Chocolate Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cheese Cream Icing are moist and perfect chocolate cupcakes. These homemade chocolate cupcakes are light, fluffy and easy to make.
Cupcakes are the perfect dessert for any occasion. If you’ve been looking for a classic chocolate cupcake recipe to try, this is the one. You are going to love them! You will be glad you took the time to make these super special cupcakes!
I’m sharing a CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING option so you can make the most delicious chocolate cupcakes.
Jump to:
- WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- HOW DO YOU MAKE THESE CUPCAKES SO FLUFFY?
- CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS
- INGREDIENTS FOR MASCARPONE ICING
- HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- TIPS FOR MAKING MASCARPONE ICING
- OPTIONAL FILLING
- EXPERT TIPS
- HOW DO YOU STORE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH MASCARPONE CHEESE ICING?
- VARIATIONS OF THE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- WANT TO MAKE MINI CUPCAKES?
- FAQs
- MORE EASY BAKING RECIPES
- TOOLS YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE AND LOVE IT?
- Chocolate Cupcakes
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- They are made with common baking ingredients that you may even have in your pantry right now.
- Quick – From mixing, baking and eating is less than 40 minutes.
- Easy to make – There are only 3 steps to this recipe, mix dry Ingredients, mix wet ingredients, and bake.
HOW DO YOU MAKE THESE CUPCAKES SO FLUFFY?
The first step to cupcake perfection is using cake flour, which is a lighter, lower protein flour. Less protein also means less gluten, and that means a less dense cupcakes. Second of the contributing factors to this are the ingredients baking powder and baking soda. Using too little of either of those can cause your cupcakes to not rise enough and using too much of those can cause them to rise quickly and then collapse.
CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS
- Cake flour – I find that cake flour is the perfect flour for this recipe.
- Plain Yogurt – You may substitute sour cream here if you like. This step also adds to the moist texture.
- Granulated sugar – There’s just 1/4 cup of sugar in these cupcakes, so they’ll never be too sweet.
- Baking powder and baking soda – I use both of these leavening agents in my cupcakes, because they both act in a different way.
- Eggs – The eggs add moisture and bind the cupcake together to keep it from crumbling.
- Vegetable Oil – Vegetable Oil make the cupcakes soft and moist.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Using a good quality cocoa powder makes the cupcakes the most chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla – Use a high quality vanilla to ensure flavor.
- Salt – Salt to enhance the flavor.
INGREDIENTS FOR MASCARPONE ICING
- Mascarpone Cheese
- Double cream – There is no substitute for this! You need it for the frosting to set properly.
- Icing sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Dark chocolate to decorate
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
This is a straightforward recipe and makes dense chocolate cupcakes. To make these delicious cupcakes find the instructions below but follow the full recipe for ingredients and more details.
Cupcakes:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 340 degrees F. Line standard muffin tin with cupcake liners, lightly spray liners with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda baking powder and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs and sugar. Using a hand mixer, mix the Ingredients together on low until they are just combine. Increase the speed to high and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add in the oil, yogurt, vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix until everything is well combined.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet Ingredients and use a rubber spatula to make sure all the Ingredients are well mixed. Repeat with the remaining dry Ingredients. Stir until just combined (don’t over-mix or cupcakes will be dense and dry).
- Evenly divide the cupcake batter into prepared cupcake tin. Bake in a 340 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of a cupcake.
- Let the cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
TIPS FOR MAKING MASCARPONE ICING
Mascarpone is a lovely Italian soft cheese with a creamy texture and sweet taste. It’s the perfect topping for the well know Tiramisu and I think it’s divine for these chocolate cupcakes.
As its a soft cream cheese you might be wondering how it’s stable enough to top these cupcakes without causing a huge mess. You can make a stable mascarpone icing with just three simple ingredients; mascarpone cheese, double cream and icing sugar.
It’s super easy to make but there I have a few tips to make sure it’s perfect.
Plan to make the icing while the cupcakes are baking. You need time for it to cool before you frost the cupcakes.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, combine the mascarpone cheese, icing sugar. Mix on medium speed with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until soft, smooth form. In a separate bowl, add the double cream and whisk with an electric whisk until it reaches soft but stiff peaks. Add the mascarpone mixture to the cream and gently fold, until mixture comes together. Add the vanilla and fold it all together until smooth. Place the frosting in the fridge until ready to use.
- TO DECORATE: When the cupcakes have cooled completely, fit a piping bag with a round tip piping nozzle and fill it with mascarpone cream icing. Pipe swirls on top of each cupcake then top with some grated or shaved dark chocolate. Serve immediately, or leave in the fridge and remove 10 minutes before serving.
OPTIONAL FILLING
CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING: This cupcake filling is optional, but I suggest giving it a try. It’s simple to make too. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Semi-sweet chocolate CHIPS
- Vanilla extract
- Heavy whipping cream
To make the ganache filling, add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract to a medium sized bowl. Heat the heavy whipping cream until it just begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Allow the chocolate and cream to sit for 3-5 minutes, then whisk together until smooth. Set aside to cool until at least room temperature. You could also refrigerate it until cold.
There is a few different ways to fill the cupcakes:
- Scoop the filling into a pipping bag fitted with a round tip and poke it into the center of each cupcake to pipe the filling in.
- If you don’t have a bag, you can cut a hole in the center and spoon in the filling.
EXPERT TIPS
- Keep all refrigerated items at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly.
- Measure ingredients by weight: For baking goods, I always recommend using a kitchen scale. It will allow you to measure flour and other ingredients by weight rather than volume. Weight (ounces, grams) will always give an accurate measurement of dry goods; volume (cups) can create various results.
- Choose the right cocoa powder: These chocolate cupcakes need regular cocoa powder in order to activate the baking soda in the recipe. If you use Dutch process cocoa powder instead, the cupcakes won’t rise because Dutch process cocoa powder has been alkalized and won’t have the proper reaction with the baking soda.
- Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder is a brand that is most widely available and works great in this recipe. I don’t recommend using cheap brands for the best results and most vibrant flavors.
- For best results, make sure to sift or whisk the dry ingredients together and also beat the eggs and sugar mixture until fluffy. This will make sure you have super light and fluffy cupcakes.
- Don’t overmix your batter! Just fold everything together until just combined.
- Make sure the cupcakes cool completely before icing them. If not the icing won’t stay on the cupcakes.
- If you can’t find the round tip pipping nozzels, you can skip the pipping bag and frost them with a butter knife.
HOW DO YOU STORE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH MASCARPONE CHEESE ICING?
As these have a cream icing they will need to be eaten fresh, within 2 days or the best way to store the cupcakes would be to keep them refrigerated. Place them in an airtight container and then I would recommend keeping them in the fridge no longer than 2-3 days. This will help the icing hold better as well as stop the cupcakes from drying out as fast.
VARIATIONS OF THE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- Fill your cupcake: Scoop out the center of the cupcake and stuff it with more frosting or any fruit filling – strawberry would be out of this world amazing.
- Decorate your cupcakes with strawberries or raspberries.
- Skip the frosting altogether and top with melted chocolate and plenty of chopped walnuts.
WANT TO MAKE MINI CUPCAKES?
This recipe yields 12 regular size or 24 mini cupcakes. For the smaller version, place the oven racks on the upper and lower third shelves. This allows you to bake two pans at the same time. Also, you will want to use liners, and start checking the doneness at around 13 minutes. I haven’t prepared this recipe in minis, so I can’t give you an exact time, but I find that mini cupcakes typically take anywhere from 5-10 minutes less if I’m cooking both pans at once. If you need a mini cupcake pan, this one is my favorite.
FAQs
How to make cupcakes moist?
- Use oil, I always find that oil produces such a softer and more tender cupcake recipe.
How do you know when the cupcakes are done?
- The most well known test is to take a toothpick and stick it in the very center of the cupcake and if it comes out dry then they are done. If batter sticks to the toothpick then they should be placed back in the oven for about another 5 more minutes and then tested again.
MORE EASY BAKING RECIPES
TOOLS YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- 12 hole cupcake tin
- Cupcake liners
- Measuring cups
- Several mixing bowls
- Electric hand whisk
- Piping bag
- Round tip pipping nozzels
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE AND LOVE IT?
If you made this recipe then I would love for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you like it! Also, Please tag @thetastychaper on Instagram and use the hashtag #thetastychapter if you make it!
The nutritional and calories information shown is an estimated provided by an online nutrition calculator. It does not assert or suggest that readers should or should not count calories, and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s or doctor’s counselling.
Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-Cup Muffin pan
Ingredients
- 200 g cake flour sifted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 200 ml plain yogurt room temperature
- 30 g unsweetened cocoa powder not Dutch process
- 70 ml vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (make sure it’s not expired)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Mascarpone Cream Icing:
- 250 g mascarpone cheese chilled
- 300 ml heavy whipping cream cold
- 100 g icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dark chocolate to decorate (optional)
Chocolate Ganache Filling (Optional)
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 340 degrees F. Line standard muffin tin with cupcake liners, lightly spray liners with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda baking powder and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs and sugar. Using a hand mixer, mix the Ingredients together on low until they are just combine. Increase the speed to high and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add in the oil, yogurt, vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix until everything is well combined.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet Ingredients and use a rubber spatula to make sure all the Ingredients are well mixed. Repeat with the remaining dry Ingredients. Stir until just combined (don't over-mix or cupcakes will be dense and dry).
- Evenly divide the cupcake batter into prepared cupcake tin. Bake in a 340 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of a cupcake.
- Let the cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Mascarpone Cream Icing:
- While the cupcakes are cooling, combine the mascarpone cheese, icing sugar. Mix on medium speed with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, add the double cream and whisk with an electric whisk until it reaches soft but stiff peaks. Add the mascarpone mixture to the cream and gently fold, until mixture comes together. Add the vanilla and fold it all together until smooth. Place the frosting in the fridge until ready to use.
To Decorate:
- When the cupcakes have cooled completely, fit a piping bag with a round tip piping nozzle and fill it with mascarpone cream icing. Pipe swirls on top of each cupcake then top with some grated or shaved dark chocolate. Serve immediately, or leave in the fridge and remove 10 minutes before serving.
Chocolate Ganache Filling (Optional)
- To make the ganache filling, add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract to a medium sized bowl. Heat the heavy whipping cream until it just begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Allow the chocolate and cream to sit for 3-5 minutes, then whisk together until smooth. Set aside to cool until at least room temperature. You could also refrigerate it until cold. There is a few different ways to fill the cupcakes: Scoop the filling into a pipping bag fitted with a round tip and poke it into the center of each cupcake to pipe the filling in.If you don’t have a bag, you can cut a hole in the center and spoon in the filling.