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
glamah16 says
My addiction is growing with the cookbooks too. Your cupcakes look pro.
Kevin says
Those cupcakes look good. Especially the chocolate butter cream frosting…mmm…
Ryley says
Those look super yummy.. I’ll have to find them.
K.. I have been looking for Dutched Processed too.. apparently they don’t think Utahn need it! 🙂
But.. at Target (the only place I can find it.) I found Hershey’s Dark Chocolate powder, on the back it says it can be used where Dutch Processed is called for. Does that mean its the same? or it can be subsituted?? I need to find some of that Vanilla bean paste too! I say we start writting to some grocery stores!! 🙂
Peabody says
Yes, I know I have a cookbook problem. 🙂 I have gotten a ton more too just as of late.
Glad to see you stuck with it and made a lovely batch of cupcakes.
Gretchen Noelle says
These do look absolutely delicious! I cannot really get many cookbooks here, at least the ones recommended there, so I cannot consider myself as an addict quite yet. But if I lived in the US…
Katie says
They look fabulous. Well done for not being put off the book by an unsucessful recipe.
Kate / Kajal says
fortunately for me i don’t have amazon delivering to Africa, so cant buy !!! Dunno if its a good thing or a bad , but like you i know i would not able to control myself.
These cupcakes look perfect , and i’m sure your mum in law adored them.
kellypea says
HA! I almost bought that book too because I’d seen so many lovely cupcakes around but ended up getting a Sherry Yard book instead. Your flat cupcakes brought back some memories of my own baking adventures Your cupcakes turned out fabulously. YUM!
Steph says
I’m a cupcake junkie, I’m sorry to admit. It is definitely one of my many weeknesses. These look fabulous! I will have to try them very soon.
linda says
They look perfect and delicious! Wouldn’t mind eating one of those with my tea…mmmm!
michelle @ TNS says
that chocolate frosting looks seriously obscene, like i wanna slather it all over my body. in a tasteful way.
Happy cook says
Looks so good have bookmarked this too. After reading you reviews about the book i might buy them.
Hey it is my b’dat in May you may bake these any time for me :-)))
Emiline says
Yum, those look great! Cupcakes are so popular right now.
Madam Chow says
I have that book, and I haven’t made anything out of it yet, but after this, I’m going to!
bbaking says
lucky MIL! I never say no to chocolate! mmmmmmmmmmmm
Meeta says
cookbook junkie – that would be me too! But I still like the way these turned out.