a heavenly indulgence!

Serves 12

4.7 from 44 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Cool: 2 hours
Total: 3 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 700kcal

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 185 g all-purpose flour, plain flour
  • 220 g caster sugar, superfine sugar
  • 50 g natural cocoa powder, see notes
  • 1/4 tsp bicarb soda, baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 60 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 80 g vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature (55g each)
  • 185 g whole-milk, room temperature
  • 60 g boiling water

Chocolate Frosting

  • 500 g unsalted butter, softened (see notes)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 20 g heavy cream, cold (see notes)
  • 400 g powdered sugar
  • 200 g dark cooking chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature (see notes)


Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Preheat your oven to 160C / 320F (fan off), 140C / 285F (fan on). Line your muffin tin with cupcake liners. More details on cupcake liners in the notes.
  • Combine dry ingredients – Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarb soda, baking powder and salt to a medium sized mixing bowl and sieve. Then mix with a hand whisk.
  • Add wet ingredients – Add the butter, oil, eggs and milk to the dry ingredients and whisk together until well combined and no dry ingredients are showing. Take care not to overmix the batter.
  • Add boiling water – Lastly, pour in the boiling water and whisk until well combined and smooth. The batter will darken and thin out.
  • Bake – Scoop the batter into the cupcakes filling them up 3/4 of the way. Bake in the middle rack of your oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one cupcake (one of the middle cupcakes) comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Frosting

  • Cream butter – Add your softened butter, salt and vanilla extract to a large bowl. If using a stand mixer fit it with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium high speed for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. You will want to scrape down the bowl halfway through with a spatula to ensure everything beats together evenly!
  • Add sugar – Scrape the bowl down using a spatula and add all of the sifted powdered sugar. Begin beating on low speed at first. When no dry ingredients are showing, turn the speed up to medium high speed again and beat for 5 minutes.
  • Add chocolate and cream – Scrape down the bowl again and add the melted chocolate and heavy cream. Beat in on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl at least once to ensure the chocolate mixes in evenly.

Let’s Decorate!

  • Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with an open star top and pipe swirls on each cupcake. Finish with chocolate or rainbow sprinkles.

Notes

Natural Cocoa powder – This is different to Dutch cocoa. It’s more acidic (not in flavour, just how it reacts in baking), which helps the cupcakes rise and makes them soft. It also gives a rich chocolate flavour and darker colour when mixed with boiling water.
Dark cooking chocolate – you want to use dark cooking chocolate and not regular eating chocolate for this recipe as it’s designed to be melted and used in baking recipes. Make sure you let the melted chocolate cool down before using. Warm is ok. Hot will melt your frosting.
How to soften your butter
Make sure your butter is softened for this recipe. It’ll help with the structural integrity of the frosting. I have a full guide on how to properly soften butter on the blog, but for reference, softened butter is 18C / 65F on a thermometer. Cut it into cubes and let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours until it reaches this temperature to until it’s soft enough that when you press on it with your finger, it leaves an indent with some resistance.
Heavy cream – I originally used milk for this recipe, but I’ve made the switch to cold cream instead. I find that milk makes your frosting too soft, and cold cream keeps it’s structure, and using cold cream helps stiffen your frosting while making it smoother. It’s a win win! For this recipe I’d recommend using heavy whipping cream which has about 36% butterfat in it. Check how much fat it has per 100g on the back and that number will give you a percentage.
Storage – Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.
Nutrition – is an approximate and is based on per cupcake. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.
What size muffin tin do you use?
I use a Wiltshire muffin tin. It’s pretty standard in size.
Bottom 5.5cm
Height: 3cm
Top: 7cm
What size cupcake liners do you use?
I use a brand named Confetta who are based here in Australia, but any greaseproof cupcake liners will work. Opt for good quality ones.
Bottom: 5cm
Height: 4cm
Top: 7.5cm 
A note on measurements – This recipe uses weight measurements for the most accurate results. Cup measurements can vary depending on where you are, which affects the precision needed for a recipe like this. Here is where you can learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition

Serving: 10g
Calories : 700kcal
Carbonhydrates: 59g
Protein: 5g
Fat: 48g
Saturated Fat: 30g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g
Monounsaturated Fat : 13g
Trans Fat : 2g
Cholesterol: 135mg
Sodium: 358mg
Potassium : 155mg
Fiber: 4g
Sugar : 42g
Vitamin A: 1259IU
Vitamin C: 0.01mg
Calcium: 56mg
Iron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclosure
Gave this recipe a go?Mention @thescranline or tag #thescranline!

Tried this recipe and loved it? Awesome! Drop me a comment below and tell me about it! Can’t wait to hear how it turned out for you! You can also keep up to date with me during the week by joining me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

22 comments

Bella July 17, 2022 - 12:14 pm

Hi Nick,

Is it possible to substitute the whole milk for buttermilk OR instead add a tablespoon of vinegar into the milk?

Reply
Nick Makrides August 1, 2022 - 4:25 am

Hmm, you could, but these cupcakes already come out incredibly moist! N x

Reply
Jane September 8, 2022 - 2:53 am

3 stars
I must say this method isn’t my favorite, my cupcakes came out very dry. I do prefer the traditional method of creaming the butter and sugar first. I love many of your other recipes though so I will keep trying 🙂

Reply
Nick Makrides September 9, 2022 - 10:45 am

Hi Jane! Hmm, this recipe is super moist. I’m actually developing an even nicer chocolate recipe. I’m glad you took the time to let me know your thoughts though and that you enjoy my other recipes! N x

Reply
Chloe Jones June 13, 2023 - 6:24 am

5 stars
Just made these – so good! Cake is moist and icing is fluffy, thanks for the recipe Nick!

Reply
Nick Makrides June 24, 2023 - 2:16 am

Thanks so much Chloe! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! N x

Reply
Craig September 28, 2023 - 9:17 am

Your temperature conversion is wrong. 275f is 135C.

Hope this helps any metric cooks.

Reply
Nick Makrides September 28, 2023 - 10:28 am

Fixed!

Reply
Heather B November 18, 2023 - 7:23 pm

5 stars
I made these the other day, and this is now my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe because they turned out PERFECT!!! Thank you!! 😋🥰😍

Reply
Nick Makrides February 15, 2024 - 6:43 am

Yay! So glad to hear you love it Heather! N x

Reply
Maz November 29, 2023 - 10:43 am

5 stars
I have always made your Choc cupcakes (old recipe) and now this is my new go to recipe. They are so moist and fluffy. I did replace the water with coffee and OMG the chocolate taste is bursting

Reply
Nick Makrides February 15, 2024 - 6:41 am

Yay! So glad you loved them Maz! N x

Reply
Alexandra B Lundgren October 11, 2024 - 12:17 am

5 stars
Perfection!!!!!!!!!

Reply
Nick Makrides October 11, 2024 - 9:40 am

Thanks so much Alexandra! Appreciate the feedback! 🙂 N x

Reply
Arianna November 7, 2024 - 9:56 pm

5 stars
I made these cupcakes with the choc cream cheese frosting and my family and friends said they were the best they have ever had. I have made several cake recipes from the scran line and they always turn out perfect. It is very obvious how much effort has been put into the recipe development. Thank you!

Reply
Nick Makrides November 7, 2024 - 10:53 pm

Thanks so much, Ariana. I’m thrilled to hear these cupcakes were such a hit with your family and friends. Your kind words mean a lot to me, and it makes me so happy to know you’ve enjoyed other recipes too. I put a lot into perfecting these, so knowing they’re loved makes it all worth it. Thanks for baking with me! N x.

Reply
Suzanne December 11, 2024 - 4:14 am

5 stars
These are amazing! Tripled the batter for the office. Light and fluffy and super moist as promised!

Reply
Nick Makrides December 30, 2024 - 7:49 am

Thanks so much Suzanne! So happy to hear you loved them! N x

Reply
Grace December 12, 2024 - 8:34 pm

5 stars
Hi Nick, I’ve loved this recipe for a long time and always come back to it. Where can I find the older version of this recipe please? It’s too hard to find buttermilk where I live!

Reply
Nick Makrides December 30, 2024 - 4:37 am

Hi grace! That’s so lovely to hear! You can use regular milk in it’s place. I switched the recipe to buttermilk to help make them more moist! N x

Reply
Diana January 25, 2025 - 9:13 pm

5 stars
Hi Nick, i really like this recipe but the old one was my absolute favourite. Could you please please send me old measurments? I can’t find it anywhere. Thank you.

Reply
Nick Makrides February 7, 2025 - 11:42 pm

Hi Diana, I appreciate you reaching out. I don’t have a copy of the old recipe to share, but I hope you’ll love this updated version just as much. Sorry for the inconvenience! N x.

Reply
4.73 from 44 votes (35 ratings without comment)

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