One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting are a tried and true recipe! These easy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes are rich, moist and delicious, topped with a luscious, fudgy dark chocolate frosting. Make them for your sweetheart today!
If you love this chocolate cupcake recipe, you'll also love my Italian Chocolate Cake and classic Chocolate Swiss Roll, two rich chocolate desserts I make again and again.
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These one-bowl chocolate cupcakes are a recipe I've made countless times over the years. They're simple, reliable, and exactly the kind of chocolate cupcake I crave when I want something nostalgic, rich, and homemade.
There's something timeless about a classic chocolate cupcake. Moist crumb, deep cocoa flavor, and a thick layer of chocolate frosting on top. No mixers, no complicated steps, just one bowl and a cupcake that always delivers.
These are the cupcakes I remember from growing up. The kind that show up at birthdays, school parties, and special moments. And honestly, they still feel just as magical now.
Why I Love These One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
They're made in just one bowl with simple pantry ingredients.
The cupcakes bake up rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey.
Chocolate frosting makes them perfect for celebrations and holidays.
They're easy enough for beginner bakers but impressive every time.
Perfect for Valentine's Day, birthdays, or anytime chocolate cravings hit.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup warm water
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons safflower oil or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
How to Make One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting
Recipe Tips
- Use room-temperature eggs for a smoother batter.
- Don't overbake or the cupcakes will dry out.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting for the best texture.
- Top with sprinkles for a classic, nostalgic finish.
Did you make this and love it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below:)
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One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- CUPCAKES
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup warm water
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons safflower oil or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- FROSTING
- 2 ¼ c. confectioner's sugar
- ¼ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 6 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 ½ sticks butter at room temperature
- 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled
- ¾ c. sour cream
- Sift sugar cocoa, and salt into a bowl.
Instructions
- CUPCAKES
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each ⅔ full (I use a one scoop ice-cream scooper). Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
- FROSTING
- Beat cream cheese and butter in separate bowl on medium-high speed until smooth. Reduce speed and add sugar/cocoa/salt mixture slowly. Add melted chocolate slowly and beat until combined. Add sour cream and beat until smooth. Add your sprinkles.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Any cake that doesn't have a creaming step is a friend o' mine! And yours look so happy and friendly and come-hither. Yum.
Perfection as always!
I know how you feel, I have to tell my kids every day for 30 minutes to go and sleep, and yes they always tell me why I am so mad all the time:( And in general I am very happy person!
Baking soothes the soul.........I hope you're okay....
These are the cupcakes I remember from my childhood! I'm glad your baking therapy makes you feel better! Please know that we're all sending good healing thoughts your way and wishing you a healthy and happy forever!
Lots of baking therappy going around these days. Thanks for the quick and easy recipe and I'm sending you happy thoughts.
I heart cupcakes...and chocolate cupcakes...even bettah ; )
The cupcakes look wonderful and I bet daddy was quite happy 🙂
All parents have those moments when stresses are just too much...don't worry too much,it's the cupcake moments they will remember most 😉
Your cupcakes look so fun and delicious!I hope your worries are put to rest soon, and that all is well! Hang in there, Lora! 🙂
Chocolate cream cheese frosting rocks my world. Serious. And one bowl? OMG killer recipe!
Oh wow. Look at those photos! They are a-maz-ing. The pink background just makes those babies pop and I want them!! And any time with daddy helps everything.
I'm so sorry about that phone call and hope with fingers crossed that it's nothing serious.
Ah sweetie, I am so sorry you aren't feeling well but please know you are on my mind and I am sending you happy thoughts. We all have those phases where we snap at our kids and lose the pleasure out of life's little things but if baking makes you happy, then I am happy to be your taste-tester if needed 🙂
These ARE the cupcakes of my childhood. My mom didn't do fancy, she did traditional things with simple sprinkles like this and we LOVED it. At the end of the day, we could all use one of these gorgeous cupcakes.
Cupcakes ARE magical! Remember all those classroom parties when we were kids? Or bake sales where it was a tough decision choosing what cupcakes to buy? Or making cupcakes for your boyfriend? Ah ... cupcakes! Yours look spectacular! Channel the positive energy that cupcakes exude ... hope the health issues subside!
I think chocoalte cupcakes are my favorite thing to eat. Especially when they involve cute sprinkles 🙂 Makes me feel like a kid again!
These cupcakes are lovely Lora.. I'm sorry to hear of your health issues, but I hope they're getting better! I'm sure these cupcakes helped a bit 🙂
gorgeous cupcakes! i love the sprinkles on top... truly magical!
cant wait to give these a try!
this is such a sweet post, and im sure these cupcakes do have magical powers!
Please don't be too hard on yourself. I think a good parent always questions if they are a good parent or not. We're only human and I think it's important that your kids see all sides of you so they know it's okay to be imperfect. Great post and those cupcakes are seriously AMAZING!! I'm your newest follower 🙂
We all go through those moments so you are not alone. You are definitely not a crabby mum. I am glad baking offer you joy and peace. You bake beautifully as always.
I love making cupcakes like this! One of my favorites is to make chocolate-chocolate with the multi-colored sprinkles on top. These are really pretty and I am sure they are perfectly delicious!
Lora! I have so missed your entries and delicious baked goods! Hope you have been doing well. These cupcakes are so adorable - it's amazing what a few sprinkles can do, yes? 🙂 I hope you are having a beautiful week!