Perfect light & fluffy chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. The rich chocolate taste of these cupcakes pairs so deliciously with the creamy frosting – you’ll be in cupcake heaven.Â
Ok – Bold statement alert! These are the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever made. Maybe the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever eaten. And that says a lot. Super chocolatey and topped with cream cheese buttercream that’s perfectly pipe-able and absolutely delicious. Trust me – you’ll be in cupcake heaven.
I made these cupcakes on Sunday and ate 3 within 24 hours…. So be warned, they’re delicious. If you’re trying to be healthy, I also suggest planning your cupcake give aways. I had no willpower with these.
Now these chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are everything that a cupcake should be.
- Pretty to look at
- A moist cupcake texture
- The softest crumb
- And light & fluffy.
They have a rich chocolate flavor, but they don’t taste the least bit bitter. Then frosted with delicious cream cheese buttercream – you’ll be wondering why you didn’t always put cream cheese frosting on your chocolate cupcakes.
I realize 100% that cream cheese frosting on chocolate cupcakes might seem a little unorthodox, but I had a hankering for cream cheese frosting and cupcakes. So I did it. And it’s incredible.
Just think…. Cream cheese and chocolate go amazing together in cheesecake brownies. And cream cheese frosting goes perfectly on red velvet cupcakes. And really, you can’t go wrong with cream cheese frosting ever. So naturally, a chocolate cupcake piled high with a cream cheese buttercream frosting is going to be perfect.
How to Make the Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Now, for the secrets to getting your cupcakes that perfect texture. Well there’s a few.
- We use a combination of butter & oil. Oil creates a super soft crumb and stops your cupcakes from drying out. But we use butter too so the cupcakes don’t get too oily. I’d NEVER oil use in vanilla cupcakes, but because these cupcakes are chocolate you can’t taste the oil.
- Then buttermilk and sour cream make them ultra moist. No dry cupcake crumbs here.
- Then for that deep chocolate taste? Cocoa, semi-sweet chocolate & coffee. Yup – we’re adding cocoa & melted chocolate for the true chocolate aficionado in all of us, then the coffee brings out the chocolate even more. You definitely don’t taste any bitterness from the coffee – so there’s no need to worry if you’re serving these to non-coffee lovers.
And for the icing on the cupcakes – CREAM CHEESE FROSTING!!!!!! If you only want to make cupcakes for the frosting, I support you 100%. The frosting is nice and thick. It can  be piped onto your cupcakes easily because the recipe calls for a higher ratio of butter to cream cheese.
For the creamiest, thickest frosting I’d also definitely recommend using whipping cream as opposed to milk. But if you plan to spread the icing on instead of pipe it then milk will do just fine.
I then topped my cupcakes with some chocolate shavings – but you could definitely leave them plain or even add a few chocolate chips for decorations.
After eating these chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, you’ll be in love. Chocolate + cream cheese frosting = perfection!
Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- â…” cups natural cocoa , sifted
- 1 cup all purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup oil
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate , melted and cooled to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 large eggs*
- ¼ cup sour cream*
- â…” cups buttermilk**
- ¼ cup warm brewed coffee
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 oz brick-style cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ to 4 12 cups powdered sugar , sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line 2 muffin pans with muffin papers.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl beat together the butter, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar and melted chocolate on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then turn down the mixer to low speed and mix in the sour cream.
- Slowly beat in the flour mixture followed by the buttermilk with the mixer on low speed.
- Then turn off the mixer stir in the warm coffee with a large rubber spatula while scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Pour about ¼ cup of batter into each cavity of the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 16-18 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow cupcakes to cool in their pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, you can start making the icing. Beat together the cream cheese and butter until evenly combined.
- Add in the salt & vanilla, and mix in the icing sugar about 1 cup at a time. Then turn the mixer to high speed and beat in the whipping cream 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Frosting the cupcakes by spooning the batter into a piping bag and piping a swirl (I used a star tip for this) or a knife.
Notes
**If you don't have buttermilk you can make your own by adding two teaspoons of vinegar to a liquid measuring cup then fill with milk to the â…” cup line. Allow the milk to sour for 5 minutes before using.
Nutrition
Love cupcakes? Here’s some of my other favorites!
- Ultimate Double Chocolate Cupcakes
- Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Jody
Hi ?, what a great blog, with lots of yummy recipes! I’m just wondering how long these cupcakes would keep? I often get asked to make cupcakes for family and friends parties and would need them to stay fresh for about 3 or 4 days. Thank you
Fiona
Thanks Jody! As far as making the cupcakes 3-4 days in advanced, I’d probably recommend baking the cupcakes and freezing them (unfrosted). Then dethawing them in the refrigerator the night before and frosting them on the day of your party. I hope you like the recipe!
Jenny
Planning on making these today for my son’s 5th birthday party tomorrow. One question: you have asterisk by eggs, buttermilk and sour cream. Why?? I can’t find any note within the recipe for why you called these items out.
Fiona
Yikes – thanks for the catch! I must have accidentally deleted them, but I’ve added them back in the recipe notes now. First, you want to make sure that the eggs, buttermilk and sour cream are room temperature before baking. Then I’ve added a substitution note for if you don’t have buttermilk. I hope you like the cupcakes and a very Happy Birthday to your son!
Nathalie
I just made these cupcakes (with a different frosting) last night and they were the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever baked–and I have tried quite a few chocolate cupcake recipes I’ve seen online.
So. Very. Soft. And moist. And real chocolatey! Even if I used Dutch-processed cocoa instead, and substituted Greek yogurt for sour cream, and Yakult (probiotic drink) for buttermilk. 😉
mikayla morris
i baked them for school and my goodness the cake tastes like chocolate chip cookies, I love them!
Fiona
I’m so glad you loved the cookies – thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Jessica
I had a question. It says that you add 1/4 cup of brewed coffee, will it have an after taste or taste like coffee?
Fiona
You won’t be able to taste the coffee – it just helps to bring out the chocolate flavor of the cupcakes. If you’re looking for chocolate cupcakes without coffee though – you could try this recipe instead: http://www.justsotasty.com/ultimate-double-chocolate-cupcakes/
Kelsey
Great blog!! Just had a question: do you brew the coffee in water or milk because I’ve seen it done both ways?
Fiona
I used brewed coffee made with water 🙂
maryani
Hi,
Don’t you think the cream cheese frosting way too sweet for 3.5 to 4.5 cups icing sugar?
Is there any substitutes for that?
Thanks,
Fiona
If you prefer a less sweet cream cheese frosting, I’d use 1/2 cup butter, 8 oz cream cheese and 1.5 to 2.5 cups powdered sugar instead (plus 1 teaspoon vanilla and no cream or milk). The frosting will be thinner, so you likely won’t be able to frost it using a piping bag. But it’ll be less sweet and have a more tangy cream cheese flavor. 🙂
Melissa
Great recipe! I want to make the double chocolate cupcakes recipe with the cream cheese frosting on top bc I want to omit the coffee with I do want a cream cheese frosting. How can I double this recipe to make about 36 cupcakes?
Fiona
Hi Melissa,
You can actually substitute the coffee with boiling water in this recipe. Then if you’d like to make 36 cupcakes instead of 18 (like this recipe makes), you can simply double everything!
Fiona
Elizabeth
Hi! I want to try and make these cupcakes but had a few questions. I wasn’t able to find buttermilk, will any milk work with the vinegar to make my own buttermilk? (Such as whole milk, 2%, etc.) Also for the cocoa, does it matter if I use sweetened or u unsweetened?
Fiona
You could use any milk to mix with vinegar to make your own buttermilk – I typically use 1% or 2% since that’s what I usually have on hand. As for the cocoa powder, you’ll want to use unsweetened. 🙂
Ashley
I’m reading through the directions, and I’m not seeing when to add the semi sweet room temp chocolate.. Am I missing something??
Fiona
Thanks for the catch! Not sure how that got deleted. You’ll want to mix in the melted chocolate with the butter, oil and sugars 🙂