Chocolate Cupcakes

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the dark cocoa/dutch-process cocoa powder, semisweet chocolate chips, boiling water, and instant espresso powder until the chocolate chips are melted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until well combined. Add in the vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, and whisk until the cupcake batter is well combined and smooth. (The batter will be thin)
Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ full. Use a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a spout to easily fill the cupcake liners.
Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when gently touched. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and the dark cocoa/dutch-process cocoa powder and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined.
Add the vanilla extract and salt. While mixing on low speed, drizzle in the heavy cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy.
Optional: To smooth out the buttercream and remove any air bubbles, heat ½ cup of the frosting in the microwave for 15 seconds. Pour the melted frosting back into the mixing bowl and mix the frosting on low speed until the buttercream is super smooth and creamy.

Assembling the Cupcakes

Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the chocolate buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cooled chocolate cupcakes and decorate with chocolate sprinkles, if desired.

Notes

Storage: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.

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Note: Metric conversions and nutritional information are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.