Easy Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes
Moist, rich chocolate fudge cupcakes topped with a luscious chocolate fudge frosting. Easy to make and absolutely irresistible!
Servings 17
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (50g)
- ½ cup boiling water (125ml)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (185g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- ½ cup buttermilk at room temperature (125ml) (or mix ½ tablespoon vinegar with ½ cup milk & let sit for 5–8 minutes)
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup light vegetable oil (80ml)
For the chocolate fudge frosting (makes about 2 cups)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (60g)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (60g)
- 7 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (200g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes (113g)
- a pinch of salt
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream (210ml)
Instructions
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners, and a second pan with 4-5 liners (this recipe makes 16-17 cupcakes). Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the hot water and cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside.½ cup boiling water (125ml), ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (50g)
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.1½ cups all-purpose flour (185g), ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 cup sugar (200g)
- In a different bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, and eggs until combined.½ cup buttermilk at room temperature (125ml), ⅓ cup light vegetable oil (80ml), 2 eggs, at room temperature
- Add the cocoa mixture to the oil mixture and whisk until it's just combined.
- Add the flour mixture and whisk until just combined with no streaks of flour remaining. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the cupcake liners about ⅔ of the way full (I like using a pitcher to fill the liners).
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Make the chocolate fudge frosting
- Chop the dark chocolate. Set aside.7 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (200g)
- Sift the powdered sugar and the cocoa powder into a saucepan.½ cup powdered sugar (60g), ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (60g)
- Add all the remaining ingredients and stir or whisk continuously over low to low-medium heat until everything melts.½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes (113g), ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream (210ml), a pinch of salt
- Pour into a clean bowl and stir with a rubber spatula. Then place the bowl in the refrigerator, uncovered.
- Stir every 5-10 minutes until it thickens and becomes spreadable, about 50 minutes to an hour. If you make half the amount of frosting, it will thicken in about 30 minutes.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Storage & Freezing
- Refrigerate frosted cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Bring to room temp before serving.
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months. Wrap individually and store in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw and frost when ready.
- For best results, weigh the ingredients using a digital scale.
- Use high-quality cocoa for the best flavor (I prefer Dutch process).
- Don’t overmix the batter—mix just until combined for fluffy cupcakes.
- Oil + buttermilk = ultra moist and tender texture.
- Thin batter is normal—use a pitcher for easy pouring.
- Fill liners ⅔ full to avoid overflow.
- Cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Chill frosting until spreadable for best results.
