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 am not sure what happened but… I followed your instruction, point by point and each time I test the cupcake it is still …. liquid?
Hi Heather, I can’t quite imagine what the issue might be without being with you in the kitchen. I can only assume that an ingredient is missing, or you simply need to bake the cupcakes a bit longer. I have made this exact recipe hundreds of times, so I am quite confident that it can be made successfully. I hope you give it another try.
Is both the cupcake recipe and frosting recipe peanut free?
There are no peanuts listed for either the cake or frosting.
I made your vanilla cupcakes and they perfect. I have used this recipe from Hershey and I like it but found that the Cupcakes they are too moist and fall apart. What can you suggest for a denser chocolate cupcake
I have to make sure pp cupcak a for a party and will be half vanilla and half chocalate
Hi! Can I use fresh milk instead of whole milk?
Fresh milk as in raw milk? I don’t see any issue with that. I’ve only made it with standard, commercially processed milk, but I think most any would work as long as most of the cream has been skimmed off.
I’ve just made this recipe – it is delicious, but mine didn’t have the nice flat tops! Some made points and others rises to the sides. Although I’ve carefully filled my liners with the same amount of batter, not 2 of them look the same.
Graduated sugar or powders sugar ..?
Can i cut the ingredients in half if I need less cupcakes?
Same here. I only need like 12 cupcakes when I bake. This tastes sooo good though.
Hi. Our local shops don’t have baking soda but only have baking powder. Suggestions?
Just I need case someone wants to modify this recipe using Carob powder and unsweetened almond milk…it doesn’t work! Had to throw them away.
Do you use the paddle or whisk attachment?