The easiest, one bowl, no mixer required cupcake recipe. The very chocolate cupcake I sold thousands of at my bakery. Not a dry crumb in sight because we use oil, rather than butter, which allows the cupcakes to stay moist for days. Topped with a light and fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting that literally melts in your mouth.
Chocolate Cupcakes
Yields: Approximately 14-16 – Bakery/Large Size Cupcakes
Ingredients
1/3 cup Canola Oil (vegetable or sunflower work great as well)
1 cup Whole Milk (plant-based substitute: oat milk)
2 large Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder (use a really good quality here, but not dark or dutch processed! This is the cocoa powder I use.)
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
1 sticks (4 oz) Butter, unsalted, VERY room temperature
3 cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder (choose the best you can buy!)
1/4 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 Whole Milk, plus more if needed
Process
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard cupcake/muffin pan with parchment cupcake papers. You will need approx. 16 liners ready.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Flour, Cocoa Powder, Sugar, Salt and Baking Soda. Whisk until well combined.
3. In a measuring cup, combine the oil, milk, eggs and vanilla – whisk until well combined.
4. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture and stir until no traces of flour mix are visible. Do not over-mix, but make sure the batter is smooth.
5. Using a cookie/ice cream scoop, or pouring from a measuring cup, fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full.
6. Bake for 12 minutes. Rotate pan and bake for another 5-7 minutes or until the cupcakes just start to bounce back when you gently press your finger in the center. Do not over bake – the cupcakes will continue to bake slightly while cooling in the pan.
7. Let cool completely, in the pan, on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, make the Frosting…
1. In the bowl of stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer ready, combine all of the Frosting Ingredients and 1/3 cup of Whole Milk.
2. Gently pulse the mixer on and off until all of the powdered sugar is moistened. Turn the mixer to medium speed and mix until the butter is completely incorporated, about 5 minutes.
3. Stop the mixer, scrap down the sides and bottom of the bowl and pulse again. Check the consistency – if it seems dry, add 2 TBS of Milk and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Continue adding 2 TBS at a time until the frosting is moistened, but not wet.
4. Turn mixer to high and let mix for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. We want to add a ridiculous amount of air into the frosting so that it creates a smooth and silky texture that melts in your mouth.
5. Stop the mixer, scrap down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix on high for another minute or two.
6. Using a piping bag and tip, or a ziploc bag or simply a spatula, frost the cupcakes, garnish as you like and enjoy.
STORAGE: Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Extra Frosting can be placed in a glass storage container, plastic wrap pressed on the top of the frosting, sealed with an airtight lid and frozen for up to 3 months.
