I love chocolate…
So naturally, when I started experimenting with baking cupcakes from scratch (several years ago) I began a quest for the perfect chocolate cupcakes. I worked through several dozen recipes and of course, didn’t have too much trouble finding people willing to eat my “experiments.”
I finally found a recipe titled Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake, hmm, “…Perfectly Chocolate”, sounds about right to me! The first time I made it, I used Hershey’s unsweeted cocoa (as the recipe calls for). They turned out pretty good. The next time I made them, I used Ghirardelli brand unsweetened cocoa, and… perfect! The Ghirardelli brand gave a much deeper chocolate flavor. So I’d highly recomend using either Ghirardelli brand unsweetened cocoa, or the best quality brand you can find. You can really taste the difference. Since discovering this recipe, I’ve made it dozens and dozens of times. And every time, it’s delicious! The cake has a nice light and fluffy texture and a rich chocolate flavor.
Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes
(makes 24-27 standard sized cupcakes)
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)
1 cup boiling water
Directions-
Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.
Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don’t worry, this is right).
Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)
Bake cupcakes for aproximately 18-22 minutes.
Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
Recipe source- Hershey’s
Try the recipe HERE for either vanilla or chocolate (my favorite!) cream cheese frosting.
Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa best quality available
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract best quality available
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.
- Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don’t worry, this is right).
- Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)
- Bake cupcakes for approximately 18-22 minutes.
- Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
Hi Glory,
God bless you loads and loads for this ‘over the top lovely’ recipe. Thank God for I chanced to stop by your blog.
I baked a dozen of these yesterday for a birthday party today and people just loved them so much! Its a relief to have so little to do to make such wonderful treats. Ive pushed back my old recipe.
I find they taste the best a day later.
Thank you so much.
Hi there! I am planning to bake these delicious chocolate cupcakes for the next weekend! Where can I get the recipe of this ” blue icing’ ? which looks amazing..Thanks 🙂
Zey, You can frost these with my American buttercream, https://www.glorioustreats.com/american-buttercream-frosting-recipe/ (feel free to use the cream cheese version, that’s my favorite)
Baked your chocolate cupcakes & they worked & tasted a treat. Only thing I didn’t need to cook them for as long as you wrote. I have added your scrumptous recipe to my book. Thanks heaps for sharing 🙂
Hi,, I made this today, not good, the batter overflowed the cupcake pan, any advice please? I´m thinking. too much sugar or too much baking soda and baking powder.
Help, please, I´m a little dissapointed, I wanted chocolate cupcakes for dinner TODAY!! 🙁
Las week I made your venilla cupcakes and I they turned out great.
Hi, It sounds like your only problem was over filling the cups. Try filling the liners just half full. I have made this recipe probably 100 times, so I’m quite sure the proportions work (unless by chance you are at high elevation, that would be another issue altogether). Glad the vanilla ones worked out for you. Give this recipe another try and I think you’ll love it too!
I asked my son what kind of cupcakes he wanted for his second birthday. “chocolate” he says. I had “pinned” this recipe months ago, but when I saw the picture I knew that’s what he wanted. They were amazing. All the kids devoured them. Thank you so much for a great recipe. They are my new chocolate cupcake staple.
I made your vanilla cupcakes a few weeks back for the base of a coconut cupcake and they we’re perfect! They we’re so moist and delicious, and now I definitely want to try this chocolate recipe. If I can only find Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder, do you suggest using hot coffee instead of the boiling water, or should I leave the recipe as is? Thanks!
Yes, replacing the water with hot coffee will up the chocolate flavor when using a more mild cocoa.
So glad you enjoyed the vanilla recipe and did some successful experimenting with it!
Happy Baking!
What if I wanted to use this recipe for a cake and not cupcakes? Would anything change in regards to cook time?
Rachael, This recipe makes a delicious cake! I have not listed the baking times, because they will vary quite a bit depending on the size pans you use, and the amount of batter in each pan. The cakes are done when they have a slight dome, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. Happy Baking!
I live in Colorado and know that sometimes you have to adjust the recipe for the high altitude. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Tessa, Yes, for cake some adjustments are usually neccessary at high altitude. Here is a post that should help get you started, http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/high-altitude-baking.html
These cupcakes look delicious. Does anybody know the UK equivalent to this recipe please? Would love to try it xx
Kirsty, A google search should lead you to a good conversion chart.
Happy Baking!
This cupcakes are so good!!! They are fluffly, chocolaty, heavenly divine 🙂
They are fresh out of the oven, but i had to take a bite out of one… They are delicious!
But im gonna do a dulce de leche frosting ^^ Just because my latin blood is asking for it XD