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Chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting and a glass of milk.
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Small-Batch Chocolate Cupcakes

These chocolate cupcakes are moist, fudgy and topped with chocolate frosting. This small-batch recipe yields just 6-7 cupcakes, so it's perfect when you don't have too many mouths to feed.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Chocolate Cupcakes, Small Batch Cupcakes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Servings 6 cupcakes
Calories 473kcal
Author Fiona Dowling

Equipment

  • muffin tin
  • muffin papers

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil or canola
  • ½ cup white sugar I use caster sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk* see recipe notes for substitute

Chocolate Frosting*

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 ½ - 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk or whipping cream
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees and line a muffin tin with muffin papers. You'll end up with 6 or 7 cupcakes in total. I always use the middle 6 muffin cavities because I find the cupcakes cook more evenly.
  • In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  • In a separate medium bowl whisk together the oil, sugar, vanilla extract and egg. Then whisk in the buttermilk.
  • Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no lumps remain.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each about ½ - ⅔ full. You should end up with 6 or 7 cupcakes total. Be sure not to fill the cupcake liners to the top.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Frosting*

  • In a medium bowl, beat the butter until soft.
  • Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. If it's lumpy, be sure to sift it first.
  • Add in the cocoa powder (again, sifting if lumpy), vanilla extract and salt and beat until combined.
  • Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time, alternating with a tablespoon of milk/cream until the desired sweetness and thickness is reached.
  • Frost the cooled cupcakes with a knife, or transfer the frosting to a piping bag and frost. I used a piping bag and a Wilton 1M piping tip.

Notes

  1. If you're in a pinch, buttermilk can be substituted with ⅓ cup milk (I prefer 1% or 2% over skim) and 1 teaspoon distilled vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice. Mix the vinegar and milk together and let sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
  2. If you only want a thin layer of frosting, instead of piping a thick amount on top of each cupcake, feel free to half the frosting recipe. You'll need:
    • ¼ cup unsalted butter
    • ¾ cup to 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
    • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • pinch of salt
    • ½ to 1 tablespoon milk or cream
  3. Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge.
  4. Nutrition information is an estimate only and based on 1 cupcake with frosting, assuming the recipe yields 6 equal-sized cupcakes and the frosting is divided evenly between the cupcakes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 271mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 544IU | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg