Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
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Cozy up this holiday season with these extra delicious Hot Chocolate Cupcakes! Light and fluffy chocolate cupcakes with both cocoa powder and sweet hot chocolate mix, combined to create double the chocolate flavor. After baking, each tender, fluffy cupcake is generously frosted with a rich and silky chocolate frosting. Top with chewy mini marshmallows and chocolate curls for an oh-so cute (and pretty much effortless) cupcake! Serve alongside a mug of hot cocoa and enjoy all season long.
I think we can all agree that no holiday season is complete without a big mug of freshly made hot chocolate (or even some spiked hot cocoa!). But, cupcakes like our Gingerbread Cupcakes or Peppermint Bark Cupcakes are also an essential come December. So, we decided to combine the two and create the ultimate holiday treat!
Wait…So, How Are These Different Than Regular Chocolate Cupcakes?
For this recipe, we made a few tweaks to our classic chocolate cupcakes to create something new and equally delicious.
To give these cupcakes a bit more structure, we used opted to use cake flour. From there, we adjusted the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and leavening to accommodate the addition of the hot chocolate mix. We really wanted to allow the cocoa flavor to shine in these cupcakes, so we added a dash of vanilla and topped them with a rich, but oh-so silky smooth chocolate buttercream frosting.
Why You Will Love These Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- A sweet surprise. If you buy hot cocoa mix with chocolate chips in it, you get delicious pools of melted chocolate in each bite!
- Easy to make! The cupcakes and frosting come together in less than an hour and are just like making a cake. Simple. Quick. Delicious.
- A chocolate lovers dream. Made with two types of chocolate and frosted with the silkiest chocolate buttercream, this cupcake is for sure to please any chocoholic!
- Decorating is a breeze. All you need to do is spread some frosting onto each cupcake and sprinkle some marshmallows on top! So simple, but so effective.
- Full of flavor. While these cupcakes might seem like ordinary chocolate cupcakes, they truly are so. much. more. Every bite is reminiscent of a beloved cup of cocoa, but in adorable cake form.
Ingredients For The BEST-EVER Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
For The Cupcakes:
- Cake Flour – For this recipe, cake flour is a necessity! Since it has a low protein content and less gluten than other flours, cake flour creates a soft and light textured cupcake.
- Natural Process Cocoa Powder – Be sure that you are using a natural process cocoa powder and not dutch cocoa for this recipe.
- Hot Chocolate Mix – Creates that little bit of extra chocolate-y goodness.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Just a dash of leavening creates the perfect domed cupcake!
- Salt – Cuts some of the sweetness, while also helping enhance the flavor.
- Unsalted Butter – We personally like to use unsalted butter in this recipe to help us control the amount of salt going into these cupcakes.
- Granulated Sugar – Not only sweetens these cupcakes, it helps keep them moist.
- Large Eggs – Are a binder that help create the ultimate structure, texture, and flavor in these cupcakes.
- Whole Milk – Using whole fat milk makes these cupcakes incredibly tender and richer in flavor.
- Vanilla Extract – Adds flavor, while also melding all the flavors together to create one extra delicious dessert.
For The Frosting:
- Salted Butter – Works well for this recipe since you won’t need to add additional salt.
- Powdered Sugar – For the smoothest buttercream, sift your powdered sugar!
- Cocoa Powder – Adds just the right amount of chocolate flavor while also naturally making this icing a chocolate brown color.
- Whole Milk – A splash of milk loosens the frosting to make it spreadable, but also keeps it light and fluffy.
- Vanilla Extract – Adds flavor to the frosting.
How To Make Hot Chocolate Cupcakes In Three Simple Steps
Step 1: Prepare batter
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cocoa mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Step 2: Bake
Use a 3 Tablespoon scoop to portion batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until done.
Step 3: Make frosting & decorate
With an electric mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder until combined, about 1-2 minutes.
Add milk and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Frost cool cupcakes, using about 1½ Tablespoons of frosting per cupcake.
How To Achieve The PERFECT Buttercream
There are are a few things you can do to make sure you get the creamiest, silkiest buttercream every single time!
- Make sure your butter is room temperature. This is super important!
- Sift your powdered sugar. Lumps of powdered sugar = lumpy buttercream!
- You can add a splash (1/2 – 1 Tablespoon) of whole milk if you feel your buttercream is too thick. This will help loosen it a little.
✳ Recipe FAQ’s
Decorating Ideas
Just like classic hot chocolate, the toppings/decoration for these cupcakes are pretty much limitless! Here are a few of our favorites.
- Mini Marshmallows
- Chocolate Sauce
- Salted Caramel Sauce
- Chantilly Cream
- Chocolate Shavings/Curls
- Crushed Peppermint
Looking for more chocolate recipes? Here are a few you may like:
Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup cake flour
- 3 Tablespoons natural process cocoa powder
- 1 package hot cocoa mix
- ⅔ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- ½ cup salted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup natural process cocoa powder, sifted
- ⅓ cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mini marshmallows, optional
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Heat oven to 350℉/177℃.
- Line muffin tins with baking papers, or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cocoa mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Use a 3 Tablespoon scoop to portion batter into prepared muffin tins.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until done.
Frosting
- With an electric mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder until combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add milk and vanilla.
- Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Frost cool cupcakes, using about 1½ Tablespoons of frosting per cupcake.
- Top with mini marshmallows, if desired.
Notes + Tips!
- If you don’t have cake flour, you can make your own! Measure out 2 cups of all purpose flour and place in a glass bowl. Remove 4 Tablespoons and then add 4 Tablespoons of corn starch. Whisk until well combined.
- Salted butter can be substituted for the unsalted in the cupcakes with no adjustments.
- Unsalted butter can be substituted for the salted in the frosting if you add ⅛ teaspoon salt.
- Remember to allow your butter, eggs, and milk time to come to room temperature before mixing the batter.
- Room temperature is about 70℉/21℃.
- 1 package of hot cocoa mix is equal to 1 ounce.
- When making the batter, be very careful not to over mix!
- We recommend using a large cookie scoop to ensure that each cupcake is equal in size and not over-filled or under-filled.
- If you’re unsure the cupcakes are baked, you can use a cake tester or tooth pick. If it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done!
- Let the cupcakes cool COMPLETELY before filling and frosting them.
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