Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

I love making this recipe for any serious chocolate lover because this whipped ganache frosting is so rich and delicious it tastes like a decadent chocolate mousse! And this pairs so well with the less chocolatey cupcake sponge.

If you love trying out new cupcake recipes then you have to try this recipe for Orange Cupcakes, these Pistachio and Raspberry Cupcakes, or these Pecan Pie Cupcakes.   

Unsalted butter – for this recipe use room-temperature unsalted butter.

Sunflower oil – using vegetable oil in cakes helps ensure a moist cake that lasts longer! Use neutral-tasting sunflower oil or canola oil.

Extra large eggs – if you don’t have extra large eggs, work out how many eggs you will need by cracking and weighing them. My eggs weigh 56 grams each out of their shell.

Cocoa powder – use quality unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe.

Strong brewed coffee – I make a cup of strong coffee using ground espresso beans and a French press, do the same to ensure you have a great quality coffee to add to your cake batter. You can also brew espresso, or use ground espresso powder mixed with hot water. 

Sour cream – this is used in the batter for an extra moist crumb and can be substituted with Greek yogurt if needed.

Dark chocolate – the frosting is made with dark chocolate and cream, I used 70% Lindt dark chocolate, use the same or find another quality, great-tasting dark chocolate. You can choose to use dark chocolate chips or a slab of chocolate.

Heavy cream – this is used to make the ganache frosting, choose a heavy cream with about a 37% fat content. 

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions for chocolate frosting

STEP 1: Prepare chocolate. Add the chocolate chips or the chopped chocolate slab to a large heatproof bowl.

STEP 2: Heat cream. Add the heavy cream to a medium saucepan set over medium heat, and allow the cream to warm until just before boiling.

STEP 3: Combine cream and chocolate. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and allow the mixture to sit for about 2 minutes before stirring with a rubber spatula. Once stirred all the chocolate should’ve melted and the mixture should be smooth.

STEP 4: Rest. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the melted chocolate mixture, and ensure the plastic makes contact with the surface of the chocolate mixture. Allow the ganache mixture to set for about 6 hours in the fridge.

Instructions for cupcakes

STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 2x 12-hole cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

STEP 2: Beat sugar, oil, and butter. Add the butter, oil, and sugar to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy.

STEP 3: Add the eggs. Add the eggs to the sugar and butter mixture one at a time. Beat well between each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl often.

STEP 4: Sift dry ingredients. In a large bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.

STEP 5: Combine wet ingredients. In a jug mix together the cooled coffee, sour cream, milk, and vanilla.

STEP 6: Add the wet and dry ingredients. With the mixer’s motor running at medium-low speed, add the wet ingredients and the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Do this by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour and ending with the wet ingredients.

STEP 7: Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix the cake batter again. Ensuring that it is well-mixed and lump-free.

STEP 8: Bake. Using a jug or ice-cream scoop pour the chocolate cupcake batter into the prepared cupcake liners and bake in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. 

Step 9: Cool. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Instructions for decorating

STEP 1: Beat. Once the cupcakes are ready to be frosted, beat the ganache using a handheld mixer or transfer it to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often.

STEP 2: Pipe. Add the frosting to a disposable piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle and pipe swirls of frosting onto the top of the cupcakes. Serve and enjoy!

Hint: the ganache mixer may be too hard to mix after sitting in the fridge at first, allow it to warm up for about an hour before beating if necessary. 

Variations

These cupcakes are delicious just the way they are! But, this is a great chocolate cupcake recipe to use when you'd like to get creative!

So if you’d like to try out a different frosting, look at this recipe for Orange Buttercream, this Raspberry Buttercream, or this Pistachio Buttercream recipe.

Equipment

For these moist chocolate cupcakes, you will need x2 12-hole cupcake tins, 24x paper liners, a cooling rack, a large mixing bowl, a disposable piping bag, a piping nozzle, and an electric mixer.

I always use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to make the buttercream as they help ensure a fluffy frosting. I also always use an accurate kitchen scale when baking.

Storage

Cupcakes cool quickly and dry out just as quickly so try to frost them the same day they are baked. If you don’t have time to decorate the cupcakes the same day as baking them, store them in an airtight container or cover the cupcake trays in plastic wrap until the next day.

For any leftover frosted cupcakes, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days. 

To freeze these delicious chocolate ganache cupcakes, place any leftover cupcakes in a freezer-safe air-tight container and freeze them for up to three months. Defrost properly before consuming them.

These are the perfect chocolate cupcakes to make for a birthday party, a weekend filled with entertaining, or when you’re home and looking for something utterly delicious.

If you make these fluffy chocolate fudge cupcakes and love them, please leave a comment and star review below – I love hearing from all of you!

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Happy Baking 

With Love, 

Kitty