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Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream Frosting on a white plate
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4.67 from 6 votes

Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream Frosting

These Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream Frosting are the ultimate sweet treat. Super moist and chocolatey, they're sure to be a family favorite.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 331kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 5 tablespoons oil
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Mocha Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 ounces baking chocolate chips
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  • In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well-distributed.
  • In another bowl, combine water, oil, vinegar and vanilla extract. Add to flour mixture and stir together until just combined.
  • Using a scoop or tablespoon, divide batter into prepared muffin pan.
  • Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to completely cool before frosting.

For the Mocha Buttercream Frosting

  • In a microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate on HIGH for about 40 to 45 seconds. Stir until just melted and cool to room temperature.
  • In a small bowl, combine milk and instant coffee granules. Stir until dissolved.
  • In a large bowl, combine butter, vanilla extract, and salt and beat for about 2 to 3 minutes. 
  • Add melted chocolate and beat until blended, scraping occasionally. 
  • Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
  •  Add coffee mixture and beat until desired consistency.
  • Chill buttercream for a few minutes before piping cupcakes.

Video

Notes

  • Add a teaspoon of instant coffee granules to the batter to boost the chocolate flavor.
  • I use distilled white vinegar, but apple cider vinegar will work, too.
  • If baking this as a cake, you can stir all the ingredients and bake it in the same pan. There's no need to grease the baking pan.
  • I included a delicious mocha buttercream frosting which really goes well with the chocolate flavor, but you can just sprinkle the cupcakes with powdered sugar or use store-bought icing if you want to keep things simple.

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 379mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1.2mg