Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes

Super decadent ultimate chocolate cupcakes. These dark chocolate cakes filled with milk chocolate and topped whipped chocolate ganache.

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You have not officially celebrated Valentine’s Day until you’ve enjoyed a great deal of chocolate! A dozen of these rich chocolate cupcakes will definitely fill the quota.

These are the ultimate chocolate cupcakes: moist dark chocolate cakes with a hidden milk chocolate filling tucked underneath a generous topping of whipped chocolate ganache frosting. It’s the ultimate treat for any chocolate fan.

This recipe makes one dozen (exactly 12 cupcakes)! Easily double or triple the recipe to accommodate your needs.

The rich chocolate notes come from a combination of unsweetened cocoa powder, strong coffee (or espresso) and melted dark chocolate. Be sure to use dark chocolate labeled between 60-80% cocoa.

Chocolate less than 55% cacoa will result in a very sweet cupcake. 60% chocolate is labeled as bittersweet chocolate. Anything over 80% will be quite bitter.

For an added festive touch, garnish the frosted chocolate cupcakes with gum paste red hearts. Alternatively, use colorful sprinkles or jimmies.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The chocolate cupcake batter requires all-purpose flour, baking soda, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla. In additional, you will need:

• Dark Chocolate: For best results, stick to bittersweet or dark chocolate labeled 60-80% cacao. Semi-sweet or milk chocolate will result in a very sweet cake. Use chopped chocolate, chocolate bars, or chocolate chips (morsels).
• Cocoa Powder: Use any kind of unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed). Dutch-processed cocoa powder will have a smoother, less acidic flavor compared to natural cocoa powder.
• Strong Coffee: Use strong brewed coffee or espresso. This adds depth and richness to the cake. You can make a small amount of strong coffee using instant coffee.
• Salt: A small amount of kosher salt rounds out the flavors. It helps to enhance the sweetness and complexities of the chocolate cake.
• Oil: Use any neutral flavored oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil. Oil instead of butter will ensure a very moist, soft cake crumb.
• Vinegar: Distilled white vinegar reacts with the baking soda to leaven the chocolate batter. The small amount of vinegar will not make the cupcakes sour.

Recipe Variations

Easily customize these chocolate cupcakes by switching out the frosting. These following frosting variations pair wonderfully with the rich chocolate cake.

Chocolate Peanut Butter: Frost the chocolate cupcakes with creamy peanut butter buttercream. Drizzle melted chocolate on top, sprinkle chocolate jimmies, or garnish with mini chocolate chips.

Chocolate Strawberry: Pair these chocolate cupcakes with a sweet strawberry buttercream. For a decadent touch, garnish the frosted cupcake with a chocolate dipped strawberry!

American Buttercream: Keep it simple with with frosting made of softened butter, powdered sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder. This classic chocolate cake is frosted with chocolate American buttercream.

Swiss Buttercream: This stable chocolate frosting is made by whipped softened butter into Swiss meringue. It’s less sweet, silkier, and lighter in texture an American buttercream.

Recipe FAQs

How to store cupcakes?

Completely cool cupcakes before arranging them in a single layer in an airtight container. Store unfrosted cupcakes at room temperature for up to two days before frosting.

Store frosted cupcakes at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Keep in the fridge for longer storage, up to one week. Bring to room temperature before eating.

Can I add mix-ins to the cake batter?

Yes! Add 1 cup of the following mix-ins to the cake batter as the final step: chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, caramel chips, or other baking chips of choice.
Or, you can add up to 1 1/2 teaspoons of the following flavor extracts: almond extract, peppermint extract, or orange extract.

Can this recipe be used to make a layer cake?

No, I do not recommend it. This specific chocolate cake recipe isn’t strong enough to be stacked as a layer cake. Instead, try classic chocolate cake, chocolate bourbon caramel layer cakes, or espresso chocolate cake.

Related Chocolate Dessert Recipes

• Chocolate Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Marshmallows
• Olive Oil Brownies
• 4 Ingredient Lava Cake

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Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Filling

By Maryanne Cabrera

These ultimate chocolate cupcakes are super decadent. It's comprised of a dark chocolate cake with milk chocolate filling and whipped chocolate ganache topping. 

Servings: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Inactive Chill Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

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Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:

• ▢ 3.5 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
• ▢ ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ ¾ cup strong coffee, hot
• ▢ ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 large eggs, room temp
• ▢ 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Milk Chocolate Filling:

• ▢ 2.5 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped
• ▢ ¾ cup heavy cream

Whipped Dark Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

• ▢ 5 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
• ▢ ¾ cup heavy cream

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Instructions 

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line cupcake tin with paper liners.
• Combine dark chocolate and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Pour hot coffee over mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for a couple minutes. Remove cover and whisk until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
• Once chocolate mixture has cooled, whisk in oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla. Fold in flour mixture. Divide batter between 12 cupcakes. Remove milk chocolate filling from fridge.
• Add a rounded teaspoon of milk chocolate filling on top of each cupcake. Bake for 17-20 minutes until cake is set. Let cool in pan for 3-5 minutes before unmolding and allowing to cool completely on wire racks.

Milk Chocolate Filling:

• In a microwave safe bowl, combine milk chocolate and cream.  Microwave for 30 seconds on half power.  Stir.  Repeat if chocolate is not melted.  Whisk until smooth.  Chill in the refrigerator while you prepare cupcakes.  Do not leave in fridge for more than 30 minutes.
  

Whipped Dark Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

•  Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.  Heat cream until simmering.  Pour cream into chocolate and cover with plastic wrap.  Let sit for 3-5 minutes.  Remover cover and stir until ganache is homogeneous.  Cover with plastic wrap (let plastic wrap touch chocolate to prevent condensation formation).  Every 30 minutes stir.  Let sit until ganache is pipeable consistency.
• Place ganache in bowl of stand mixer. Using a whisk attachment, whip on medium speed until ganache until airy and fluffy. Transfer to piping bag and decorate cooled cupcakes.

Notes

ADAPTED FROM THE SCIENCE OF GOOD COOKING

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 65mg, Sodium: 311mg, Potassium: 254mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 490IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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