Learn how to make chocolate cupcakes for two. This easy recipe makes just two perfect chocolate cupcakes that are moist and fudgy with a delicious chocolate flavor and creamy chocolate frosting. Perfect for Valentine’s Day – or whenever you want to treat someone special!
If you’re looking for a delicious chocolate dessert for you and someone special then this recipe for two perfect chocolate cupcakes is just the thing. The recipe is so simple, there’s zero leftovers and you end up with two decadent chocolate cupcakes. The cupcakes turn out incredibly fudgy and moist with a delicious chocolate flavor that’s not too sweet. They’re topped with creamy chocolate frosting. I always think making a something homemade seems extra special, and this recipe is the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day or whenever you want to treat someone.
I think these chocolate cupcakes for two are just as delicious as my ultimate chocolate cupcake recipe. That recipe took me years of testing, retesting and taste testing to get the fudgy, moist, not too sweet, but perfectly chocolate-y cupcakes. This recipe for just two chocolate cupcakes are equally delicious – but end up with no leftovers.
How to Make Two Chocolate Cupcakes
This recipe is really straight forward and made in one bowl. You can make the whole thing with a fork or wire whisk.
- Start by preheating the oven to 350F (180C) and place 2 muffin papers in the middle of a muffin pan. Be sure to place them in the middle of the muffin pan, as this will provide the most even baking. Note that you must use muffin papers for this recipe, if you just pour the batter into a greased muffin pan, the cupcake will stick to the pan.
- Then in a small bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: 3 tablespoons flour, 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and a tiny pinch of salt. If your cocoa powder is lumpy, I recommend sifting it into the bowl first.
- Make a well with the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients into the well. You’ll add in 1 ½ tablespoons oil (vegetable or canola works), 2 tablespoons of milk (1% or 2% work perfectly), 1 tablespoon of sour cream and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract. You’ll notice that there’s no egg in this recipe – that’s because we’re just making 2 cupcakes and adding a whole egg would be too eggy. The 1 tablespoon of sour cream provides the tenderness that an egg normally would in a cupcake recipe.
- Then whisk everything together until smooth. I typically do a few stirs of the wet ingredients in the middle before whisking the dry into the wet.
- Evenly divide the cupcake batter between the two cupcake liners, filling each about â…” to ¾ full. Be sure to not fill the cupcake liners to the top – otherwise the cupcakes will overflow and sink.
- Place the pan in the middle of the oven and bake for about 17-20 minutes, or until the tops look set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist cake crumbs but not gooey cake batter.
The cupcakes will need to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to continue cooling.
I topped my cupcakes with creamy chocolate frosting. I’ve included my favorite chocolate frosting recipe, scaled down for enough frosting for two cupcakes piled high with frosting. These are also delicious to be served plain with a scoop of ice cream and berries or frosted with a dollop of Nutella.
And if you’re looking for more delicious desserts without leftovers, then be sure to try:
Chocolate Cupcakes for Two
Equipment
- 12-cavity muffin pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (23 grams)
- 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder (8 grams) sifted
- 2 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar (30 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1 ½ tabelspoons vegetable oil (22 ml) or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons milk (30 ml) 1% or 2% work well
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (38 grams) softened slightly, not starting to melt
- ½ - ¾ cup powdered sugar (55-82 grams) sifted
- 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder (8 grams) sifted
- pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon milk (15 ml) or cream, if needed
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Place two muffin papers in the middle of a muffin pan.
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt. If the cocoa is lumpy, be sure to sift it first.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients then pour the oil, milk, sour cream and vanilla into the middle of the well.
- Whisk together until smooth. I typically whisk the the dry ingredients together first, then whisk everything together.
- Spoon the batter evenly between the two muffin papers, filling each about â…” full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 17-20 minutes or until the tops look set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few cake crumbs (but no cake batter).
- Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Chocolate Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add in ½ cup powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt. If the powdered sugar and cocoa are lumpy - sift them into the bowl. Start with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increase until combined.
- Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar a little at a time. If needed, beat in the milk/cream.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes using a flat edge knife, or by transferring the frosting to a piping bag and frosting (I used a 1M tip).
Notes
- Sour Cream: Sour cream can be replaced by full fat Greek yogurt.Â
- Storage: Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only based on 1 cupcake with frosting, assuming that the recipe yields 2 uniform cupcakes and all frosting is used.Â
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