The best small batch chocolate cupcakes recipe ever! So fluffy, moist and decadent chocolate cupcakes piled high with rich chocolate frosting.
Try my easy Chocolate Bundt Cake next!
Chocolate on top of chocolate!. Topped with some chocolate chips and more chocolate sprinkles. There is so much chocolate in this little wrapper!
ALERT-This small batch cupcake recipe with rich swirls of piped chocolate ganache is for extreme chocolate lovers only! 😉
Do you hide a bottomless love for chocolate desserts in your heart? Then these homemade chocolate cupcakes are for you!
So these simply are chocolate cupcakes swirled with pipeable chocolate ganache, right?
Wrong!!!
This small batch cupcake recipe also comes with a chocolatey surprise. We are filling their centers with more chocolate ganache!
Told ya. These beauties are ridiculously rich and over-flowing with chocolate!
Small batch chocolate cupcakes-Texture
- Seriously light and fluffy ⇑⇑⇑
- Soft with a moist crumb
- Oh-so-decadent
- So chocolatey but not dense
- Topped with rich chocolate frosting (just the right amount of sweet)
I also want to share some tips to make super moist and perfect chocolate cupcakes every time!
What makes a cupcake moist
- Adding OIL as fat as opposed to butter
- Avoiding over-mixing the batter. Always fold the batter using a spatula, after adding your dry ingredients
- DO NOT over-bake your cupcakes. I repeat, don’t over bake your cupcakes. It is the number one reason for dry and dehydrated cupcakes. Eww! Bake just till your cupcakes are springy to touch. To ensure, toothpick test always works.
- Always STORE your cupcakes in air tight containers to retain their moisture.
Have you checked my tips to bake best Cupcakes yet?
How to make the perfect cupcakes
One small mistake can turn your cupcakes into a flop show! But trust me once you know the drill, you will always have winners coming out of your oven. And it so easy to follow, promise!
To make sure each batch of your cupcakes shine-
- USE ROOM TEMPERATURE INGREDIENTS
- Once again, DO NOT OVER Mix that batter. Mix just until flour disappears into the batter.
- Keep your OVEN DOOR CLOSED throughout baking. Do not let that hot air escape out!
- Always cool your cupcakes on a wire rack. Letting the cupcakes cool down in the pan allows them to continue baking. And this can dry the cupcakes out.
- Keep a close eye on them, a min or two before the recipe states. Every oven is different. Over baking is sure to produce a parched cupcake! You don’t want that to happen.
Here are my best cupcakes baking tips that you’ll find helpful instantly!
How to tell if cupcakes are done
To test for doneness perform a finger test. Gently touch the center of a cupcake with your finger. If it is springy to touch and bounces back, they are done.
If their centers are still wet or jiggly, they need more time in oven.
Okay, enough of lessons! And we’ve talked a lot about chocolate cupcakes.
how to make chocolate frosting
If you are thinking that’s a ridiculous amount of frosting, I get you. You can easily reduce the recipe into half.
But you know what!
To get the frosting piled super high, I kept a giant strawberry in the center. 😉 Also, Strawberry+Chocolate= The most amazing flavor! Win win!!!
This is a very easy chocolate frosting recipe. Probably the easiest you will ever try. And the best thing is, using both milk chocolate and dark chocolate yields to perfect balance of flavor to sweetness.
And did I tell ya, since it’s a small batch recipe, it takes no time to come together. So you can have your homemade cupcake fix as soon as that craving arises. Follow me on Instagram and tag your chocolate cupcakes here⇒ @greedyeatsblog
Coz, seeing your creations makes my day!
Cupcakes recipe adapted from the best chocolate cupcakes in the world
Piped Ganache frosting from Savorysweetlife
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp (47 gms) All purpose flour
- 2.5 Tbsp (16 gms) Cocoa powder (Natural, unsweetened)
- 1/4 tsp (heaping) Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp (heaping) Baking soda
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/4 Cup (60 ml) Milk
- 1/4 Cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Oil of choice (I use avocado oil)
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp +1 tsp (35 ml) Hot water
- 1 tsp Instant Coffee
For chocolate ganache frosting
- 12 oz (340 gms, 1 cup) Good quality chocolate (I used half milk and half dark chocolate)
- 1 Cup (240 ml) Heavy cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 320 deg F and line a baking pan with 4 liners. Set aside.2. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In a separate mixing bowl, add oil, sugar, milk, vinegar, coffee and vanilla. Mix well with a whisk to combine.3. Alternate flour and hot water in the cocoa mixture and mix just till all dry ingredients disappear into wet.4. Divide the batter in prepared liners and bake for 23-24 minutes. My cupcakes are always done in 24 minutes.5. Take them out of oven, cool for 2-3 minutes in pan. And allow to cool down further on a wire rack.For Chocolate Ganache Frosting:1. Heat your heavy cream on stove top/microwave till very hot. But don't let it come to a boil. Meanwhile, chop your chocolate into small chunks.2. Remove cream from heat and add chocolate chunks in the cream immediately. Stir until completely mixed and glossy. Now add vanilla (if adding).
3. Give it another stir, cover with a cling wrap/foil and allow to rest till set (at room temperature). The ganache frosting thickens as it sets.4. When you spoon the ganache and it holds its structure, it is ready to be piped.To fill the cupcakes:1. Using knife, cut a hole in cooled cupcakes (about 1" in diameter and 1" deep into the center of each cupcake. Then gently lift out the center.2. This piece you removed will be some what like the shape of a cone. Slice off the pointy end of this cone so that it covers back the center of your cupcakes, without any frosting oozing out.3. Repeat with all the cupcakes and set these round pieces aside.
4. Fill each carved hole with frosting (about 1 Tbsp) and place those round pieces back in the center of cupcakes.
Then pipe the frosting on cupcakes as desired.
Notes
- Don't be tempted to open your oven at all here before these bake. Or the cupcakes may sink in the middle.
- You may keep unfrosted cupcakes stored in an air tight container at room temperature. Or you may keep the frosted ones in fridge for upto 5 days.
- Unfrosted cupcakes also freeze well for upto 3 months.
- Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before frosting.
Nutrition
Extreme chocolate lovers? I ain’t scared! (laughs). I love your step-by-step directions and tips. I would hate to waste these, simply because I didn’t do your tips. These look amazing!
Perfect for my little family ! Sharing 🙂
These are my kind of cupcakes. I love the frosting. It is the best part and I always wish my cupcakes had some of that goodness in the center every time.
I’m a mouthful of pure delight! Yet I see that of recipes for cupcakes for all tastes you make many and all super wow!
Mm yes please, I am now craving chocolate cake!! Thanks for that hehe!
I love this kind of sweets, but I’ve never had a chance to prepare cupcakes on my own. I’ll try to make them for my friends this weekend! 🙂
Wow, those look amazing. And all that icing is total LOVE. Now, I would add chocolate chips to the batter for extra chocolateness.
Your photography is so pretty! I love that orange background with the peek of purple popping through! Great idea for the added chocolate chips on top! This recipe looks so moist!!
Wow…these look so amazing that I want to make them now. Yummy chocolate….
Oh my goodness those look amazing and delicious, I bet the coffee gives it that something special. I’ll definitely have to try making these for my hubby.
Seems delicious. The cupcakes are well-done esp. the presentation. One last thing to do is taste.
how cute is that! I love chocolate cupcakes, can’t get enough (even though I really should stop eating them, I really need to). Looks delicious, definitely will try cooking it your way
Yummy. Perfect for the Sunday evening!
Ooh…looks like you’ve created the world’s perfect chocolate cupcake. The photos speak for themselves! 🙂
These cupcakes look amazing! The frosting is perfect!
OMG, this is chocolate heaven. Looking at those pictures makes me want to try your recipe like away. It is like chocolate inside chocolate on top of chocolate! love it!
As my partner and I are both chocolate lovers, this recipe simply looks divine! Thanks also for the tips relating to how to ensure your cupcakes come out and stay moist. That is really important for a great tasting cupcake as too dry is not good.
Oh my gosh how delicious do these cupcakes look? My son is a chocolate fanatic and would absolutely love these. Will for sure be trying these out.
Um yes, I’d like chocolate on my chocolate chocolate cupcake, please! Such great tips here, I’m always looking at how to improve my baking! Thanks for sharing!
Who doesn’t love cupcakes.Great post.goint to try it
We love cupcakes at home and much more if they have chocolate included
My daughter keeps asking if we can make chocolate cupcakes. These look delicious. We will try this.
This post is so awesome! Wow! The pictures had me drooling 🙂 Can’t wait to try out the recipe. Thanks a lot.
Mmmm these look delicious! I could really do with one now!
The recipe sounds really great and truly it is worth a try. And I will give it a try.
Oh my goodness! These chocolate cupcakes look divine! I want a dozen of these please! Haha
I love cupcakes that are moist and gooey, and yours is exactly that! I am drooling just by looking at the photos, haha!
Wow, I gave this full star. It looks so yummy and delicious even the preparatory steps are very easy to made.
These cupcakes look and sound good. Thanks for sharing, a chocolate lovers paradise.
These look so mouthwatering delicious! Chocolate cupcakes or basically chocolate anything, is my favorite!! So hungry now.
These looks amazing and I really like cupcakes. Thanks for sharing this post.
Yum! They look like gorgeous. My chocolate loving teen is going to love these. Thanks for sharing.
Just made these for a birthday and everyone loved them! Can’t wait to make them for the next birthday
Oh so chocolately!! Yes, wow and yum!! I love your tips like keeping the oven door shut and using the baking rack. Can’t wait to try out this recipe, thanks!!
What a perfect little recipe. I just want to dive into the frosting.
Wow! Each picture was more and more mouthwatering! This just bumped to the top of my ‘Must Try’ list!
These chocolate cupcakes look so soft, moist and decadent. I can’t wait to make these one weekend when I’m looking for a little something extra.
I love how much frosting is on these cupcakes! It’s my favourite bit! So chocolately! Me and the kids made them and they lasted less than a minute!
Ah, those swirls are absolutely amazing. They make the cupcakes so festive. And the whole process of making them must be so fun, too. Great tips on checking if the cupcakes are done – super helpful.
Thanks for all the great baking tips to make these. I am glad this is a small batch because I will eat them all!
This is such a great recipe for when you’re craving something sweet but don’t want to get stuck with a whole batch to tempt you throughout the week. The frosting is so decadent…chocolate lover’s delight!
I love that this batch only makes 4 cupcakes!!! It’s PERFECT! I get so overwhelmed making cupcakes because there are always so many leftover!
Well, I’m raising my hand for the extreme chocolate lover. Normally I don’t like chocolate cupcakes, I find that they have a tendency to be a little on the dry side. Not so these cupcakes. OMG — they were so moist and the frosting on top – certainly satisfied my chocolate craving. Thank you..
I absolutely love that this recipe only makes 4 cupcakes! Sometimes the fella and I are really craving cupcakes but I don’t want to make a whole batch and have them hanging around the house. This is brilliant!