Decadent Devil’s Food Cake Cupcakes
These decadent Devil’s Food Cake Cupcakes are so incredibly moist and rich! The 100% natural cocoa powder gives the cake an intense chocolate flavor that chocolate lovers will crave. It also tastes amazing with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Because this cake is made with oil rather than butter, the cake will stay moist even when refrigerated or frozen, which makes this perfect for ice cream cakes as well.
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Ingredients for Devil’s Food Cake Cupcakes
- 1⅓ cups (161g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (61g) natural (not Dutch-processed) cocoa powder
- 1¼ tsp (4.7g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (2.3g) baking soda
- ¼ tsp (1.4g) salt
- 1⅔ cups (332g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80ml) vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
- 2 (100g) large eggs
- ⅓ cup (80ml) whole milk
- 2 tsp (10g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
Equipment
- Stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or hand mixer with large bowl)
- Digital scale OR Measuring cups (dry and wet) and spoons
- Sifter
- Liquid measuring cup or medium bowl
- Whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Stand mixer splatter shield (optional)
- Cupcake pan
- Cupcake liners
- Ice cream scoop (optional) – holds approximately 2 Tbsp
- Toothpick
- Wire rack
Preparation Steps
Preheat the oven to 350°F/178°C.
Place a cupcake liner into each depression of a regular-sized cupcake pan. This recipe will make 24 cupcakes.
Making the Devil’s Food Cake Batter
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Slowly, pour in the oil with the mixer running at low speed and continue mixing until all of the dry ingredients are moistened and crumbly.
In a liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, and vanilla. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the stand mixer while it is running at low speed. The cake batter will be loose at this point. If you have a splatter shield for your stand mixer, use that now.
Slowly pour the boiling water into the stand mixer and mix just until combined. The cake batter will be very liquid and it has a tendency to splash a little while mixing. Be careful since the water is hot.
Filling the Cupcake Pan
Use the ice cream scoop (or just pour the batter from the bowl) to fill each cupcake liner about halfway. Avoid over-filling because these cupcakes have a tendency to spill over the sides and have a flat top if there is too much batter in each liner.
Baking the Devil’s Food Cake Cupcakes
Bake the cupcakes on the middle oven rack for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the top comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes and place them on a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
Decorating the Devil’s Food Cake Cupcakes
This cake tastes great with my Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Use a knife to spread the frosting over the top of the cupcake for a homemade look or use a piping bag with a 1M tip (or other decorative tip) to pipe a swirl for a professional finish.
This cake is easy to make, and it tastes absolutely delicious. I love its tender crumb and rich chocolate flavor. This is definitely the best chocolate cake I have ever had.
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Notes:
- This recipe was adapted from the “Devilishly Moist Chocolate Cake” recipe in Tish Boyle’s, The Cake Book.
Devil’s Food Cake Cupcakes
Equipment
- Stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or hand mixer with large bowl)
- Digital scale OR Measuring cups and spoons
- Sifter
- Liquid measuring cup or medium bowl
- Whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Stand mixer splatter shield (optional)
- Cupcake pan
- Cupcake liners
- Ice cream scoop (optional) – holds approximately 2 Tbsp
- Toothpick
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups (161g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (61g) natural (not Dutch-processed) cocoa powder
- 1¼ tsp (4.7g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (2.3g) baking soda
- ¼ tsp (1.4g) salt
- 1⅔ cups (332g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80ml) vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
- 2 large (100g) eggs
- ⅓ cup (80ml) whole milk
- 2 tsp (10g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/178°C.
- Place a cupcake liner into each depression of a regular-sized cupcake pan.
Making the Devil’s Food Cake Batter
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Slowly, pour in the oil with the mixer running at low speed and continue mixing until all of the dry ingredients are moistened and crumbly.
- In a liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, and vanilla. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the stand mixer while it is running at low speed. The cake batter will be loose at this point. If you have a splatter shield for your stand mixer, use that now.
- Slowly pour the boiling water into the stand mixer and mix just until combined. The cake batter will be very liquid at this point and it has a tendency to splash a little while mixing. Be careful since the water is hot.
Filling the Cupcake Pan
- Use the ice cream scoop (or just pour the batter from the bowl) to fill each cupcake liner about halfway. Avoid over-filling because these cupcakes have a tendency to spill over the sides and have a flat top if there is too much batter in each liner.
Baking the Devil’s Food Cake Cupcakes
- Bake the cupcakes on the middle oven rack for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the top comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes and place them on a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
Decorating the Devil’s Food Cake Cupcakes
- This cake tastes great with my Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Use a knife to spread the frosting over the top of the cupcake for a homemade look or use a piping bag with a 1M tip (or other decorative tip) to pipe a swirl for a professional finish.
