Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes!
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Easy, delicious and super insane chocolate fudge cupcakes with the ultimate chocolate buttercream frosting!
Chocolate fudge cupcakes
So the time has come, to morph my chocolate fudge cake into the very sort after chocolate fudge cupcakes. Honestly, this has been SO requested that I apologise that it’s taken so long. These are the most incredible cupcakes, so here they are.
From the start I will say that these are quite a bit more intense than the classic ‘chocolate cupcake’. If you are after something delicious, but easier and more basic, then check out my chocolate cupcakes recipe! They’re more chocolate Victoria sponge based, whereas these beauties are intense and wonderful and super fudgy like they should be.
The cupcakes
For the cupcake sponges, you need to use dark chocolate in the cake sponge as this is part of what makes it so fudgey, so PLEASE don’t switch it to milk chocolate. Don’t worry if you don’t like dark chocolate, they don’t taste bitter – they taste like a rich and delicious chocolate cake.
The cupcakes features coffee and even if you don’t like coffee, you need to use it – they don’t taste like coffee, it just makes the cupcakes super chocolate and heavenly.
The cupcakes use buttermilk which helps create moisture and creates the rise in the cupcakes and it’s great. Don’t worry if you can’t find it in the shops though, you can make it yourself – mix 1tbsp lemon juice with 250ml whole milk to create your own.
This sort of cake mixture is a lot thinner once you have made it, in comparison to a normal cake batter like a chocolate Victoria sponge. When I make it, I really just use my hand and a whisk and a spatula… there is no need for an electric mixer for these cupcakes as the batter is so easy to mix together.
Simple method
Melt the chocolate and butter, add in the dissolved coffee, whisk all the dry ingredients together, and whisk the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk together and you have a cake! They bake for about 20 minutes at 160ºfan, (or 30+ at 140ºc) and they are gloriously easy to create.
For the frosting, it’s just basically a cocoa powder American buttercream frosting, but mixed with evaporated milk. This is basically all that makes it special, but IT IS WORTH IT.
The evaporated milk is 100% worth the investment because it levels up the frosting so much. I tend to buy the mini tin size, so as there isn’t as much wastage, but with this recipe there is about half a tin left. I then use it up in another batch of cupcakes or use it in another recipe.
Decoration
The decoration of cupcakes like this is so easy, and I just adore something that is quick and easy to achieve. I went for adding my delicious chocolate fudge frosting to a large piping bag with my favourite piping tip, and swirled it onto the cupcakes.
I used a mixture of sprinkles on top as I love how it looks, but it’s entirely up to you how you decorate them – add fruit, a drizzle of chocolate, chocolates etc and you will have a winner.
Tips & Tricks
- This recipe is based on my chocolate fudge cake with a few changes to suit the cupcakes
- I used this medium 2D closed star piping tip
- And I used these gorgeous baking cups from Iced Jems
- The evaporated milk cannot be switched to condensed milk.
- The soured cream can be used, or the buttermilk.
- These cupcakes will last for 3+ days at room temperature
- These cupcakes will freeze for 3+ months easily
Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes!
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes!
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 75 ml boiling water
- 100 g plain flour
- 20 g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 200 g light brown sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 75 ml buttermilk (or soured cream)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
For the Frosting!
- 150 g unsalted butter (room temp - not stork/spread)
- 300 g icing sugar
- 35 g cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
- 75-100 ml evaporated milk
Decorations
- Sprinkles
Instructions
For the Cupcakes!
- Preheat your oven to 160C/140C fan, and get your cupcake cases ready.
- In a microwave proof bowl, add your chocolate and butter and heat and mix until melted. I usually do 30 second bursts!
- Pour the boiling water onto the coffee granules and mix until smooth - add the coffee mix into the chocolate/butter mix until smooth.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and sugar to a large bowl and whisk until distributed.
- Mix together the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.
- Add the three mixes together - I pour the chocolate/coffee mix and the egg/soured cream mix into the dry ingredients and fold until smooth.
- Split the mixture evenly between the baking cases. I use regular baking cups from Iced Jems, and I fill them 2/3 full.
- Bake in the oven for 28-32 minutes, or until baked.
- Leave to cool fully once baked!
For the Frosting!
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature!
- Beat the butter on it's own for a few minutes to soften!
- Add in the icing sugar and cocoa powder 1/2 at a time, and beat until combined.
- Add in the vanilla if using, and then the evaporated milk a little at a time beating fully in-between each go!
Decoration!
- Pipe onto your cupcakes how you please! I used a medium 2D closed star piping tip.
- Sprinkle on your favourite sprinkles and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is based on my chocolate fudge cake with a few changes to suit the cupcakes
- I used this medium 2D closed star piping tip
- And I used these gorgeous baking cups from Iced Jems
- The evaporated milk cannot be switched to condensed milk.
- The soured cream can be used, or the buttermilk.
- These cupcakes will last for 3+ days at room temperature
- These cupcakes will freeze for 3+ months easily
Find my other recipes on my Recipes Page!
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J x
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I made these twice now and got roaring feedback each time. I pull them out just a little early so they are still fudgy on the inside, and wow!
I have been asked for your recipe and have forwarded the link to your website more times than i can count.
Thank you for this fabulous recipe. It is now my go to recipe for the kids cupcakes.
Hi!!! Have made this recipe twice now with amazing results, but am wondering if I make a batch for a single friend whether she would be ok to freeze some of them?
For sure!! x
Hi jane do you not sieve the coco powder or flour? Xx
No never – I rarely sieve anything! x
These are delicious! Made them tonight! What’s the best way to store and how long can I keep before they all need to be eaten!
These look amazing, will be trying them this weekend but my little boy has a dairy allergy and I can’t get hold of vegan evaporated milk – do you think the vegan emlea double cream would work well? I love you’re recipes, they’re my go to! x
I would just leave out the evaporated milk as dairy free butter is soft and it won’t need any added liquid x
Hi I want too make these but only have self raising flour. Will that be OK or wait till.i go shops
Hi Jane, I am making these delicios cupcakes again. Could I add orange zest to the batter mix and orange juice to the buttercream?
Have a look at my Terrys chocolate orange cupcakes for guidance on this!xx
Hi Jane,
Would this be enough to make a 2 layer 6 inch cake please? I’m hoping to fill and cover it with salted caramel buttercream and add a chocolate drip. Do you think that would work?
Thanks 😊
I don’t have co co powder! Could I melt chocolate for the buttercream?
For these you need the cocoa powder!
Hi
Did t have dark chocolate, used milk chocolate , used dark coca powder instead also didn’t have light brown sugar so used 1/2 teaspoon treacle with white sugar , they tasted lovely would there of been much difference in taste ?
Hi Jane love these cupcakes how long could I keep them frozen for . Making them for my nephews party and would like to make them a few weeks in advance .
Hey!! You can keep them frozen for up to three months, ahh how lovely I hope you all love them xx
Hi Jane, I loveeeee this recipe! And the icing is a triumph – my new favorite. I tried using it on a coffee cake, and exchanging the cocoa for extra icing sugar, and adding a few tsp of dissolved instant coffee. But the mix seems to split unless I ice the cake and get it in the fridge quickly. Do you think it’s the addition of the coffee because of the water content? Thanks!
Yeah it will be xx
Amazing, gorgeous taste of chocolate. Best chocolate ones i have made. My now go to recipe, lovely and moist too.
I only get 9 out of my mixture, but that could be
the size of my cases. Thank you for a gorgeous recipe.
Awh I am so glad you love them as much as I do! Yes if your cases are bigger you will get less but im happy you enjoy them!x
You are an absolute genius!!!!! I’ve just used this recipe for the most decadent chocolate cupcakes ever. This is gonna be my go to chocolate cupcake recipe from now on!
Hi Jane,
If I make double the amount of frosting to use up my evaporated milk could I freeze the remaining frosting to use at a later stage? Thank you
Yes you can do! x
Some baking powders aren’t gluten free but you can get gluten free baking powder.
Hi Jane,
Apart from the flour would there be anything else in these cupcakes that wouldn’t contain gluten
You would need to double check all ingredients you buy as brands can vary – but it should just be the flour.
Hi Jane! How would this batter react in a mini bundt tin? I want to make some mini chocolate bundts and the recipes I’ve tried so far haven’t given a soft, fudgey enough result yet! Thanks
I think as long as you have a really good release spray/paste on the mould, they would be fine!
Amazing! Icing was so silky and smooth! Can I just ask, as the buttercream is made with evaporated milk, are these safe to leave out at room temperature for up to 3 days to eat? Jodie x
Yes they are totally safe! So glad you liked them x
Incredible recipe! Will be definitely making again and they were incredible well received by my housemates. I could slightly taste the coffee the first day, however cakes I ate on subsequent days didn’t have this taste (perhaps they were still slightly warm the first time which may have made a difference? I also used decaf coffee as this is all I had so perhaps this made a difference). The coffee taste had definitely gone by the following morning though and they were delicious! Will definitely make it into my regular rotation of baking recipes!