This recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes is sooo tried and true in this house! I have been making these cupcakes for about 25 years and I constantly try new recipes just to make sure there is nothing better out there. So far, this is the recipe that friends and family love the best. Easy to make, no need to cream butter and sugar. This cake gets its moistness from vegetable oil, so everything can be mixed in one bowl. A lot of scratch cake recipes that call for butter are sometimes dry. This particular recipe that calls for oil is sooooooo moist – never dry! IMPORTANT: Do not fill the muffin cups more than 3/4 full! They will run over and look sloppy! I try to fill mine about 2/3 full. This recipe will also make two 9″ cake layers that should be baked for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners (batter will make approximately 30 to 32 cupcakes). Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and sift into a large bowl.
Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla to the dry mixture; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. You can also whisk this batter until completely smooth. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full. Do not overfill. Bake for 15 to 16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake. Makes 30 – 32 cupcakes
- 2 cups sugar
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- 9 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2½ cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line 30 muffin tins with cupcake papers.
- Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl and sift.
- Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes (you can also whisk until the batter is smooth). Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
- Pour batter into muffin papers, ⅔ full.
- Bake 15 to 16 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool completely. Frost with chocolate buttercream frosting. Makes 30 to 32 cupcakes
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Melt chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes or until lukewarm. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the cream or milk while mixer is on low and beat until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat well for about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 minutes. Scrap down the bowl and beaters. Gradually add the sugar and beat on low speed until creamy and of desired consistency. If icing seems too thin to frost the cupcakes, place it in the refrigerator until firm enough to spread or pipe.
