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”
O M G. Love this recipe. It makes me want one NOW!
Im pretty sure these cupcakes could not be any cuter! I love your recipe and the butter cream! Yum!!
Awww, I love those little giraffes! And yep, I totally remember being a college kid, and my parents bringing me a birthday cake. It was gone in mere seconds once my dorm neighbors found out. haha.
What’s not to love about double chocolate cakes? I wanna come to your picnic!
Happy birthday to your boy. If my son was living away from home I would be doing exactly as you are doing – providing meals on wheels. When my husband was at uni and his parents left him to live overseas he lived off peanut butter too. Only he must have been slightly more kitchen savvy than your son because he actually went to the trouble of toasting his bread xx
These would have been a massive hit, they look too delicious!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Nothing beats chocolate on top of chocolate!
You are such a sweet Mom!! Your cupcakes are adorable and I can imagine the boys at the dorm, must of went crazy for them. Happy Memorial Day!!!
Ahh college life. The dining food was actually decent during the week but on the weekends when most of the stations were closed? Pizza, hamburgers, grilled cheese, or cereal. Uh yum? I hope Nick attempts to cook some meals! It’s mainly when I learned how to cook everything (and I don’t mean ramen soup and grilled cheese).
Anyway, I’m sure he won’t complain if you show up with more of these cupcakes. Thanks to you and Jenni for that frosting tip!
So good and look super cute.
Can’t ever go wrong with cupcakes. And chocolate is always my dessert of choice!
Perfect for a picnic, especially if you own one of the cupcake carriers like you said. Love the cute little cups they are in!!
Who’s the cupcake queen? These are so fun Lizzy and sound fabulous. At least your Nick shares. I found out that one time when I took a huge pound cake to my Nick when he was in college, HE HID IT from the other boys. Lindsay, his wife (girlfriend at the time) said he did share with her, but only slivers 🙂 That rascal!
My husband spent the afternoon watching the Indy 500. Pretty sure the cupcakes were perfect study food for his finals. They look fantastic; of course they were a welcomed treat.
Lizzie – I LOVE this recipe!!! I want these now 🙂
There is something about Coke that says summer to me! I love baking with it, too and love these cupcakes!
These are so pretty, and sound delicious! I still have the old Hershey’s recipe book, and all their recipes are awesome! Great tip on the paddle attachment for air holes. Thanks for posting!!
Cupcakes are a hit with me anytime. Buttercream icing? Oh yeah!
These are gorgeous, Liz. They wouldn’t last long here either. And maybe we need a peanut butter sandwich theme one #SundaySupper for Nick. Then he’ll have a ton of things to do with them 🙂
I’m another fan of the giraffes! Great looking cupcakes. When I was in college I could have eaten the entire batch by myself (and not gained an ounce). Now? I’ll have two, please. And let’s not even think of those extra ounces!