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These Easy Chocolate Cupcakes are moist, fluffy and the perfect simple dessert for celebrations or just for fun!
I love this bare bones cupcake recipe because it requires things most people already have on hands, and it’s so straightforward that anyone can make them! If you love these cupcakes you should also try this Pumpkin Roll , this Mug Cake, or these Red Velvet Cupcakes!
Don’t chocolate cupcakes just SCREAM celebration? They bring me back to birthdays growing up because they’re just such a classic kid treat. We love to make these for birthdays, end-of-school-year parties, summer barbecues, and pretty much any other excuse we can think of to bake cupcakes.
A surprising staple ingredient that I use in these chocolate cupcakes is vinegar. Yes, vinegar! You might not expect vinegar in baked goods, but the acid actually activates baking soda to help it lift the baked goods as they bake. It makes for extra soft and puffy cupcakes, and it’s my secret to success with baking the best cupcakes ever. I promise you won’t be able to taste it, and you’ll never go back to another chocolate cupcake recipe again.
Table of Contents:
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe:
- They’re no more difficult to make than cupcakes from a box
- You probably already have all the ingredients on hand
- Basic and delicious
- Everyone loves them!
Ingredients:
Flour: Flour is the base for cupcakes and keeps everything together while helping them to rise.
Sugar: Sugar brings the sweetness to chocolate cupcakes!
Baking soda: Baking soda lets the cupcakes rise and get nice and puffy.
Salt: Salt balances all the other sweet ingredients.
Cocoa: Cocoa powder is what makes these guys into chocolate cupcakes. Use your favorite kind!
Light oil: You can use vegetable, canola, or avocado oil to get a really moist, tender cupcake texture.
Water: Use water to thin the batter and make it the right consistency before baking.
White vinegar: That’s right, vinegar in cupcakes! It reacts with the baking soda to allow the cupcakes to lift and get nice and inflated.
See recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
Tips for the Best Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes
- Fill liners halfway: Don’t overfill the cupcake liners, or else they might overflow as they bake and turn into one jumbo topped cupcake!
- Vinegar creates the best texture: I know vinegar seems strange but don’t skip it! It helps the cupcakes to rise to perfection and you won’t be able to taste it.
- Cool before frosting: Be sure the cupcakes are totally cool before adding frosting. It will melt off if the cupcakes are still warm.
My Favorite Frostings for Chocolate Cupcakes
My favorite frosting is this Extra Fluffy White Cloud Frosting for chocolate cupcakes. It’s easy to make, or you can use your favorite store-bought frosting!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in one layer. Do not place them on top of one another or else they’ll squish the ones beneath. You can keep them refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 4 months.
I swear by using vinegar in the batter to get the lightest, fluffiest cupcakes! Also, don’t over mix the batter, which can over-activate the gluten in the flour. This will cause tougher cupcakes.
Be sure to store your cupcakes in an airtight container that is closed tightly. This will keep the moisture in.
Fill the cupcake liners halfway, (about 1/4 cup).
No! The cupcake liners act as a nonstick agent. They hold the cupcakes without sticking to them, so spraying them is not necessary.
More Cupcake Recipes to Consider:
Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcakes
Frosting Recipes
Peanut Butter Frosting
Dessert Recipes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Cupcakes
Birthday Cupcakes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Easy Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cocoa
- 1 cup light oil, like vegetable, canola, or avocado
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mix, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Stir to combine well.
- Add the oil, and stir until the oil is combined and the mixture is crumbly.
- Add the water and vinegar and beat well until a smooth batter forms, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Line 30 muffins cups with paper liners.
- Fill the liner half full with cupcake batter.
- If you don’t have 30 muffin cups, you can do 24 muffin cups and about 18 mini muffin-sized cupcakes.
- Bake for 18 to 24 minutes, or until the muffins spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool before frosting.
- We love this recipe with our favorite Extra Fluffy White Cloud Frosting.
Love them. Thank you!!
No egg?