If you are a chocolate lover, oooooh boy you are going to be obsessed with these death by chocolate cupcakes. If you don't love chocolate, well, I don't trust you. JUST KIDDING I love you all. These death by chocolate cupcakes are overwhelmingly rich, decadent, chocolatey and just straight up delicious. They have a chocolate cake, chocolate ganache filling, and by far the best chocolate buttercream I have ever had.
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Ingredients for death by chocolate cupcakes
I love these cupcakes because they have SUCH simple ingredients. If you need to run to the grocery store, here is your shopping list:
- Heavy cream is for the chocolate ganache. I also love to use heavy cream to thin out my chocolate buttercream, but regular milk works for this too!
- Semi-sweet chocolate is key for a perfectly smooth and decadent chocolate ganache, so make sure you splurge on good quality!
- All purpose flour is the flour of choice for these cupcakes - it gives them the perfect texture and crumb.
- Cocoa powder is in the cake and the buttercream in this recipe, so again, splurge on the good stuff! Make sure you are using regular unsweetened cocoa powder, NOT dutch processed.
- Baking powder is the rising agent in these cupcakes. It gives them the perfect little dome top.
- Salt is in the cake and the buttercream. Salt enhances the other flavors and it also offsets the sweetness!
- Unsalted butter is in the cake and the buttercream (so... for the third time... splurge on the good stuff!). I like to use unsalted butter in my baked goods so I can control how much salt goes into the recipe.
- Vegetable oil is added to the cake batter because vegetable oil provides SO much moisture to the cake. This helps so we don't end up with a dry, gross cupcake.
- Granulated sugar is the sugar of choice in these cupcakes!
- Eggs are needed to add moisture and bind the ingredients together.
- Vanilla extract is used in both the cake and the buttercream. And I know what you're thinking. Why do I have vanilla flavoring in a chocolate dessert but TRUST ME. It just enhances all of the flavors.
- Buttermilk is used in the cake to thin out the batter. If you don't have buttermilk, 1 cup whole milk plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar is a good substitute.
- Powdered sugar is the sugar used in the buttercream.
Method
- Prepare the chocolate ganache. Set aside.
- Make the chocolate cake batter and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cupcakes are baking/cooling, make the chocolate buttercream.
- Frost & enjoy!
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Death by Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
Cake
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature, or 1 cup whole milk mixed with 1 tbsp white/apple cider vinegar
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5-7 tbsp milk/heavy cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- First, we'll make the ganache. Chop your chocolate and place in a heat proof bowl. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, heat the heavy cream over low-medium heat until it gets to a soft simmer. Pour the warm heavy cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
- Gently use a spoon or small spatula to stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the two have completely combined. Let cool at room temperature - it will thicken as it cools.
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with liners.
- Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Beat the unsalted butter and oil together until combined and completley homogeneous - this will only happen if the butter is completely at room temperature. About 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the granulated sugar, then turn it up to high and beat until light and fluffy. Then, with the mixer on low, add the eggs in, one at a time, scraping down the sides and mixing well in between each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix on low until combined.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined. Add half of the buttermilk and mix on low until combined. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the remaining buttermilk. Do not overmix!
- Fill the baking cups ¾ of the way full and bake for 18-20 minutes. A toothpick or sharp knife should come out clean.
Chocolate Buttercream
- While the cupcakes are baking, make the buttercream. In a large bowl, beat the butter by itself until it is light and creamy and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt, and mix on low speed for 30 seconds and then on high speed until completely combined.
- Add 5 tablespoons of milk/heavy cream and the vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add milk/heavy cream tablespoon by tablespoon until you get your desired consistency.
Assemble the Cupcakes
- When the cupcakes are completely cool, poke the tip of a piping bag filled with the chocolate ganache filling and squeeze some of the filling inside the cupcake. If you do not have a piping bag, carefully cut a small hole in the top of the cupcake with a knife and spread the filling inside. Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Tried this recipe? Make sure to rate and review and tag @sturbridgebakery on Instagram!
Donald Candia
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find nearly all of your post's to be exactly what I'm looking for. Do you offer guest writers to write content available for you? I wouldn't mind creating a post or elaborating on a number of the subjects you write in relation to here. Again, awesome site!
Jess Italiano
Hi Donald! I am so happy you and your partner like my blog 🙂 that makes me so happy! Unfortunately, I don't outsource my writing at this time, but if I ever do, I will make sure to let you know. Thank you for reading!
Maida Lindmeyer
Hey there! This post couldn't be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this article to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
Jess Italiano
Awe I am s glad you enjoyed, and I hope you're old roommate does too! 🙂 Thanks for reading!
Chrissy
These are TOO good. The chocolate buttercream is to die for - will definitely make these again.
Jess Italiano
Yay! Thanks, Chrissy! So happy you like these.
jules
Made this recipe yesterday, it is good. And that buttercream...it deserves 10 stars. this recipe is definitely going into my special book of recipes.
Jess Italiano
Ah thank you so much, Jules!! I completely agree - the buttercream is sensational.
Jemarcous
Hey the recipe was great. I do a lot of baking and cooking but I like asking questions because I still have a lot to learn ya kno. Anyways why don't you use Dutch processed cocoa powder in this recipe?
Jess Italiano
Glad you liked the recipe! I like to use natural unsweetened cocoa powder because it has a very strong and concentrated chocolate flavor. Dutch processed cocoa powder is washed in alkaline solution of potassium carbonate. This process neutralizes their acidity (and acidity is what the leavening agent reacts to), so the leavening agent proportions would need to be adjusted.