Hot chocolate cupcakes are soft chocolate cupcakes topped with hot chocolate buttercream for an indulgent & delicious chocolatey dessert.
Bringing your favorite winter flavors together in one sweet and chocolatey treat, we have these cupcakes with frosting and marshmallows. So even if the weather’s still a bit warm for a hot mug of cocoa, it’s always a perfect temperature for hot chocolate cupcakes!
What Are Hot Chocolate Cupcakes?
Hot chocolate cupcakes are a deliciously rich and moist chocolate cupcake topped with a homemade buttercream. This buttercream is infused with a DIY hot chocolate mix to add that wonderful and real feeling of enjoying a mug of cocoa in every bite. Top it off with marshmallows and you’re going to love these winter cupcakes.
Hot Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients
Hot Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients-Cocoa Powder: Just a ½ cup of unsweetened baking cocoa powder will give us the perfect chocolate flavor for our cupcakes.
-Flour: We only need ¾ cup of all-purpose flour for the base of our cake batter.
-Leavening Agents: Using a teaspoon of baking soda and ½ a teaspoon of baking soda we can create light and fluffy cupcakes.
-Salt: This works to make the other flavors enhanced and tasting great, and we only need ¼ tsp of salt to do this!
-Eggs: 2 large eggs will work as the binder in this recipe so that the cupcakes don’t crumble.
-Sugars: Both brown sugar and white sugar add sweetness and caramelization to the cupcakes. ½ cup of each is the perfect amount.
-Vegetable Oil: Acting as a necessary fat to create the perfect moist cupcakes, we have ⅓ cup of oil.
-Vanilla Extract: 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract will help to flavor these cupcakes. I always recommend the high quality stuff, but use what you have on hand.
-Buttermilk: Adding liquid and acid to create fluffy cakes that taste great is ½ a cup of buttermilk. You can create your own by using ½ cup of room temp milk and adding ½ tsp of vinegar or lemon juice and letting it sit for 5-8 minutes before using.
Hot Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients
Hot Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients-Butter: Just ¾ cup of room temperature unsalted butter will suffice as a base for the frosting. Note that margarine won’t hold up as well.
-Confectioners Sugar: We’ll need serval cups of powdered sugar to get a sweet and fluffy buttercream. Add 3-3 1/2 cups of it (or possibly a little more depending on consistency).
-Heavy Cream: Giving us a creamy and rich buttercream is ⅓ cup of heavy cream.
Homemade Hot Chocolate Dry Mix Ingredients
You’re welcome to cheat and use a rounded 1/2 cup of your favorite hot chocolate mix, or here’s a homemade version:
-Powdered Sugar: 2 ½ tablespoons of powdered sugar will sweeten the cocoa mix.
-Cocoa Powder: Adding a rich chocolate flavor is 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
-Powdered Milk: Giving us that desired creamy texture is 3 tablespoons of powdered milk.
-Salt: We only need a pinch of salt but it really helps to make the other flavors taste great!
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
How to Make Hot Chocolate CupcakesPreheat your oven to 350F degrees (180C). Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set it aside.
Sift together the cocoa powder, flour baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl.
In another bowl, beat the eggs with the sugars, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until combined.
Add the dry mix to the wet mix by alternating it with the buttermilk. Mix until combined, but do not overmix! Note that the batter will appear thin.
Pour your batter into the prepared muffin tin by filling each cup halfway. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
How to Make Hot Chocolate Buttercream
How to Make Hot Chocolate ButtercreamIn a bowl, heat your buttercream in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Add in the cocoa powder, salt, sugar, and milk powder. Mix it together.
In another bowl, beat your butter until it’s nice and smooth (about 2-3 minutes).
Slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar until it reaches a light and creamy buttercream frosting texture.
Slowly add in the hot chocolate mixture and beat it all together until well blended. If your frosting appears too runny, add in more confectioners sugar to get it back to a good frosting consistency.
Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and then top with marshmallows.
Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Hot chocolate cupcakes are soft chocolate cupcakes topped with hot chocolate buttercream for an indulgent & delicious chocolatey dessert.
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Servings: 14 cupcakes
Calories: 389kcal
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk
Frosting
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 3 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
- 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
Hot Chocolate Dry Mix**
- 2 1/2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
- 3 tsp Cocoa Powder
- 3 tbsp Powdered Milk
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
Cupcakes
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Preheat your oven to 180°C (350F). Place paper liners in a cupcake tin.
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In a medium bowl, sift the dry ingredients together cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
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In a bowl beat the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until combined well.
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Start adding dry mix to the wet mix alternating it with the buttermilk. Mix till everything is combined. Don’t over-mix. The batter consistency will be somewhat thin.
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Pour batter into the prepared cupcake tin. Fill the molds (paper liners) till halfway filled. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Let it cool completely before frosting.
Frosting and hot chocolate mix- (the hot chocolate mix is added in the frosting)
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In a bowl take the heavy cream and heat it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or till the heavy cream melts. Don’t overheat.
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Add the cocoa powder, salt, sugar, and milk powder to it and mix it properly.
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In another bowl take the butter and beat until smooth for about 2-3 minutes. Slowly start adding in the sugar in batches and beat till you get that light creamy buttercream frosting texture.
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Start adding the Hot cocoa mixture to it and beat. If you feel your frosting is a little runny, add more sugar.
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Pipe the frosting on your cupcakes after they are cooled. Top your hot chocolate cupcakes with marshmallows and enjoy!
Notes
** You’re welcome to cheat and use a rounded 1/2 cup of your favorite hot chocolate mix!
Nutrition
Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg
How long are hot chocolate cupcakes good for?
These cupcakes can be good for 3-5 days if stored in an airtight container. Any longer than that and the cupcakes may become stale and dry.
Can I freeze cocoa cupcakes?
Yes. These cupcakes can be frozen unfrosted, in an airtight container for up to 6 months. They could also be frozen after being frosted for up to 3 months. The frosting by itself can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months as well. So whether you choose to freeze frosted or unfrosted, there’s plenty of options!
How to decorate these winter cupcakes
Decorate these cupcakes the same way you would your favorite mug of cocoa. With mini marshmallows, crushed peppermint candies or even a nice dusting of cinnamon over the top. They’d even look great with some snowflake shaped sprinkles!
More fun and delicious recipes to try this winter!
More fun and delicious recipes to try this winter!
With hot chocolate cupcakes, you can enjoy your favorite winter flavors all year long. Delicious and moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a hot chocolate buttercream are a great way to get in the Christmas spirit!
Hot chocolate cupcakes are soft chocolate cupcakes topped with hot chocolate buttercream for an indulgent & delicious chocolatey dessert.
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