Fluffy and tender yet deeply chocolatey, these Devil's Food Chocolate Cupcakes are truly sinful. The fudge frosting swirls and sprinkles are the quintessential 'icing on the cake' for these all-occasion treats.
Extra moist and superior in deep chocolate flavor, this is the kind of recipe you store, covered in batter splatters, in an heirloom tin for your future grandchildren – even though you’ll probably make it so often that you’ll eventually commit the steps and ingredients to memory.
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact difference between a Devil’s Food Cake and a regular chocolate cake, but I find that typically a Devil’s Food Cake is made with butter instead of oil and has the addition of coffee or instant espresso powder to bring out the chocolate flavor. Older recipes call for unsweetened, melted chocolate squares, but many of today’s recipes opt for the convenience of cocoa powder – which incidentally has a more intense chocolate flavor.
Opposite of an airy Angel Food Cake in both name and flavor, Devil’s Food Cake also gets its name from a sometimes slightly reddish tint (think red velvet cake), due to the alkalizing effect that the baking soda has on natural (not Dutch process) cocoa powder.
Notes
– Mixing the cocoa powder with boiling water first allows the chocolate flavors to bloom and intensify instead of adding it in with the other dry ingredients.
– For the butter, make sure it is extra soft. Since we are not relying on the cream of butter and sugar for lift and airiness (that’s what the baking powder is for here), I just popped it in the microwave for a few seconds until it was almost melty.
– I used a full-fat coconut milk for extra flavor and tenderness, but any milk should do.
– I used jumbo cupcake liners and made about 16 cupcakes. I bet the recipe would yield about 20 to 24 using standard liners. Adjust bake time accordingly.
– I prefer my fudge frosting to be very soft (but still spreadable). When mixing, the frosting should create a well in the center of the mixing bowl instead of clinging to the paddle. The sprinkles should be able to stick easily and not fall off immediately (if so, the frosting is a bit dry and crusts too quickly).
Recipe
Devil's Food Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Devil's Food Cupcake
- 4 oz dark chocolate (70%) chopped
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ cup boiling water
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon instant expresso
- 1 cup unsalted butter very soft, slightly melty
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
Fudge Frosting
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon espresso powder
- 5 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 4 tablespoon milk
- 8 oz semi or bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled
Instructions
Devil's Food Cupcake
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan and set aside.
- Combine the chopped chocolate, cocoa powder, and boiling water together. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, combine the super soft butter with the sugars. Mix for a couple minutes until thoroughly combined.
- Add the vanilla, almond, and eggs – one at a time, making sure each in incorporated before adding in the next. Stop mixing and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low, stream in the chocolate mixture until combined.
- Slowly add in half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stream in the milk. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
- Add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Evenly divide the batter into the cupcake pans and bake until done, about 22 to 24 minutes (see Notes).
- Let cool on a cooling rack before frosting.
Fudge Frosting
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until soft and smooth.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add in the salt, espresso powder, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and milk until incorporated.
- Mix on medium until soft and silky, yet not runny, adding more milk as needed.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Add in the melted chocolate and mix until combined.
Lyndsay Sung
Awww! You aced the cake demonstration, sweet friend! I read that Will Write for Food as well - gosh, do I still have my copy?? So handy and helpful!! These cupcakes look SO good! I love the tip about boiling water and cocoa powder!! I am definitely going to try this cupcake recipe, it looks amazing!! XO
Tessa Huff
Ahhhh thanks! I felt pretty awkward at times =p
Gotta at that book to my summer reading!
Michelle
Ooh, I'm so interested to hear what this writing course will cover — keep us updated!
Also, I am in LOVE with these cupcakes. Will you make them for my birthday? kthanxbai
Tessa Huff
I don't think I will be taking that particular course after all, but still looking for something.... I actually really like school and think it would be a good way to keep myself accountable with trying to write more. I'll let you know if I find a different one 😉
Come up here and I will make you cake/cupcakes any time!! Also, I am so excited for your move to NYC but also a bit sad because I secretly hoped that I could meet up with you in Cali someday during one of my trips back home to visit family. I guess it's just another excuse to go back to NYC hehe.
Brittany Budil
These look amazing! Is the instant espresso in the cupcakes the same ingredient as the espresso powder in the frosting? Or are these two different things? I want to make these and was making my shopping list 🙂
Tessa Huff
Great question, Brittany! It should be the same thing - instant espresso powder. If you can't find it at the regular grocery store, you can simply leave it out of the frosting and substitute hot, strong coffee for the boiling water in the cupcake recipe. The coffee helps bring out the chocolate flavor in both, but they should still taste great without it =)
Jen Jacobs
Hi Tessa! I made these cupcakes and they turned out beautifully! So moist and soft. I felt that the almond extract flavor was a little strong (no one else said anything, just my opinion). Is there anything I can do to make these even more chocolatier? I've been trying to find the perfect chocolate cupcake!!
Tessa Huff
Hi Jen! I am glad you are liking the recipe. You can definitely turn down the almond (or leave it totally out). To make them even more chocolatier? Hmmm, perhaps using a higher quality cocoa powder? Defiantly worth a try. Happy baking!
Rue T
Would this work as a layered cake too? Just started looking through your blog, it's great! 🙂
Lisa Brown
I made these a few weeks ago and they definitely live up to the name. I ended up getting 24 regular and 24 mini cupcakes and despite having 2 other desserts and only 14 people, there were only about 8 left. Next time I could probably fill the liners a little more but I wasn't sure if they would puff over the sides or not. Great recipe. Thanks!
Jessa M
I just finished making these and have to say, WOW! I am not much of a baker, but followed the directions and took my time, so delicious. Instead of large cupcake liners, I opted for the regular size and yielded two dozen. I adjusted the bake time to app. 15 minutes.
So much yum, thank you!
Deb Hoffman
Can I use regular espresso powder instead of instant espresso? If so, same measurement?
stylesweet
Hi! They aren't quite the same thing. Instant espresso is dehydrated and more concentrated. Instant coffee would also work in this recipe. It would still be fine without any coffee products too.