Quick and Moist Easy Chocolate Cupcakes from Scratch

You can mix 12 quick and moist easy chocolate cupcakes from scratch using just a microwave, a whisk, and two bowls. The batter relies on a combination of butter and oil to bake up soft and stay moist for days. The 350°F (180°C) oven temperature cooks them in twenty minutes.

The Wet Ingredients

You build the batter by preparing the Wet Ingredients in a single large heatproof bowl. You start by melting the unsalted butter and broken dark chocolate pieces together in the microwave. Heat the bowl for 45 seconds and stir the contents. Microwave the bowl for another 30 seconds. You can use extra 20-second bursts if you still see solid pieces. Stir the mixture until the liquid looks completely even. The dark baking chocolate needs at least 70 percent cocoa for a strong taste. Eating chocolate does not work well here.

Once the butter and solid chocolate melt together, you mix in the Dutch-processed cocoa powder. The hot liquid blooms the cocoa to increase the overall chocolate flavor. Next, you pour in the milk and the neutral vegetable oil. This liquid cools the hot butter mixture down so the eggs do not cook when you whisk them in later. You add the eggs, vanilla extract, and white vinegar after the oil and milk. The oil provides the long-lasting moisture, while the butter adds a traditional cake flavor.

The Dry Ingredients

A separate bowl holds the Dry Ingredients. This mix consists of plain or all-purpose flour, caster sugar, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. You pass these through a sieve placed over a bowl to break up any lumps. Whisk them briefly to combine everything. You then pour the dry flour mixture into the bowl of Wet Ingredients.

This batter behaves a lot like a quick bread or a muffin mix. The mixture tolerates minor measurement variations easily. You simply whisk the ingredients together by hand until the batter looks smooth. You do not need an electric mixer for this step.

Baking the cupcakes

You divide the finished batter among 12 paper liners in a standard tin. Fill each cup just over three-quarters full.

Bake the batch at 350°F (180°C) for 18 to 20 minutes. A skewer poked into the middle of a center cake comes out clean when they are fully baked. Turn the oven off and move the cakes to a cooling rack right away so they stop baking.

Making the frosting

To prepare the icing, begin by melting the unsalted butter. Whisk the cocoa powder directly into the hot liquid until it looks completely smooth. Next, incorporate the powdered sugar and the initial three to four tablespoons of milk. Stir the mixture well, adding a splash of extra milk if the paste feels too thick. You are looking for a soft, spreadable finish that reminds you of peanut butter.

Once baked, the cakes possess a firm structure capable of supporting heavy layers of piped or spread icing. The standard batch of frosting yields two and a half tablespoons per cupcake. If you prefer to apply a thin layer instead, simply reduce the frosting butter to 70 grams. Always wait until the cakes cool completely before adding the spread. You can then finish each treat with sprinkles or other decorations.

Ingredient substitutions

A few common swaps work well in this recipe if you lack the exact items.

• Standard cocoa powder can replace the Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
• One and a half teaspoons of baking powder can replace the baking soda. The baked cupcakes will be slightly less fluffy if you make this change.
• Super fine sugar or normal white sugar works perfectly as caster sugar.
• You need powdered sugar or soft icing sugar for the frosting. Pure icing sugar is not recommended.

Storing the leftovers

These baked cupcakes maintain their moisture for up to three days if placed inside a sealed container. When dealing with a hot environment, keep the frosted cakes in the refrigerator. Allow any chilled cupcakes time to reach room temperature prior to serving them. You can also freeze the batch successfully, whether they are left unfrosted or already covered in frosting.