How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes

Guide Note

If you're the original chocoholic, or simply like the taste of a good chocolate cupcake, then this page will help guide you to make some of the best.

Table of Contents

Chocolate Cupcake Tips

  1. Dutch-processed cocoa powder is less bitter than natural cocoa powder.
  2. Use ingredients that are at room temperature.
  3. Use a shiny muffin pan.
  4. Line your pan with cupcake liners.
  5. Spray cupcake liners with a no-stick canola oil cooking spray.
  6. Cook only one pan at a time.
  7. Turning your cupcakes halfway baking.
  8. Avoid overbaking.
  9. Cool your pan before you use it a second time.

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Introduction

  • Chocolate cupcakes are a great way to enjoy the taste of chocolate. Even better, since they are made with cocoa, there's a chance that they might enhance the blood flow in our brain and improve our brain function.1 (Not that we really need an excuse to eat them). Cupcakes are easy to make and shouldn't be reserved for special occasions and parties. If you want to make some chocolate cupcakes today, then this page will help guide you.

Make Chocolate Cupcakes with Mahalo Daily

Understanding Cocoa

What You'll Need

  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 small mixing bowl
  • Standard-size muffin pan (12 cups)
  • Electric mixer
  • Flour sifter or wire whisk
  • Paper cupcake wrappers (optional)
  • Oven
  • Wire cooling racks

Chocolate Cupcakes with Natural Cocoa

Ingredients

Preparations

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.6
  2. Line with paper liners or grease 12-cups of a standard muffin tin.8 7

Making the Batter

  1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.6
  2. In a medium to large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.7
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition.8 6
  4. Beat in vanilla and almond extract (if desired) and then reduce speed to low.7 8
  5. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk or sour cream, just until blended.6 8 7 Start and end with the flour mixture.8

Baking and Finishing the Cupcakes

  1. Fill the muffin cups evenly about 3/4 full.6
  2. Bake for 17 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean or the tops spring back when lightly pressed.8 7
  3. Cool cupcakes for five minutes in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.8
  4. Frost with your favorite frosting.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Dutch-Processed Cocoa

Ingredients

Preparations

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.10
  2. Grease and flour or line with paper liners 12 muffin cups.9 12

Making the Batter

  1. Mix, whisk, or sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.9 11 12
  2. Add the butter, milk, oil, sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat until mixture is well combined (about 2 minutes on medium speed).11 10
  3. Add boiling water and beat to combine (about one minute).10 12 The batter will be thin.10
  4. Stir in chocolate chips.9

Baking and Finishing the Cupcakes

  1. Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups until they are 1/2 full.11 12
  2. Bake cupcakes for 25 to 30 minutes until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched or a tester comes out clean.9 10
  3. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.10 9
  4. Frost as desired.

Tips for Making Chocolate Cupcakes

  1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature before making the batter. Cold items can make the batter lumpy and cause you to overmix the batter.13
  2. Use a shiny pan instead of a dark one that has a no-stick coating.14
  3. Using cupcake liners will keep your cupcakes fresher, longer.14
  4. You can spray liners with a no-stick canola oil cooking spray to make the cupcakes easier to remove.15
  5. Lightly grease the pan edges if you are making large cupcakes.16
  6. Using a #12 ice cream scoop will help ensure that your cupcakes will be the same size and shape.17
  7. Use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is baking at the right temperature.15
  8. Keep your oven rack in the middle of the oven.14
  9. Cook only one pan of cupcakes at a time.13
  10. Check your cupcakes after 10 minutes to see if they are cooking evenly.18
  11. Turning your cupcakes halfway through will ensure they bake evenly if your oven cooks faster in the back.18
  12. Avoid overbaking by checking your cupcakes at the minimum baking time suggested.14 19
  13. Cool your pan before you use it to bake a second batch of cupcakes.13
  14. Cupcakes should be completely cooled before they are frosted.17
  15. Do not store cupcakes in the refrigerator because it will dry out the cake's moisture.17
  16. Unfrosted cupcakes can be individually wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to three months.17 15

Variations

  1. Try substituting sour cream instead of milk.20
  2. Add 1/4 cup instant coffee to make chocolate cappuccino cupcakes.21
  3. If you like mint, add between 3/4 teaspoon to 3 teaspoons peppermint extract.22 23
  4. Add 16 ounces light canned sweet cherries to make chocolate cherry cupcakes. 24
  5. Make your cupcakes more nutritious by adding 2 cups finely grated, unpeeled zucchini.25

Conclusion

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References for How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes

  1. ↑ Medical News Today: Some Types Of Cocoa Could Improve Brain Function
  2. ↑ Joyofbaking.com: Cocoa Powder  WARNING: Ad-heavy
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Allchocolate.com: Cooking with Chocolate - Techniques and Tips
  4. ↑ Diary of a Chocolatier: Cocoa Powder's Processing, Origin Play Key Roles in Taste (September 9, 2008)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 About.com: Chocolate Types - All About Different Types of Chocolate  WARNING: Pop-ups
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Allrecipes: Chocolate Cupcakes
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Allrecipes: Easy Chocolate Cupcakes
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 MarthaStewart.com: Easy Chocolate Cupcakes
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Bake and Destroy: The Best Chocolate Cupcakes
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 MarthaStewart.com: Hershey's Chocolate Cupcakes
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Epicurious.com: Chocolate Cupcakes with Butterscotch Icing Recipe
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 About.com: Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe  WARNING: Pop-ups
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 CupcakeRecipes.com: Top Ten Tips for Baking a Perfect Cupcake
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 CBS News: The Secrets Of Cupcake Perfection, Taste Of Home Magazine Cupcake Contest Yields Sweet Results (May 25, 2007)
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Cupcakes Take The Cake: Cupcake Tips (July 6, 2005)
  16. ↑ About.com: Cupcake Tips  WARNING: Pop-ups
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Homemakers.com: 10 Expert Tips for Making Great Cupcakes
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 CupcakeRecipes.com: Cupcake Baking Tips
  19. ↑ DianasDesserts.com: Tips for Cupcakes
  20. ↑ About.com: Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes  WARNING: Pop-ups
  21. ↑ Reynolds Kitchens Cupcake Central: Chocolate Cappuccino Cupcakes
  22. ↑ Recipezaar: Chocolate Mint Cupcakes Recipe
  23. ↑ Reynolds Kitchens Cupcake Central: Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
  24. ↑ Recipezaar: Chocolate-Cherry Cupcakes Recipe
  25. ↑ Recipezaar: Chocolate-Zucchini Cupcakes Recipe


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