Rich, moist, fluffy cupcakes with a dark chocolate flavor reminiscent of Oreo cookies. Make just a few or enough for the family with this small batch recipe.

The story

These were made as condolence cupcakes. Specifically, “sorry your dog died” cupcakes. My dear friend and forever “roomie” lost her seventeen-year-old dog recently. As if that weren’t hard enough, it happened during this darn covid quarantine, so I haven’t even been able to give her a hug.

But, as I learned from the movie Hook, a hug can take many forms. These hugs are dark-chocolate, cookies-and-cream-cupcake shaped.

The great thing about these is that you can make just a few to enjoy by yourself or with your family without the pressure of leftovers. Not that leftovers are bad. I personally love having extra cake or cupcakes to eat for days after a party. I know I ought to send the extras home with friends and family, but unless they ask, I usually keep it all and enjoy it for days.

But quarantine has me wanting to bake every day and snack while I’m at it. So I kinda need to bake in small batches.

Thus, small batch recipes. This recipe makes about 14-18 cupcakes, depending how full you fill your tins. That was enough for my roomie, her family, our friends who helped organize this love-gift, and (obviously) us. If there’s just one of you, go ahead and cut the recipe in half! You can also snugly wrap some unfrosted cupcakes in plastic wrap and freeze them.

Tips for this recipe

Sift the dry ingredients

I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating. Sifting dry ingredients prevents lumps and thus prevents dry cakes. It also helps create a tender crumb. There’s a delicate 3 minute period where you have a clumpy batter, scrape down the bowl, then mix for two solid minutes to get a smooth batter. You want your dry ingredients nice and soft so this process creates a smooth batter without lumps and without overworking the gluten in the flour. Over-mixed batter makes overly developed gluten which makes a tough, chewy cake.

Use light roast coffee

This tip is on my original blackout cake post, too. The black dutched cocoa is already rich, so using lighter coffee helps balance it out. I’ve tried plain water and just didn’t like the result, but I will keep trying so you have options!

Sub plain cocoa if needed

Plain dutched cocoa will give you a regular chocolate cupcake that’s still amazing. It won’t have that dark, Oreo flavor, but that’s okay. It’ll still taste great.

Don’t over bake

Check these at 15 minutes, or sooner if your oven tends to bake quickly. And check the middle cupcake so you don’t have anyunder-baked cupcakes.

I also list 325 as the bake temperature, because I’ve been baking everything at 325 for over a decade, long before I got a convection oven. It’s best to know your own oven, adjusting the temperature as you see fit. I prefer 325 because it prevents a tough exterior.

Pair with marshmallow buttercream!

Or any frosting, really. But these cupcakes have an Oreo flavor that pairs oh-so-well with my marshmallow buttercream frosting. Plus, they’re not super sweet, so a sweeter frosting is a great complement. I’ve also used chocolate hazelnut frosting and it’s amazing. For a bright contrast, a berry jam filling lightens up this cake with some tartness. If you like that cookies and cream flavor but don’t have marshmallow fluff, vanilla buttercream will do the trick, too. I also have a blackout frosting coming soon!

Small Batch Black Chocolate Cupcakes

prep time: 10 minutes

cook time: 15-20 minutes

total time: 30minutes

Servings: 8 cupcakes

Ingredients:

⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

⅓ plus ¼ cups flour (strange, but the most accurate measure), sifted

¼ cup black dutched cocoa, sifted

1 scant teaspoons baking powder, sifted

½ teaspoon baking soda, sifted

¼ teaspoon fine ground Himalayan sea salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt, but sea salt gives a better flavor)

1 large egg, room temperature

⅓ cup buttermilk, room temperature (leave out about 30 min)

2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil (can sub grapeseed or vegetable oil)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

⅓ cup hot blond/light roast coffee

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325*. Line a cupcake tray with liners (you’ll use about 8-10).

In the bowl of stand mixer (or large mixing bowl), add sugar then set fine mesh sieve over the bowl to add/sift flour, black cocoa, baking powder,baking soda, and salt. Whisk by hand until fully combined (you can tell because the cocoa color has evenly spread).

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. VERY slowly, begin to pour in the hot coffee, whisking quickly and constantly to avoid scrambled eggs. Feel free to do it in increments if this is your first time.

Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer (or a hand mixer), slowly pour wet ingredients into dry with the mixer on low. It will clump up halfway through then settle into a liquidy consistency. After all ingredients are combined, scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Turn mixer up to medium and mix for 2 minutes. Set a timer so you don’t overmix.

Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling about ¾ full, which should take up 8 or so cupcake liners. You can try for 12, but they’ll just barely reach the top of the liners when baked.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle cupcake comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Check bake around 12 minutes to be sure they’re not baking too quickly—climate can impact bake time. If not using a convection oven, rotate cakes at this point as well.

Cool in cupcake pan 5 minutes then remove to a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Frost and enjoy!

Cupcakes will last covered at room temperature 3-5 days, unless frosting/filling needs refrigeration. If not frosting right away, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight, in the fridge 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.