Description
These Easy Chocolate Cupcakes are moist, rich, and simple to make. With a blend of cocoa powder and warm coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor, these cupcakes come together quickly using basic pantry ingredients. Perfect for any occasion, they offer a tender crumb and a deep chocolate taste without requiring complicated steps or fancy equipment.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup warm coffee (or substitute with room temperature buttermilk)
- 1 Tbsp white distilled vinegar
- 1/3 cup light olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Quick prep: Preheat the oven to 350˚F and place the oven rack in the center. Line a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners to get ready for baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure to break up any lumps in the cocoa powder to achieve a smooth mixture.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the warm coffee, white distilled vinegar, light olive oil, room temperature egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Combine batter: Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and gently whisk just until all ingredients are incorporated and there are no visible dry streaks. The batter should be slightly loose and somewhat lumpy—avoid overmixing.
- Fill and bake: Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes, checking around 20 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean when done. Avoid overbaking to keep the cupcakes moist.
- Cool: Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before frosting or serving.
Notes
- Warm coffee enhances the chocolate flavor but can be substituted with buttermilk for a different taste and texture.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to avoid dense cupcakes.
- Watch the baking time closely as overbaking leads to dry cupcakes.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- Can be made dairy-free by using vegetable oil and coffee without cream.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chocolate cupcakes, easy cupcake recipe, moist chocolate cupcakes, homemade cupcakes, simple dessert
