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–+ servings
close-up of black cupcakes with white sprinkles on a dark plate

Black Cupcakes

Author Erin Dooner
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
These black cupcakes are rich, dramatic, and irresistibly chocolate, making them perfect for Halloween or whenever you’re craving something dark and delicious. Easy to make gluten-free or whole wheat, if desired.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups (218-241 grams) flour see notes
  • 6 tablespoons (42 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 6 tablespoons (42 grams) black cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs room temp
  • 1 cup milk of choice but not canned coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (236 ml) boiling water

For the frosting:

  • 1 pound (450 grams) full-fat cream cheese room temp
  • 1/2 cup (155 grams) unsalted butter room temp
  • 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) powdered sugar + an additional 1/2-1 cup (60-120 grams), if desired - see notes
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/3 cup (37 grams) black cocoa powder

Instructions

Prepare the cupcakes:

  • Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line 2 muffin pans with 24 liners. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (sugar through salt).
    2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar, 1 3/4 cups (218-241 grams) flour, 6 tablespoons (42 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 6 tablespoons (42 grams) black cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
  • Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.
    2 large eggs, 1 cup milk of choice, 1/2 cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Mix until combined, and then stir in the boiling water. The batter will be almost as thin as water. Divide the batter between the muffin liners. I used a little less than 1/4 cup or 56 grams per liner.
    1 cup (236 ml) boiling water
  • Bake for 17-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with some moist crumbs, but no uncooked liquid.
  • Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans, and then carefully turn out onto a rack to cool. Let cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting:

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together with an electric hand mixer at medium speed until well combined. It's okay if it looks a little crumbly.
    1 pound (450 grams) full-fat cream cheese, 1/2 cup (155 grams) unsalted butter
  • Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until totally combined, and then beat in the vanilla and salt.
    2 1/2 cups (300 grams) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
  • Beat in the black cocoa powder until well combined.
    1/3 cup (37 grams) black cocoa powder
  • If the frosting is too soft to pipe, refrigerate it until firm, stirring occasionally. Use Wilton Tip 1M (or whatever tip you want) to make a swirl on top of each cupcake. You'll have enough for 41 grams (3 tablespoons) per cupcake.
  • Unfrosted cupcakes can be prepared up to 4 days in advance. After 2 days, I recommend refrigerating them just to be safe. Frosted cupcakes will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze unfrosted or frosted cupcakes for up to 3 months. The texture will stay fine, though the liners may soften and look a little imperfect. Most people won’t notice, but if you need them to look picture-perfect, frozen cupcake liners aren’t ideal.

Notes

  • For the flour, you can use all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour. If you’re gluten-free, use 1 3/4 cups (242 grams) Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour or 1 3/4 cups (218 grams) King Arthur Flour Gluten-free Measure for Measure Flour.
  • If you want to make the cupcakes egg-free, use chia eggs in place of the eggs. To do that, mix together 2 tablespoons of ground chia seed with 6 tablespoons of water until well combined. Let sit for 1-2 minutes until goopy like regular eggs.
  • If you use canned coconut milk, water it down so it’s about as thin as dairy milk. Maybe half coconut milk and half water? But note that there'll be some slight coconut flavor to your cupcakes.
  • For the oil, you can use canola, vegetable, grapeseed or light olive oil (not an expensive, super flavorful one). Anything neutral.
  • I know that sounds like a lot of water, but I promise you, you need 1 cup!
  • If you live outside of North America or Australia and have the kind of cream cheese that’s meant for toast (that comes in a little plastic tub) rather than American-style brick cream cheese, then get two 300-gram packages of cream cheese, place it in the center of a cheesecloth, and wring out the liquid until you’re left with 450 grams of cream cheese.
  • I used 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar in the frosting, which gave it a balanced sweetness that let the cream cheese flavor shine through. If you prefer a sweeter frosting, you can add an extra 1/2 to 1 cup (60-120 grams) of powdered sugar. 
  • The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
  • Cake base adapted from Hershey's One Bowl Chocolate Cake and frosting from my Goth Cupcakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 236.7kcalCarbohydrates: 38.4gProtein: 2.2gFat: 9.5gSaturated Fat: 3.6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.9gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 23.8mgSodium: 244.5mgPotassium: 73.5mgFiber: 1.6gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 138IUCalcium: 37.2mgIron: 1mgNet Carbs: 37
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