This is the perfect recipe for a small batch of 6 soft and fluffy chocolate cupcakes. The cupcakes are quick and easy (made in one bowl) and topped with vanilla buttercream frosting.
We love small batch recipes! These cupcakes join our Small Batch Brownies and Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies. Prefer a vanilla cupcake? Try our Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes.
These cupcakes are
Quick and easy: The batter comes together in one bowl, in minutes!
Soft and fluffy: These cupcakes have a beautiful dome and a fluffy texture.
Flavorful: The chocolate flavor is enhanced with a bit of coffee (more on this below) and rounded out with smooth vanilla frosting.
Perfect for small celebrations: Celebrating with just a few people? This recipe is a great option that won’t leave you with a bunch of leftovers.
Recipe overview
*Full recipe below in recipe card*
Make the cupcakes:
- Combine dry ingredients.
- Add egg, oil, milk, and vanilla.
- Add hot coffee.
Divide the batter between six lined muffin cups.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the cupcakes have puffed up and a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean.
Make the vanilla buttercream frosting:
Combine butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.
Assemble:
Pipe or spread the frosting onto each cupcake. Topped with sprinkles or chocolate shavings.
Special ingredient: hot coffee
Maybe you’ve seen espresso powder or instant coffee added to cookies or brownies to enhance the flavor? We’re using the same technique here. Adding coffee (instead of water) helps intensify the chocolate flavor in these cupcakes. And using hot coffee helps to draw out even more rich flavor from the cocoa powder.
SUBSCRIBE to our free NEWSLETTER – Follow on INSTAGRAM
Recipe
Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup hot coffee, see note
Vanilla frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk, half and half, or cream, plus more, if needed
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 6 muffin cups or place 6 liners in a muffin pan. Set aside.
- With a stand mixer or hand mixer, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract and beat until well combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add hot coffee and beat until just combined. Batter will be thin.
- Divide evenly between 6 prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the tops spring back when you touch them, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting:
- Beat butter and powdered sugar for several minutes, until smooth. Add vanilla extract and milk, and beat for several more minutes, until light and fluffy. If the frosting seems a little too thick, beat in a splash of milk. If it seems too thin, add another tablespoon of powdered sugar.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes using a decorating tip or a butter knife. Garnish with sprinkles or chocolate shavings, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
D Y
Pure perfection! It’s difficult finding recipes you can trust. This one is straightforward and convenient. It has every component one would look for in a great cupcake…light, tender crumbs, moist, and flavorful. I’m definitely keeping this one in my arsenal. Thank you for sharing!
Allison
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Elizabeth Vardon
These are fast and easy and absolutely delicious!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Linda
Both the cupcakes and the frosting turned out great. The frosting was not overly sweet- however, I needed about 3 T of half & half to get the proper consistency. Thanks for sharing! Will definitely make again.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Dianne D
The absolute best small batch cupcakes…simple, easy and delicious ✨
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Theodore R ONeill
Great recipe. Worked great.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Hannah
Can I skip the coffee part?
Allison
Hi, Hannah! You can use hot water in place of the coffee. Enjoy!
Candice
Can I freeze and frost them a few days later?
Allison
Yes, that should be fine.
Faith Holston
Sooo easy and sooo delicious. Thanks for the most amazingly easy cupcake recipe!! This is a keeper. (I added a bit of cocoa to the frosting to turn it into chocolate flavored. So good)
Allison
You’re welcome! Thanks for the kind review. 🙂
V
Hey there! I can’t say enough about these amazing cupcakes! I recently made a 2 layer 6 inch cake with a different recipe (for simplicity reasons) and I was so disappointed! The cake itself was so dry that the frosting and jam i used didn’t quite quench it enough.
THIS recipe has me spoiled in the best way and it’s easy to double it. I don’t like to “wing it” with baking, or I would have doubled this and tried to make a 6 inch cake with it. Not all cupcake recipes are good to use as a layer cake, apparently. Do you happen to have a cake version of this, or do you happen to know how much batter this recipe makes? I’m happy with cupcakes [much less fuss than layer cake] but it’d be great to use this recipe for either! <3
Allison
Hi! I would guess that this recipe would double with success but I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. I adapted this recipe from Ina Garten’s chocolate layer cake: https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/beattys-chocolate-cake
Patty
I converted to a gluten free mini cupcake for a superbowl party and they were so good I made them for my coworkers for Valentine’s Day!
To make the switch I started by taking the egg and milk out (gf works best room temp). I used King Arthur one to one flour. Then for the milk I used 2oz 2% milk and 1oz heavy cream to make sure my fat content was good. I was out of canola and used EVOO and added a little extra as I find fat helpful in my gf baking. This made me 24 mini cupcakes- I kept the same temp but baked for 13 minutes. They were amazing light and moist. I made a different frosting so I can’t speak to the frosting recipe but I’m guessing it’s great bc these were the single best gf cupcakes I’ve ever had.
Allison
Thanks for sharing your experience, Patty. I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Anna
these are absolutely delicious! definitely making these again!:)
Allison
That’s great to hear! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
SWK
I doubled the recipe, subbed the coffee with 2 TBS hot cocoa mix and more milk (3/4 c milk total for the doubled recipe) and it turned out delicious!
(Not doubled would be 1 TBS of hot cocoa mix and 3/8 c milk)
Allison
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Elaine Ellms
I have made this recipe twice once with six cupcakes and once with double recipe, both times they came out great I found the frosting a a bit too sweet and will cut down on the powdered sugar next time. Overall, this is a very easy recipe and quick recipe. I highly recommend it and will try other recipes on this website. Thanks so much.
Allison
Hi, Elaine. That’s great to hear! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. 🙂