These chocolate cupcakes are easy to make and taste delicious. They get their extra chocolate-y flavour from both cocoa powder and grated milk chocolate. Perfect topped with smooth chocolate buttercream.
As promised, here’s the recipe for my yummy chocolate cupcakes, all ready for the creation of my build-your-own cupcakes index which I’ve been busy working on and will be sharing with you soon. The idea is to have all of my cupcakes and buttercream recipes in one place so you can mix and match (with maybe a hidden centre in the middle too 🙂 ). The index is also going to have a round up of all of my fancier cupcake creations, such as raspberry trifle, white russian or millionaires’ shortbread as well.
These chocolate cupcakes are based on the same recipe as my chocolate birthday cake, which gets its extra chocolate-iness from using a combination of both cocoa powder and grated chocolate. I’ve used milk chocolate in the recipe (as I prefer it slightly sweeter) but I’ve been assured by readers that have tried the recipe that it works just as well with dark chocolate too.
These cupcakes are topped with my chocolate buttercream. For a change I used dark chocolate (OK, I went to the cupboard and discovered someone had eaten all my milk chocolate – I’m blaming the dog). The dark chocolate worked really well, I’d definitely recommend it if you prefer a slightly richer flavour.
Free From/Suitable For…
- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Nut-Free
- Soy-Free
The ingredients for this recipe are easily available free from all these allergens. However, please ensure you double-check allergen information for all ingredients.
Easy Chocolate Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
- 150 g self-raising flour
- 30 g cocoa powder
- 175 g caster sugar
- 175 g soft margarine - or softened butter
- 3 large eggs
- ⅛ tsp vanilla extract
- 75 g milk chocolate - choose something from the baking aisle in the supermarket as it will cope well with the heat in the oven without going grainy
- ½ tbsp milk
Extras
- 12 cupcake cases
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pre-heat your oven to 160ºC/140ºC fan.
- Put your cupcake cases into a muffin tin.
- Grate the milk chocolate (75g).
- Put all of the ingredients into a large bowl (150g self-raising flour, 30g cocoa powder, 175g caster sugar, 3 large eggs, 175g soft margarine, ⅛ tsp vanilla extract, ½ tbsp milk and the grated chocolate) mix on a low speed until fully combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 cupcake cases (I use a cupcake scoop to help split it evenly).
- Put the tin into the oven and cook the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes. After 20 minutes put a skewer in the middle and check if it comes out clean. If it does they're done, if not pop them back in for a couple more minutes and check again.
- Once cooked, remove the cupcakes from the oven and leave them to cool in the tins for a few minutes.
- Remove the cupcakes from their tin and pop them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
NOTES
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
Aliza day says
Great quick and easy recipe for 12 yummy cakes made these for my daughters school meeting
Julie says
Been bored off work sick the last 6 weeks, so been baking loads from your page. These cupcakes have been a real hit with everyone, also your lemon cupcakes and coffee and walnut cake and chocolate cheesecake. Wow all delicious. Thanks for sharing your easy but great recipes
Charlotte Oates says
Sounds like you’ve been busy! I’m so glad you enjoyed all the bakes 🙂
I hope you’re feeling better soon x
Ebonie says
I absolutely love this recipe, so easy to make and OMG so yummy. I’m enjoying one now as I type this
Helen Walker says
Hi Charlotte. I love your website. However when l bake the chocolate cupcakes the cases seem to be peeling. Can you suggest why? Thank you
Charlotte Oates says
I tend to find that happens with some kinds of cupcakes cases (especially the patterned ones). Are you using different ones from normal? I usually use Dr Oetker white muffin cases and I’ve never had this problem using those.
Katie says
Hi. I want to make these for a kindergarten party but would like to make 24 smaller cupcakes as the children are very small. Would I need to reduce the cooking time? Thanks very much 🙂
Charlotte Oates says
It depends on exactly what size of cupcake cases you’re using, but I think the cooking time will be about 12-15 minutes.
Peter says
Lovely sponge.
Great, easy, no fuss all in recipe that includes the cocoa.
Thanks for sharing your expertise.
My 2 cents; Blend the butter with the sugar is good but soft is important as you say.
Marta @ Foodaciously says
Hi Charlotte, thanks for sharing this post! I love your chocolate cupcakes recipe 😀 I usually make them with just cocoa powder but they taste quite bitter; instead, adding grated chocolate bar gives them a rich flavor. Thank you!
Sally says
Hi Charlotte I love this recipe and have now used it a number of times. When doing it today the cases (as used before) came away from the cakes when cooling. I wondered if you have any ideas where I went wrong??? So frustrating! They taste great just don’t look so good as I’m not sure how to fix it!!!
Charlotte Oates says
Have you changed the brand of cupcakes cases you’re using. I find some brands much more reliable than others. I have more problems with ones with lots of colour/patterns coming away whereas the plain ones always seem OK.
Ellen says
Hi,
Really silly question but how do
you grate 75G of chocolate down? Can you just melt it into the mixture?
I made these tiday and they were delicious but struggled to grate enough chocolate for the baking x
Charlotte Oates says
I haven’t tried it but it would probably work.
sharon says
iv just made theses cup cakes and they look and taste great very easy to make.
nazz says
hi Charlotte i made the cupcakes and frosted them
then i put them in a box and wrapped them up for no air to go in
but i was wondering how long would the frosted cupcakes be okay in the fridge and in the freezer
THANKS:)
Charlotte Oates says
They should be fine for about 4 days in the fridge. I’ve not tried freezing them with icing on. The cupcakes frozen unfrosted should be fine for about 3 months as long as they’re stored in an airtight container.
Jo says
I’m looking to make about 30 of these for a party, so have multiplied the ingredients by 2.5, however, not sure what to do about 7.5 large eggs. Should I do 7 or 8? Or more medium eggs? I’m a bit of a novice baker so not sure how accurate egg qty needs to be! Thanks
Charlotte Oates says
The best thing to do if you need part of an egg is to weigh the egg as it’s added so use 7 large eggs and then beat a final egg in a separate bowl and add 30g of that to the mixture.
Charlotte Oates says
Thanks Zoe, I’m glad you enjoyed them.
Kat says
Hi. Charlotte I wanted to ask you if you know what Cadbury Bournaville cocoa is I have it but I’m not sure if it’s natural unsweetened cocoa powder or duchprocessed?
Charlotte Oates says
Hi Kat, unfortunately I’m not 100% sure as there’s no definite answer online (nothing answering the question on their website). When I look at the Cadbury UK website it suggests it does contain an acidity regulator which would suggest that it’s been dutch processed. However, my tub at home doesn’t have it listed in the ingredients suggesting it’s natural – all very confusing. It’s possible that the recipe has been changed since I bought my tub. The NZ Cadbury site says theirs is dutch processed, but recipes can vary from country to country so that doesn’t necessarily mean it is in the UK. Sorry I can’t help more. Other brands seems to be more clear (e.g. Green & Blacks is dutch processed).
Fortunately for this recipe is won’t make a difference as the cocoa is there for the flavour, the self-raising flour is there for helping the cake to rise.
Andrea CL says
I tried these ones today (mind you I never made cupcakes before) and they turned out incredible! I’m so happy. I will be making these again on Saturday for my sister’s birthday. Just out of curiosity, can this be turn to a cake, or do you have a similar cake recipe that doesn’t have baking soda or baking powder in it?
Super full of chocolate flavor! Loved them.
Charlotte Oates says
This chocolate cupcake recipe is adapted from my chocolate birthday cake (which also works brilliantly as a normal cake without all the decoration). You can find the recipe here https://charlotteslivelykitchen.com/chocolate-birthday-cake/.
Choclette says
These look so pretty Charlotte, but easy? If you’d seen me trying to mess around with a piping bag, I think you’d take that description off 😉
Thanks for joining in with We Should Cocoa. I’ve pinned and hope to get the round-up posted later today.
Charlotte Oates says
It’s one of the only two styles I can actually do. Anyway who really cares if they’ve got neat piping as long as they taste good 🙂
anna @ annamayeveryday says
Those look delicious, shame I see them on the first day of Lent when I have just given up chocolate!
Ness says
I know these wouldn’t last long in our house! I’m often disappointed by the lack of chocolate taste in cupcakes but these look like they would hit the spot!
Charlotte Oates says
They’re designed to be chocolatey so hopefully you’d like them, just make sure you don’t overcook them as I find that it kills the flavour a bit.
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
These look gorgeous Charlotte and I love the idea of a cupcake library!
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
I forgot to add – thanks for linking up to #TreatPetite
Hayley F says
wow these look sooo yummy x