Chocolate Cupcake with Buttercream Frosting

This Chocolate Cupcake recipe is unbelievably moist and decadent. The cupcakes are frosted with velvety chocolate buttercream. Also, check out how to make some cute Easter-themed cupcake toppers. These will be an amazing addition to your desserts and sweet treats!

Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 Cup Milk

• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice or Vinegar

• 1½ cups All Purpose Flour

• ½ cup Cocoa Powder

• ½ tbsp Instant Coffee Powder

• ½ tsp Baking Powder

• ½ tsp Baking Soda

• ½ tsp Salt

• 1 cup White Granulated Sugar

• 2 Eggs (large)

• ½ cup Vegetable Oil

• 1 cup Buttermilk

• 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

• ½ cup Chocolate Chips

Cupcake Method

1. Mix the lemon juice or vinegar with the room-temperature milk and set aside for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes the milk should be lumpy. This is an instant way to make the perfect substitute for buttermilk.

2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla.

3. In a larger mixing bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, coffee powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. Make a well-shape in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.

5. Combine the two lightly, scraping down the sides and the bottom of the mixing bowl.

6. Line a cupcake tin with 12 liners and fill each ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter.

7. Bake in a 325F/160C oven for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cupcake.

8. Leave the cupcakes to cool in the tray for 5 minutes and then remove them from the tray and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients

• 1 cup/ 2 sticks Butter

• 5 cups Icing Sugar/Confectioner’s Sugar

• ½ cup Cocoa Powder

• ½ – 1 cup Milk

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Buttercream Method

1. In a larger bowl add the room temperature butter and using a hand mixer (you can use a stand mixer as well) beat on high speed for about 5 minutes until the butter is soft, has almost doubled in volume, and has turned a light pale-yellow colour.

2. Shift the icing/confectioner’s sugar and add the sugar in thirds, beating in-between until completely incorporated. With the last addition of the icing sugar, add in the cocoa powder.

3. The buttercream will be very thick, turn the mixer on low speed and add the vanilla extract and then the milk, 1/4 cup at a time. If needed, you can add more than half a cup too until you reach the required consistency.

4. Keep beating the buttercream for another 2 minutes till light and fluffy.

5. Pipe onto your cooled cupcakes.