FREE PRINTABLE RECIPE
Get the Printable Recipe PDF (Free)
Enter your email and we’ll send you the ingredients + step-by-step instructions as a clean PDF you can save to your phone.
- ✅ Printable PDF (ingredients + steps)
- ✅ Save it to your phone (no long scrolling)
- ✅ Includes cook time + servings
- ✅ Easy to follow
FAQ
Where’s the full recipe?
It’s delivered as a printable PDF so you can save it and cook without scrolling.
I didn’t get the email.
Check Spam/Promotions and search your inbox for your site name. Then click Confirm to receive the PDF.
simple chocolate cupcake recipe
- Total Time: 170 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Diet: General
Description
A simple chocolate cupcake recipe featuring a moist, tender base, elevated by a sophisticated cardamom and orange blossom pastry cream filling, perfect for special occasions without complicated techniques.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup (60 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 0.5 cup (120 mL) whole milk, room temperature
- 0.25 cup (60 mL) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup (120 mL) hot water or hot coffee
- 1 cup (240 mL) whole milk (for filling)
- 0.25 cup (50 g) granulated sugar (for filling)
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 0.5 teaspoon (2 g) ground green cardamom
- 0.5 teaspoon (5 mL) orange blossom water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 6 ounces (170 g) dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), finely chopped
- 0.5 cup (120 mL) heavy cream
- Pinch extra ground cardamom, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Cupcake Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- Combine Ingredients and Bake: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture, stirring until just combined. Gently stir in the hot water or coffee until smooth; avoid overmixing. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Make Cardamom Pastry Cream: While cupcakes cool, whisk together the filling milk, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and cardamom in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the orange blossom water, vanilla extract, and cubed butter until smooth. Transfer to a shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap (surface contact), and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until fully chilled.
- Core and Fill Cupcakes: Once cupcakes are completely cool, use a small paring knife or corer to remove a cone shape from the center of each cupcake, leaving a half-inch border. Transfer the chilled filling to a piping bag or spoon generously into the hollowed centers.
- Prepare Ganache Topping: Place the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until simmering; pour over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Gently whisk from the center outwards until smooth and glossy.
- Finish and Garnish: Spoon or pipe the warm ganache over each filled cupcake, allowing it to drip slightly. Immediately dust with a pinch of ground cardamom for a final aromatic garnish.
Notes
To achieve a richer chocolate flavor, use hot brewed coffee instead of hot water. To prevent dense cupcakes, be careful not to overmix the batter. The baked cupcakes can be prepared two days in advance and stored at room temperature before filling. The filling requires at least two hours to chill completely.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: General
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 345 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg