A chocolate lover’s dream, these rich and moist Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes are covered with a smooth and creamy chocolate buttercream.
If you want another favorite chocolate cupcake, try these Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling and Raspberry Chocolate Buttercream!
I think that everyone needs a go-to chocolate cupcake recipe in their arsenal.
And this is one of my favorites.
I’ve had to play with this recipe a bit over the years to get it to be consistent for me, but now I can call it my go-to.
The texture of this cupcake is perfect – nice and moist from the sour cream, with the perfect amount of chocolate flavor. And the buttercream? Even my frosting hating husband will eat this stuff. It’s that good.
This is the perfect cupcake recipe for birthdays, get togethers, or pot lucks. Because you can never go wrong with chocolate!
More Cupcake Recipes
Black Bottom Cupcakes
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Fluffy Frosting
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Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate roughly chopped
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/3 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups minus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup water
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate roughly chopped
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons Dutch process cocoa
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream at room temperature
Instructions
Make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin tin cups with cupcake liners.
- Place the chocolate in a glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Stir the chocolate until it is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl and set aside to let it cool slightly.3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/3 teaspoon baking powder, 1/3 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl down as needed.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 1/4 cups minus 1 tablespoon sugar
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in the chocolate. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating fully between additions. Add the vanilla and beat the mixture until the color has lightened slightly, about 1 minute. Mix in the sour cream and mix until no white streaks remain.2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup sour cream
- Add half of the flour mixture to the batter, mixing just until combined. Mix in the water. Mix in the remaining flour mixture, mixing just until combined.1/2 cup water
- Divide the mixture between the prepared cups. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
Make the buttercream:
- Place the chocolate in a glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Stir the chocolate until it is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl and set aside to let it cool slightly.1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- In a large bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa. Add the butter, and with an electric mixer on low speed, beat until smooth and combined. The mixture will appear crumbly at first, but it will eventually come together. Beat in the melted chocolate. Add in the vanilla and the cream and beat together on medium speed for at least 3 minutes, until it is smooth and creamy.1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 3 teaspoons Dutch process cocoa, 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Brad G says
Made these last nigh for my son’s birthday. Wow, super flavorful, light crumb, moist and airy. My only problem was that they collapsed quite badly. Oven temp was correct according to oven thermometer, and they looked beautiful when they came out, but by the time they had cooled they had deflated significantly, with some even having the wrappers hanging loose. Any thoughts?
Deborah says
Hi Brad – I’m not sure what could have caused the shrinking. I would try either adding another tablespoon or two of flour or lowering the oven temperature just slightly next time. It could also be that you may have overbeat the batter just a bit. I’m glad that they were delicious, though!
Margaret Miller says
This recipe is moist, delicious, holds its structure and is adaptable. I substituted a crumb topping made with brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, cocoa and flour for the frosting. My friends liked it. I also added dark cocoa to the batter, increased the vanilla to 1 tablespoon, and used vaniilla almond milk instead of water. The cupcakes were absolutely delicious, tender, and very, very popular.
Margaret Miller says
I meant to leave a 5 star rating!
Shawn @ I Wash You Dry says
Chocolate Lovers is right. These look perfect! I want to lick that frosting right off of the screen!
cupcakes says
that’s an original cupcake recipe, photographer is genious
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Craving a cupcake so badly right now – these look amazing!
Marsha @ Marsha's Baking Addiction says
These look so scrumptious! That buttercream looks so creamy, yum!
Rachel Cooks says
Wish I had one (okay, two) with my coffee this morning!
Chocolate Shavings says
I love the look of those cupcakes! Great job Deborah!
ourohana says
I received that cookbook for Christmas and the yellow cupcakes I made did the exact same thing your’s did. Chockylit made a comment in her plain and simple chocolate cupcakes post about the sinking thing…filling the papers too full will cause some cupcake batters to sink when baking. I’m glad this recipe was a success…you’ve given me hope for this cookbook. 🙂
April says
These look wonderful!
Patricia Scarpin says
Deb, what a joy to see you didn’t give up – these are worth the effort!
Arfi Binsted says
Deborah, I bet your Mum would be really pleased! I am a bit mad with Nigel Slater at present as his recipes seem work for me, but he doesn’t make cupcakes hehehe…
Thank you for your gorgeous entry for Cupcakes Spectacular 2008!
Cheers,
ab
CB says
Lovely cupcakes! Glad you decided to give ::cupcakes!:: another shot. Just a thought about your previous cupcake catatrophe. Maybe you overfilled it and it collapsed on itself? I know that happens to me…
-Clara @ I♥cuppycakes!
Shandy says
Deb, I am so happy that you tried that one more time! They look positively delicious! The chocolate cupcake and frosting looks so inviting in the picture.
Brilynn says
Those look awesome! I’ve definitely developed an affinity for cookbooks in the past couple years. I’m just drawn to them now.