Soft and fluffy Double Chocolate Cupcakes made from scratch. These buttery cupcakes are topped with swirls of creamy chocolate buttercream and plenty of funfetti sprinkles.
Did somebody double chocolate? 🙌🏻
If you love chocolate cake and could add sprinkles to a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g, these gorgeous Double Chocolate Cupcakes are for you. They boast soft and tender chocolate cake with a generous slathering of creamy chocolate buttercream.
They’re the perfect cupcakes for your next party, sleepover or celebration ❤️
I love a good chocolate cake. Remember I recently shared my fave Chocolate Fudge Cake recipe with you? Well these Double Chocolate Cupcakes are like the scaled-down version. Cocoa-laden chocolate cakes, studded with chocolate chips, that are sweet, chocolatey and oh-so-tasty.
But it’s not a cupcake without a generous serving of frosting amiright? And it’s not a Double Chocolate Cupcake with chocolate in the cake AND in the frosting.
So I’ve paired these cupcakes with my favourite chocolate frosting. It’s like a sweet chocolate cloud. And once you add sprinkles? Well then you have one of life’s greatest desserts.
I even scaled this recipe down further to make my Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes.
TIPS FOR MAKING PERFECT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- These Double Chocolate Cupcakes are so easy to make! 💜 You don’t even need an electric mixer, but I do recommend using a kitchen scale to measure out your ingredients.
- Start by adding all your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. You can use regular cocoa powder or dutch processed cocoa powder. Both will yield delicious chocolatey results.
- I use both caster sugar and brown sugar in this recipe. You can use granulated sugar instead of caster sugar. If you want to know more about caster sugar, read my post HERE.
- Next, we need to melt the butter. You can use the microwave to do this. You want the butter to be JUST melted – so you can get rid of any lumps using a fork, but not hot and bubbling.
- Then mix together your wet ingredients and add them to the dry ingredients, and mix briefly. Throw in the chocolate chips and then it’s time to bake.
- You’ll know the cupcakes are ready when they spring back lightly to the touch or a skewer inserted in the centre of one comes out clean.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- Temperature is everything. Make sure your butter is at room temperature. Cold butter won’t yield the same results. Your butter needs to be softened so it whips easily. But make sure it’s not too soft or melty by any means. It should be soft to the touch but still hold its shape.
- Beat the butter. The foundation of this chocolate frosting is making sure you beat the butter properly. Take your time and beat your butter until pale and creamy and smooth.
- Sift your sugar. I’m guilty on more than one occasion of not sifting my sugar but if you want the perfect buttercream, you HAVE to sift the sugar. It’ll ensure it’s light, fluffy and mixes well with the butter – no lumps.
- Use your milk sparingly. The perfect buttercream has just the right ratio of butter, sugar and milk. Too much milk will make your buttercream too wet and runny, while too little, will make it too thick. Add a tablespoon at a time to ensure the correct consistency.
- Use good quality dark chocolate. Melted chocolate make this chocolate frosting taste AMAZING. Just make sure you use good quality dark chocolate. You’ll need to melt it before adding it to your buttercream. Make sure your chocolate is melted and smooth, but not hot. If it is a bit hot, just leave it for a minute or two to cool down.
- Don’t over beat the frosting. Once you add the chocolate, beat only until the frosting is melted and smooth – don’t over mix.
MORE CUPCAKE RECIPES TO TRY:
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Cotton Candy Cupcakes
- Caramel Cupcakes
- Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Cupcakes
- Mocha Cupcakes
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.
Let’s Bake
Double Chocolate Cupcakes
Easy chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate buttercream and sprinkles.
Ingredients
Chocolate cupcakes
- 105 grams (3/4 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 40 grams (1/2 cup) dutch processed cocoa or cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 45 grams (1/4 cup) brown sugar
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk*
- 75 grams (1/2 cup) chocolate chips
Chocolate buttercream
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 100 grams (2/3 cups) dark chocolate
- 375 grams (3 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons full fat or whole milk
- Colourful sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and then add the sugars. Pop the butter into the microwave for a short burst, 10 seconds or so at a time, until it becomes very soft but just before it is completely melted. Give it a stir with a fork to eliminate any lumps.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add eggs, vanilla and butter and whisk together until smooth. Then add the wet mixture into the dry mixture, along with the buttermilk and gently fold until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners and pop into the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until just cooked through. Set cakes out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for a couple of minutes until pale and creamy. Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a microwave, stirring in between 20 second bursts, until just melted and set aside to cool a little.
- Once the butter is very pale and creamy, add half of the sugar and one tablespoon of milk and beat on low until the sugar is incorporated. Then, add the rest of the sugar and the milk, and again beat on slow until the sugar is incorporated before turning up to medium for another minute or so.
- Next, add in your melted chocolate to the buttercream mixture, ensuring the chocolate is still smooth and melted but is not warm. Beat until the chocolate is completely mixed through. Transfer your frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large circular tip. Pipe swirls onto each cupcake. Add sprinkles on top.
Notes
Buttermilk: If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by adding 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to 1/2 cup milk.
Lynsey says
Could I use white chocolate in the buttercream and add some food colouring?
Want to make green frosting for a party 😊
Jessica Holmes says
Yes you can! I just recommend using good quality good gel rather than food colouring. That way you will only need to add a small amount and it won’t affect the texture of the buttercream. Try my White Chocolate Buttercream recipe!
Dianna says
These pillowy cupcakes were such a win!! Minimal effort, maximum flavour!!
Also hands down best buttercream recipe around!
Can’t wait to try some of your other flavours.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Dianna!
Helen says
This is the ultimate chocolate cupcake recipe, soft, moist and delicious and so easy to follow, even for a novice cupcake chef like me! Thank you, Sweetest Menu!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So happy to hear that!
Mary says
Can this be made into a cake?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes it can!
Gina says
Hi – can i make these cupcakes without the choc chops?
Jessica Holmes says
Absolutely!
Kaushalya says
AMAZING. The cupcakes turned out so well as if we were eating clouds.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that!
Celina says
These chocolate cupcakes were so delicious, but instead of chocolate buttercream I made oreo instead! This is defiantly going to be my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe 🙂
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Celina!
Antoinet says
Hi Jess,
I am just wondering, the sugar and butter is not creamed. Is there a chance the sugar does not get dissolved properly when baking the cupcakes?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Antoinet, I’ve never had that issue before.
Mary Catherine says
These cupcakes were the best! Lovely texture! Can I just increase some sugar to increase sweetness, i have a sweet tooth! How much would you advise to increase without affecting the texture!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Mary! So glad you like them! You could add 1/4 cup more sugar if you like.
Ximena Palazuelos says
What brand of chocolate should i use for the buttercream?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi! I just use a good quality block of chocolate. Here in Australia, I usually use the brands Cadbury or Nestle.
Natalie says
I love how chocolatey these cupcakes are! Such a great idea for birthdays and special occasions – YUM ♥
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Thanks Natalie!