You’ve found the softest, ultra-moist chocolate cupcakes that stay fluffy for days, this is the recipe. These cupcakes are rich without being heavy, perfectly chocolatey, and have that bakery-style crumb that melts in your mouth.
This is my go-to chocolate cupcake base for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, and Cupcake Klub favourites 🤎
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Cupcakes
• Incredibly soft and moist
• No creaming butter
• Rich chocolate flavour without dryness
• Stays soft even the next day (store in air tight container, in the fridge)
🧁 Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Makes: 12 standard cupcakes
(Scroll down for mini cupcakes 👇)
Dry Ingredients
• 1 cup plain flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder (Dutch-processed if available)
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
Wet ingredients
• ½ cup milk (or buttermilk for extra softness)
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil (key for moisture)
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup hot water or hot coffee (enhances chocolate flavour)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 170°C (fan) / 180°C (conventional).
Line a cupcake tray with liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients until smooth and lump-free.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk milk, oil, egg, and vanilla until combined.
4. Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture and gently mix until just combined.
5. Slowly stir in the hot water or coffee. The batter will be thin, this is exactly what you want.
6. Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full.
7. Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a skewer comes out with soft, moist crumbs (not wet batter).
8. Remove from oven and cool completely before icing.
🍫 Nutella-Filled Cupcakes (Post-Bake Method)
This method gives you full control over the filling and guarantees a rich, gooey Nutella centre every time.
How to fill cupcakes after baking
1. Once cupcakes are completely cool, use a small knife, cupcake corer, or piping tip to cut a hole in the centre of each cupcake.
(About 2–3 cm deep, don’t cut all the way through.)
2. Spoon or pipe 1–2 teaspoons of Nutella into the cavity.
3. Trim the cut-out cupcake piece and place it back on top to seal, or leave it out if icing will fully cover the top.
4. Ice cupcakes as desired.
Pro tips (bakery-style)
• Slightly warm the Nutella for easier piping.
• Use a round piping tip to core neatly.
• Don’t overfill, too much Nutella can push up through the icing.
• This method is perfect if you want extra filling without affecting bake time.
✨ Why These Cupcakes Are So Soft
• Oil instead of butter keeps them moist without hardening
• Hot liquid blooms the cocoa for deeper flavour
• Lower baking temperature prevents over-baking
• Thin batter creates a tender, bakery-style crumb
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
• Bake at the same temperature
• Bake time: 10–12 minutes
• Check early, mini cupcakes dry out quickly if overbaked
🍰 Best Icing Pairings
• Chocolate buttercream (extra cocoa + splash of cream)
• Whipped chocolate ganache
• Vanilla buttercream (classic bakery combo)
• Cream cheese frosting (less sweet, beautifully soft)
Final Tip
For the softest cupcakes, remove them from the oven as soon as the centre is just set. Overbaking is the #1 reason chocolate cupcakes turn dry.
Enjoy! Love, the cupcake mum ❤️
THE CUPCAKE MUM RECIPES 
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