Chocolate Mini Cupcakes (from scratch)

Close up view of mini cupcakes with frosting.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate mini cupcakes

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 25

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 38kcal

Author: Kara @I Scream for Buttercream

These are the best mini chocolate cupcakes that are made from scratch, are super moist and just perfect for snacks and parties.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch processed cocoa - see notes)
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk
2 large eggs
¼ cup hot water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add mini cupcake liners to two 24-count mini cupcake (or mini muffin) pans and spray them lightly with non-stick spray. (If you don't have two mini cupcake pans, just bake one batch at a time.) There will only be enough batter to partially fill the second pan.
In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar). Mix well with a whisk.
Add all the liquid ingredients, except for the hot water, to a mixing bowl and whisk well.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the liquid ingredients. Mix with an electric mixer on medium just until the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 5-10 seconds more.
Add the hot water and mix until well combined. Be careful not to over mix. Once it’s combined, stop mixing. You don’t want to mix for several minutes, that’s too long.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 5-10 seconds.
Fill mini cupcake liners a little over half way up (about ⅔ of the way full). Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 10-12 minutes. (If using only one pan, cover the remaining batter with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until the first batch bakes. Remember there will only be enough batter to partially fill the second pan.)
Set the mini cupcakes on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes, then take the cupcakes out of the pan and let them cool completely before adding frosting. (See notes for frosting options with links to those recipes.)

Notes

*Dutch-processed cocoa is different from regular unsweetened cocoa powder. See the FAQs in this post to explain why a recipe calls for one and not the other.

You can top these cupcakes with chocolate buttercream. (You may want to cut the frosting recipes in half as you won't need as much for mini cupcakes.) Here are a few recipes you can try:

Double Chocolate Buttercream

Chocolate Fudge Frosting (Just scroll down past the yellow cake recipe to get the fudge frosting.)

Whipped Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

These cupcakes will keep for a few days, covered at room temperature. Keep them in an airtight container, so they don’t dry out. If you add perishable frosting, these will need to be kept in the refrigerator well covered so they don't dry out.

Nutritional values are an estimate. Nutritional information is for the cupcakes only and does not include any frosting.

Make sure to check out the TIPS & FAQs for this recipe in the blog post, which may answer questions you might have about substitutions and other issues.

This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition