Not to brag, but I grew up smart. By smart, I mean I grew up loving chocolate, which is a very smart decision. It topped the charts in every area. Ice cream? Chocolate. Pancakes? Chocolate chip. Muffins? Double chocolate chunk. Birthday cake? Chocolate!! These classic chocolate cupcakes are for those like me, people whose hearts might as well be made of chocolate.
With icing as smooth as silk and a crumb structure as delicate as a butterfly, this classic chocolate cupcake is the perfect indulgence. They’re compact and great for a family gathering, a kid’s birthday party, or simply just to have around the house for a little snack!
The chocolate flavor in this recipe is unmatched, and I fully believe it is due to the quality and type of the cocoa. This recipe calls for dutch-process cocoa, and unfortunately, there is really no true substitution for this recipe. If you were to use a natural cocoa like Nestle or Hershey’s, your cake would be very flat and disappointing. I also think that the flavor of natural cocoa powder is too acidic to enjoy in this cupcake, and the acidity you are looking for will be found in the cream cheese frosting! But if you are really a die-hard natural cocoa powder fan, or cannot find dutch-process, I have added a substitution for you in the notes of the recipe.
What is dutch-process cocoa powder?
Dutch-process cocoa powder is cocoa powder that has gone through processing to make it more alkali. The processing works to neutralize the cocoa’s acidity, giving the flavor a more mellow, rich, chocolaty flavor. The process also works to make the powder easier to dissolve into liquids, and gives it a darker color. Due to its neutrality, the cocoa itself does not react with baking soda any longer, so more often than not, recipes with dutch-process cocoa rely on leaving in the form of baking powder. Now, I hope you realize why it is important to make sure that you are using dutch-process cocoa to make these classic chocolate cupcakes. It is important simply because this recipe is designed only for dutch-process cocoa powder, and without dutch-process, the cupcakes will not rise.
Devil’s Food Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1⅓ cups Cake Flour (you can substitute with All-Purpose Flour)
- ¾ cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1¾ cups Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Water (room temperature)
- ¾ cup Buttermilk (room temperature)
- 6 tbsp Canola Oil (can substitute with vegetable oil
- 1 Egg + 1 Egg Yolk
- 1½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese
- 2½ cups Powdered Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ⅓ cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder (can substitute for natural cocoa)
- 1-3 tablespoons Milk (preferably whole)
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
- In a separate, large bowl, add the water, buttermilk, oil, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whisk together until thoroughly mixed.
- Add the sugar to the wet ingredients and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three parts, whisking until just combined before each addition. Be careful not to over mix, you only want to mix until no streaks of flour remain. Not over-mixing will allow for the most tender cupcake.
- Pour into the lined muffin tin, filling each well a little over halfway full.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, and check with a toothpick for done-ness.
- Let cool for at least 30 minutes before attempting to frost.
For the Frosting:
- Make sure the butter and cream cheese are very soft, around room temperature. If they are not soft, there will be chunks of butter left in your cream cheese and it will not make smooth icing.
- Add the butter and cream cheese to a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until they become homogeneous and creamy. If you are using a stand mixer, you should have the paddle attachment on.
- Add the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract, and begin mixing slowly, or else sugar will fly EVERYWHERE. Mix until it is entirely incorporated.
- Sift in the cocoa powder and mix, again on low to begin with, until you are left with a thick icing.
- If your icing is a little too thick, add in the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. I usually wind up adding one tablespoon in total.
- Frost your cupcakes using your desired method.
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