Chocolate Cupcakes

This chocolate cupcakes recipe is easy to make and absolutely delicious. And it's just as good made with gluten-free flour as it is with regular all-purpose flour.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Cooling Time 30

Total Time 1 5

Servings cupcakes

Calories 176kcal

Author Wanda Simone

Equipment

3 12-hole muffin tins
36 cupcake liners
small saucepan or microwave-proof glass bowl
egg separator (optional)
Small bowl
2 Mixing bowls
mixing spoon
electric mixer with a whisk attachment, or a hand-held whisk
wire rack

Ingredients

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter or 1¼ sticks
2½ cups all purpose flour or measure-for-measure gluten-free flour
2½ cups sugar
1¼ cups plus 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2½ teaspoons baking soda
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1¼ teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
1¼ cups warm water
1¼ cups buttermilk
1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
home-made or store-bought frosting

Instructions

Heat oven to 350℉.
Line 3 12-hole muffin tins with cupcake liners.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat on the stove, or in a small glass bowl in the microwave. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt with a mixing spoon.
1¼ cups plus 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, 2½ cups all purpose flour or measure-for-measure gluten-free flour, 2½ cups sugar, 2½ teaspoons baking soda, 1¼ teaspoons baking powder, 1¼ teaspoons salt
Separate one of the eggs, keeping the egg yolk for this recipe.
3 large eggs
In another large bowl, whisk 2 eggs and the egg yolk together until fluffy.
Mix warm water, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla with the eggs.
1¼ cups warm water, 1¼ cups buttermilk, 1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and whisk until they are combined and the batter is smooth.
Fill each of the cupcake liners about half full with batter.
Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Set the cupcake tins on the wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes.
Then remove the cupcakes from the tins and leave them on the rack until they are completely cool.
Add the frosting of your choice.
home-made or store-bought frosting

Notes

If you are using all-purpose flour (ie. not the gluten-free kind), be careful not to mix the batter too much or the gluten will harden causing your cupcakes to be tough and chewy.
Using a egg separator is the easiest way to separate the yolk from the egg white. But you can do the same thing by passing the yolk back and forth between the two halves of the egg shell until all of the egg white has dripped off. In either case, doing this over a separate bowl is a good idea in case the yolk breaks (or you accidentally drop it in the bowl).
Make sure that the cupcakes cool completely before adding frosting, otherwise the icing will melt.
Cupcakes can be stored without frosting in an air tight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
Chocolate Layer Cake: This recipe also makes a delicious chocolate layer cake, following the same directions except for the type of pan and cooking time:
- Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans with cooking oil or shortening (or line the bottom with parchment paper).
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 45 minutes.
For homemade icing, try our chocolate frosting or cream cheese icing recipes.

Nutrition