Hot chocolate cupcakes have all the flavor of hot chocolate in a cupcake form. Moist chocolate cupcakes swirled with hot chocolate buttercream frosting and vanilla whipped cream with a sprinkle of hot chocolate mix. These hot cocoa cupcakes are perfect dessert for cold weather.
Ingredients for Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Semisweet chocolate chips
- Cocoa powder: I usually recommend dark cocoa powder, but for this recipe, I like regular cocoa powder.
- Boiling water
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vegetable oil: You can also use canola oil or another neutral baking oil.
- Eggs: Large eggs, room temperature.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract actually enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
Hot Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature.
- Hot chocolate mix: I love using Swiss Miss or Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix.
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract adds great flavor.
- Salt: To add a bit of contrast to the sweetness.
- Heavy cream: Helps the buttercream whip up to be light and fluffy.
Whipped Cream
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream will work well for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract adds a subtle vanilla flavor.
Tools & Supplies for Making Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Make the cupcake batter: Stir together the chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and boiling water. Whisk the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Bake the cupcakes: Portion the cupcake batter into cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the hot chocolate buttercream frosting: Whip the unsalted butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the hot chocolate mix and powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Drizzle in the heavy cream. Whip the buttercream for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Make the whipped cream: Whip the heavy cream and vanilla extract until medium-stiff peaks form.
- Assemble the cupcakes: Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1A piping tip with the hot chocolate buttercream frosting. Pipe two rings of buttercream onto the cupcakes. Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the whipped cream, and pipe a swirl of whipped cream on top of the buttercream. Sprinkle with hot chocolate mix.
Recipe Tips
- Check out my baking tips blog post on 10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cupcakes to learn my favorite tips and tricks for baking the best cupcakes.
- Not a fan of the whipped cream? Add mini marshmallows or a dollop of marshmallow fluff/marshmallow creme on the top of the cupcakes in place of the whipped cream.
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 days. The whipped cream begins to wilt after a few days, so it is best to eat them within a day or two of making. To serve, remove the cupcakes from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to soften the buttercream frosting.
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Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cup boiling water
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs room temperature
- â…“ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Hot Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup hot chocolate mix
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Whipped Cream
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl or a glass liquid measuring cup, stir together the semisweet chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and boiling water until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until just combined. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners about â…” full. Bake the cupcakes for approximately 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when touched.
- Remove the pan from the oven and cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Hot Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and fluffy.
- Add in the powdered sugar and hot chocolate mix and mix on low speed until combined. Add in the vanilla extract and salt, and then drizzle in the heavy cream.
- Turn the mixer to medium speed and whip the frosting for 5 minutes until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Whipped Cream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or with an electric hand mixer, whip the heavy cream and vanilla extract until medium-stiff peaks form.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1A piping tip with the hot chocolate buttercream frosting. Pipe two rings of buttercream onto the cupcakes. Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the whipped cream, and pipe a swirl of whipped cream on top of the buttercream. Sprinkle with hot chocolate mix.
Notes
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