There are some recipes we just NEED to have up our sleeves. These are things we need in life. But our methods and ingredients MUST be simple, so we can whip them up whenever the day calls for it without too much fuss or fanfare. Forgive me for seeming dramatic (dramatic? Moi?) but I do believe that this classic bake is a staple that’s just perfect to turn to in many-a situation, from birthdays to bake sales, or just-because days. This isn’t your standard cupcake recipe though. It’s super easy, takes just 30 minutes and – unlike most UK recipes – you don’t need to do any creaming of butter or sugar. Simples!
Why you’ll love this Chocolate Cupcake recipe
⭐️ Ready in under 30 minutes ⭐️ All store cupboard ingredients – no butter required ⭐️ By some magic, it manages to be moist AND light and fluffy! In the 6 years that I ran that business, I (and later my lovely little team) baked over 100,000 CUPCAKES!! So I’d like to think I know a bit about what works and what doesn’t with cupcake recipes. This classic Chocolate Cupcake recipe is the result of all of those years of practice. I hope it works for you as well for you as it did for us! With lots of tips and tricks, here’s your foolproof guide to making deliciously moist homemade cupcakes.
Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients
Ingredients for chocolate icing
Butter – I use unsalted, room temperature butter for the icing. Do not even THINK about using margarine! It tastes grim and just doesn’t behave in the same way Icing sugar – I find that a freshly opened bag of icing sugar gives the best results, so make sure you always seal your icing sugar bags well. Sieving it gives the best result but – honestly? – I don’t usually bother as I never have time!Cocoa – As above, I feel that one non-negotiable to make this icing amazing is VERY good quality cocoa powder
The buttercream icing has butter in, but if you’re old school, you’ll always leave your real butter out of the fridge anyway when in use. How long do chocolate cupcakes last? Answer – in this house, not very long! Really though, you can make these chocolate cupcakes ahead of time. Because they are so moist, they should last 3-4 days in an airtight tin (although they are better when they are fresh, most people wouldn’t notice the difference.) You may find that if you store them on a hot day or in a plastic container, the cupcake cases come away a little from the cakes. This won’t affect the taste. Can Chocolate Cupcakes be frozen? Yes. Freeze them before icing and wrap them well. Let them defrost at room temperature. You may find that if they have been frozen and defrosted, the cupcake cases come away a little from the cakes. This won’t affect the taste. I’ve always found that cupcakes can peel for a number of reasons. Avoid these, and you’ll be good to go:
A recipe very high in butter/fat (which is not so with this recipe) Cupcakes are stored in plastic containers Certain cupcake cases that aren’t as good quality In more traditional recipes, overbeating the mixture can cause this as the sponge contracts and pulls away from the cases
Be sure that your flour isn’t out of date (so the raising agent is still working) Test your oven with an oven thermometer to check it really is as hot as the gauge says Do not open the oven before 17 minutes Check that your eggs are medium or large size. Not enough eggs can cause cakes to rise less
This is the BEST TIP EVER! Add a teaspoon at a time of boiling hot water and beat in until light and fluffy If you leave the icing for a while, press cling film down onto the surface so that it doesn’t dry out and then beat very well again before using. Add a little extra water if necessary. Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
