Cocoa Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream
Whip up some classic Cocoa Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream when you’re dying for some old-fashioned comfort food! Perfect for a special snack, a birthday treat or just a chocolate craving that won’t go away!
Cocoa Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream
Nick drew a short straw when it came to his birthday this year. It landed on a Monday…the first day of his college finals. Insert pouty face. I reminded him that he had to eat dinner, so we planned to drive down treat him to a meal at the restaurant of his choice on Sunday night (no fine dining required). I whipped up a batch of Cocoa Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream for him to share with the other hooligans on his dorm floor. Apparently they didn’t last long. Teenage boys do like cake. Especially when it’s not from the campus cafeteria…I think even the dreaded meatloaf of his childhood was a step up from the entrees he faced each night for dinner.
I was overly generous with the buttercream…and the boys gave them rave reviews…especially the icing. Nick is moving into an apartment with 3 friends next year. I have a feeling I’ll be taking full meals down to them…all Nick has mastered so far is the peanut butter sandwich.
When the picnic theme was announced for this week’s Sunday Supper, I knew these delectable cupcakes would be perfect. I had just purchased a cupcake carrier, and could see arriving with a couple dozen of these to a Memorial Day gathering. Around here, we have the Indy 500…and the city is just hopping with festivities. And I always bring a dessert unless otherwise assigned…and typically something chocolate. Scroll down to see all the the extraordinary treats my friends are bringing to the picnic…and I hope some of them will inspire you to create a special treat for the holiday.
PRO-Tip: My baking friend, Jenni, of Pastry Chef Online, offered me a solution for the air holes in my buttercream frosting. She suggested using the paddle attachment instead of the whisk. Too late this time, but it will be my new technique!
Check out these other recipes for your chocolate cravings:
My No-Fail Chocolate Fudge is a family favorite, this Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova is elegant and delicious, and this Chocolate Souffle Cake is flourless and a beauty topped with cream and berries!
Cocoa Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream
Old-fashioned frosted cocoa cupcakes that are perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
For cupcakes:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (put one tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup and fill with milk to the one cup mark. Let sit a few minutes before using)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For buttercream:
- 1 cup butter (at room temperature)
- 1 cup shortening
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate (melted and cooled)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, water, oil and vanilla. Beat with mixer for about 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl. Batter will be thin. Fill each liner 2/3-3/4 full with batter.
- Bake 15 minutes or till toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes in tins, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.
- To make buttercream, put butter and shortening in the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, whip on medium-high till light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce speed to low and slowly add in powdered sugar. When the sugar is incorporated, mix in vanilla, then the chocolate. Increase mixer speed to medium high and beat till light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- Ice cupcakes as desired.
- Yield: 24-30 cupcakes
- Total time: about 1 1/2 hours
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1 cupcakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 444Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 307mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 1gSugar: 45gProtein: 3g
A Few More Picnic Recipes You’ll Love:
- German Potato Salad from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Kale Pasta Salad from Hip Foodie Mom
- Mini Chicken Salad, Avocado and Cheese Subs from Big Bear’s Wife
- Picnic Basket Buttermilk Fried Chicken from Noshing with the Nolands
- Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treat Truffles from Chocolate Moosey
- Texas Sheet Cake with Pecan Frosting from Food Lust People Love
- Strawberry Basil Lemonade from The Messy Baker Blog
56 Comments on “Cocoa Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream”
These are some beautiful cupcakes… I could eat that frosting alone. 🙂
Those little giraffes on top are so cute! And the cupcakes really do look delicious! I’m all for anything with double chocolate!
Don’t you just love it when you can bake and give away sweet treats and they get gobbled up immediately?! I do. . these cupcakes look so delicious! I love your piping job with the frosting. . this is one thing I have not mastered . . the frosting! Yours looks fabulous!
And yes! I use a paddle attachment when making frosting too! works like a charm!
Will try this recipe soon. Gabbi loves chocolate cupcakes.
You must be the favorite mom on campus! Can’t say no to chocolate on chocolate!
These cupcakes are beautiful and look absolutely delicious! My boys would devour these in an instant.
These are totally coming on my next picnic. So beautiful and chocolate, you just can’t go wrong with anything chocolate. Period. :0)
What a lucky duck. You’re welcome to drive to Baltimore at any time to deliver cupcakes 😉 These look wonderful. I’d love to swipe fome of that frosting for a lick. Yum!
These cupcakes look fantastic Liz! Anybody would be happy to have these for their birthday! Love Hershey’s Chocolate cake recipe, it’s a definite crowd pleaser around here too. And the icing just puts these over the top delicious! Love the cupcake toppers – they are so adorable!
What an incredible array of recipes but your cupcakes do stand out. College boys are great for making you feel your cooking skils are supreme. Both Dario and Adriano are bottomless pits. I sometimes wonder if they actually taste the food – it goes down so quickly.
Lizzy,
The cupcakes look adorable. I’m sure the frosting tasted great regardless of any air bubbles.
Annamaria
Nick is the luckiest guy in the world – I’d give my right arm to get special deliveries from you, Liz! Especially when they’re as delicious and adorable as these cupcakes. I can’t get over how incredible these look. I love the little giraffe flags on top – they are too cute!
I have to applaud your photography skills, for of all – the photos are just gorgeous.
I love these cupcakes, they are just adorable – the colors are so scrumptious, I just want a bite. I love chocolate so this is perfect for me. And these giraffes.. so cute! 🙂
What cute and tastyyyy cupcakes! Love em!
Love your double chocolate cupcakes, especially that luscious buttercream!
They looks simply divine, Liz!!! As everything that you make…