Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Name: Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 68 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 3/4 cup hot coffee or water; 1/4 cup neutral oil (avocado, canola, or vegetable); 1/3 cup buttermilk; 1 large egg; 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar; 6 oz semisweet baking chocolate; 1 1/2 cups salted butter (softened); 3 cups confectioner's sugar; 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder; 2 tsp vanilla extract

These cupcakes use hot coffee to bloom the cocoa and create an incredibly tender crumb. The frosting is made with real melted chocolate instead of just cocoa powder, so it tastes more like fudge than regular buttercream.

By Charlotte Everly-JamesFebruary 9, 2026

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Ingredients (~18 cupcakes)

Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup hot coffee or water
1/4 cup neutral oil (avocado, canola, or vegetable)
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar

Chocolate Frosting

6 oz semisweet baking chocolate
1 1/2 cups salted butter, softened
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat Oven and Prep Muffin Pans

Get your oven to 350F.

Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners – you’ll need one standard 12-cup pan and one 6-cup pan, or use two 12-cup pans and fill 6 cups with water to keep the empty pan from warping.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until no lumps remain.

The Dutch process cocoa is important here – it has a deeper chocolate flavor and mixes more easily than natural cocoa.

Combine Wet Ingredients

Pour the hot coffee into a large mixing bowl, then add the oil, buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and vinegar in that order.

Whisk everything together until smooth – the hot coffee will warm the other ingredients slightly, which helps them combine better.

Make the Cupcake Batter

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold together with a spatula just until combined.

Don’t overmix – you want to eliminate any flour or cocoa streaks, but the batter should stay tender. It’ll be thinner than typical cupcake batter, almost pourable.

Fill Muffin Cups and Bake

Divide the batter evenly between your prepared muffin cups – each should be about 2/3 full.

A large cookie scoop makes this easier and keeps the cupcakes uniform in size.

Bake for ~20-23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.

The tops shouldn’t look wet or shiny when they’re done. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Melt the Chocolate for Frosting

Break the chocolate into pieces and microwave in a bowl for 60 seconds.

Stir, then continue microwaving in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth.

Set aside to cool slightly while you work on the butter – you don’t want it so hot that it melts the butter when you add it.

Make the Chocolate Frosting

Beat the softened butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until it’s creamy and has lightened to a pale yellow color.

Sift the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder together, then add to the butter. Start the mixer on low speed to avoid a sugar cloud.

Slowly pour in the cooled melted chocolate, add the vanilla, and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Scrape down the bowl and beaters as needed to make sure everything incorporates evenly.

Frost and Serve

Pipe or spread the frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes.

The frosting will be rich and fudgy – a little goes a long way compared to regular buttercream.