Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes
These chocolate espresso cupcakes are super moist and packed with rich, chocolate flavor! Paired with a smooth, creamy espresso buttercream, these chocolate cupcakes are an indulgent treat that comes together in less than 30 minutes of hands-on prep time. A combination of vegetable oil and sour cream ensures these cupcakes stay moist for days. These are perfect for birthday celebrations, or anytime you’re craving something sweet!
I’m excited to share this chocolate espresso cupcake recipe with you!!! These cupcakes are so incredibly moist and rich in deep chocolatey flavor!
Plus, who doesn’t love a little coffee flavor in their desserts? And chocolate and espresso are such a wonderful combination.
Instead of using a regular buttercream frosting, I added espresso to the buttercream, mixed it with some half-and-half, and then slowly mixed it into the buttercream.
The buttercream frosting came out creamy and silky, and with the perfect amount of espresso flavor.
It’s not enough to have a great frosting; you need a great cupcake base to complement it. When it comes to chocolate cupcakes, I’m a little picky.
The secret to an extremely moist chocolate cupcake is the combination of sour cream and vegetable oil. This helps keep the cupcake tender and keeps it moist for multiple days. Plus, the sour cream adds a slight tangy taste that’s perfect with chocolate.
There are a few other secrets to making these chocolate cupcakes that I have to share with you. When making the cupcake batter, it is important to use Dutch process cocoa powder instead of natural cocoa powder. Dutch process cocoa has a smoother, deeper chocolate flavor that really shines in this recipe, while natural cocoa won’t give it the same result.
Another tip that you need to be aware of is that the temperature of the water added to the batter needs to be hot. Hot, instead of boiled water, helps bloom the cocoa powder and yields a richer and more well-rounded chocolate flavor.
The star of this recipe is definitely the espresso frosting. I don’t recommend using a fresh cup of brewed and cooled espresso in the buttercream. I experimented and realized instant espresso gives the best flavor. Who would have thought?
Once frosted, these cupcakes look just as good as they taste! They’re great for snacking on or serving as a dessert at a celebration.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- Dutch process cocoa powder
- baking soda & baking powder
- sea salt
- granulated sugar
- a large egg
- sour cream
- vegetable oil
- vanilla extract
- some hot water
- instant espresso powder or granules
- half and half
- powdered sugar
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes with Espresso Frosting
Preheat the oven and line a standard 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
Whisk together the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl, then set aside.
Add the egg, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla to a larger bowl. Whisk until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold until partially combined.
Pour in the hot water and fold until the batter is smooth and glossy, with no pockets of dry ingredients remaining.
Fill the liners halfway full with the batter, about ¼ cup in each. You should have enough for exactly 12 cupcakes.
Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, make the buttercream. Add the espresso powder, half and half, and vanilla extract to a small bowl. Mix until the espresso fully dissolves. Set aside.
Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment until creamy and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Scrape down the sides, then add the salt and half a cup of the powdered sugar. Beat on low, then continue to add the remaining powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time until fully combined.
Stop to scrape down the sides and the paddle, then add the cream, espresso, and vanilla mixture and beat on low, gradually working up to medium. Beat on medium to medium-high for a minute until smooth.
Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.
How to Store
Store homemade chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Cupcake Recipes
- Snickers Cupcakes
- Chamomile Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream Frosting
- Chai Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Coffee and Walnut Cupcakes
What do you think of this amazing chocolate espresso cupcake recipe? What would you serve with these cupcakes? Let me know in the comment section below.
If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!
Happy baking, friends!
Chocolate Espresso Cupcake Recipe
Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes
These chocolate espresso cupcakes are super moist and packed with rich, chocolate flavor!
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons hot water
For the buttercream:
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or granules
- 1 tablespoon half and half, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Whisk together the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl then set aside.
- Add the egg, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla to a larger bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold until partially combined. Pour in the hot water and fold until the batter is smooth and glossy and there are no longer pockets of dry ingredients remaining.
- Fill the liners halfway full with the batter, about ¼ cup in each. You should have enough for exactly 12 cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes until a tester inserted into
the middle comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5-10 minutes then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. - Once the cupcakes have cooled, make the buttercream. Add the espresso powder, half and half, and vanilla extract to a small bowl. Mix until the espresso fully dissolves. Set aside.
- Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment until creamy and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides, then add the salt and half cup of the powdered sugar. Beat on low, then continue to add the remaining powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time until fully combined. Stop to scrape down the sides and the paddle, then add the cream, espresso, and vanilla mixture and beat on low, gradually working up to medium. Beat on medium to medium high for 1 minute until smooth.
- Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
- Make sure not to overfill the cupcakes! In order for the cupcakes to rise properly and create
a slight dome rather than a big muffin top, make sure to only fill the liners up halfway with batter. In a standard cupcake tin, this is roughly ¼ cup of batter. - If you want a more intense chocolate flavor, dissolve 1 tablespoon of espresso powder in the hot water before mixing it into the cake batter.
- Extra virgin olive oil can be used in place of the vegetable oil for very similar results. I do not recommend using melted butter as it will yield a more crumbly texture and the cupcakes will not be nearly as moist.
- Once you whisk the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls, switch to a wooden spoon
or silicone spatula/spoonula to fold everything together. This will help prevent too much air from being incorporated into the batter and will ensure an even rise in the oven. - Make sure the water is hot, not boiling. Adding hot water to the batter helps “bloom” the
cocoa powder and yields a richer and more well-rounded chocolate flavor. - If you want to break up the steps of the recipe, baked and cooled cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container for 1-2 days before they are frosted.
FAQs
Can I use natural cocoa powder? No, I do not recommend using natural cocoa powder as it will not yield the same rich, chocolate flavor. Make sure to use Dutch process cocoa powder.
Can I use a small amount of brewed and cooled espresso in the buttercream instead of instant espresso? No, I do not recommend using brewed espresso as it will not yield a strong enough flavor.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 680Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 246mgCarbohydrates: 97gFiber: 2gSugar: 82gProtein: 4g