Moist chocolate cupcakes with mocha buttercream frosting recipe

Moist chocolate cupcakes with mocha buttercream frosting recipe

These Chocolate Cupcakes are moist, chocolatey, and topped with a mocha buttercream frosting for a delicious snack or dessert. They’re quick and easy to make, and with no eggs, they’re a great vegan treat.

Baking is not exactly a skill set I can proudly write to mama about, but occasionally, I like to roll up my sleeves and whip up baked goodies like I’m the next Sara Lee. There’s just something about the aroma of freshly baked cookies or cupcakes that screams comfort food.

Although I don’t bake as often as I cook, I do have a few baking recipes in my back pocket I put to good use year-round. These super moist chocolate cupcakes with mocha buttercream frosting, in fact, are based on my favorite cake recipe which is probably the quickest and simplest one you’d come across.

The cake, which goes by many names such as cockeyed, depression, or wacky cake, is my go-to when I am craving something sweet and indulgent but don’t have the time or energy to deal with dirty bowls after. All it needs is a minute of whisking and 30 minutes in the oven to come out moist and chocolatey EVERY TIME. The batter even gets mixed and baked in the same pan!

You can make this recipe in an 8 x 8 baking pan if you prefer a cake or in muffin tins for individual cupcakes. You get an amazing baked treat the whole family will love either way.

And if you’re looking for a vegan treat, this is it! There are no eggs in the batter as the use of vinegar is where the magic lies. As an acid, it reacts with baking soda to produce carbon dioxide, which lifts the batter as it bakes.

Don’t worry; the finished product will have no aftertaste, and no one would be able to tell there’s vinegar in it.

Baking Tips

To boost the chocolate flavor, add a teaspoon of instant coffee granules to the batter.

I use distilled white vinegar but apple cider vinegar will work, too.

If you’re baking this as a cake, you can stir all the ingredients and bake in the same pan. There’s no need to grease the baking pan.

I included a delicious mocha buttercream frosting which really goes well with the chocolate flavor but you can just sprinkle the cupcakes with powdered sugar or use store-bought icing if you want to keep things simple.