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.
I made these and substituted the whole milk for buttermilk and added a tablespoon of instant coffee to the boiling water for that mud-cake type feel! Delish!
best cupcakes ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi this looks amazing
can i substitute whole milk with buttermilk
No. You can try to use lesser-fat milk if you wish, but the results will not be the same. Do not use buttermilk as it will add too much acidity to the batter.
I did try buttermilk to the recipe, but then I replaced half of the unsweetened cocoa (the less processed the more acid it is) with Quick cocoa powder (this will make cupcakes a tiny little bit sweeter but not much difference) and the cupcakes turned out amazing !! Theacidity of buttermilk gives the cupcakes an extra moist and fluffier consistency…
Sorry I meant Nestlé Quik cocoa powder
My daughter made this, they are super moist and very yummy. Just wanted to know if the cupcakes can be frozen?
Hi Great blog !!!
My family and I totally love this chocolate cupcake recipe.
I only have a small problem!!
Instead of making cupcakes I have made a chocolate whole cake.
My problem is that the cake gets stuck to the pan even though the cake is not burnt or uncooked.
Really makes me dissappointed and I don’t know why this is happening.
Please assist ?????
Try greasing the sides of the pan and then putting flour in the pan as well or grease and like. With parchment paper or just line with parchment paper.
Hi….My family and I totally love this recipe. Thanks so much! !!!
I’m having a small problem though. I have used this recipe to make an whole cake, however the cake gets stuck to the oven pan.
Please tell me what to do to stop this from happening????
Because just the top layer peels of and the rest be stuck to the pan and the cake ain’t burnt or uncooked. Honestly don’t know what is wrong!!
Hi! I have made this recipe for years. Yes the bottom of the cake sticks to pan because it is really moist. What works for me is lining the bottom of the pan with some baking paper. Hope it helps you!
i just made these for a baby shower. I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. YUM!! The frosting is awesome too! Thanks for sharing.
cupcakes One of my favourite cakes in my sister’s recipe . I always make an sort of extra fruity version of it as a Xmas cake.
The only reason I made these cupcakes was because my 6-yr old son wanted to make Chocolate cupcakes. After searching a few options, I figured I’d look for a recipe on Pinterest since I’ve previously had success in doing so. Can I say oh what a winner! I have always been a chocoholic since I was a little girl and I’m happy that my son inherited my love-chocolate gene! I used Hershey’s special dark cocoa and the richness with the chocolate cream cheese icing is absolutely amazing. My husband, who is a food snob 🙂 had 2 immediately and is begging me to take them out of the house before he eats them all! Thanks so much for sharing this! It will surely make the Thanksgiving menu this year!
Can I substitute the boiling hot water for one cup coffee?