Mini Chocolate Cupcakes (Rich & Moist) - Delicious Little Bites

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Mini Chocolate Cupcakes are rich, moist, and decadent bite-sized treats with the perfect balance of chocolatey sweetness. These easy mini cupcakes are ideal for parties, holidays, and entertaining, making them a crowd-pleasing dessert everyone loves.

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Mini desserts are my absolute favorite. I especially love to make them for parties and entertaining, but they are also awesome for portion control. Allowing myself or my kids to have a mini cupcake (or maybe 2) is just as satisfying as a larger treat.

For parties and entertaining, Mini Chocolate Cupcakes are a fun treat to set out for dessert. You can top them with any flavor frosting you like (I usually use Homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting but vanilla or even Caramel Buttercream are perfect for these cupcakes.) and they can even be easily decorated to fit any occasion.

Give your guests more options by mixing and matching a variety of mini cupcakes. A combination of Mini Vanilla Cupcakes, Mini Coconut Cupcakes and/or Mini Lemon Cupcakes lets everyone easily pick and choose their favorites.

Why This Recipe Works

Cupcakes are the perfect go-to, quick and easy recipe to make when a sweet treat everyone will love is needed. It’s a fun recipe to have the kids help with too.

Homemade chocolate cupcakes taste so much better than store bought cake mixes. Plus, there are no questionable ingredients and preservatives. You know exactly what’s going into your recipe.

They are small, but pack a rich, delicious, chocolaty punch. Their size makes them great for entertaining and portion control.

How To Make Mini Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour: be sure to scoop the flour into the measuring cup with a spoon, then scrap off the excess with the back of a butter knife. If you scoop the flour out with the measuring cup, it becomes too packed and may result in drier cupcakes from the excess flour. We highly recommend using high-quality baking products like King Arthur brand for the best results.
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk: to make your own, combine 1/4 cup buttermilk with 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar and let sit 5 minutes.
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• 1 batch Homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: or the frosting of your choice.

The entire recipe and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can print the recipe from the card, if needed.

Prep!

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Line a mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake liners. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your mini cupcake pan or if you don’t have multiple pans.

Create!

Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.

Whisk together the sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until well-blended.

Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Fill each cupcake liner halfway with batter.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. If you are using this recipe to make standard size cupcakes, you will need to increase the bake time but a few minutes.

Let cool fully prior to frosting.

Present!

Pipe or spread on the frosting of your choice. Decorate, as desired.

Tips and Techniques

• To make your own buttermilk, combine 1/4 cup buttermilk with 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar and let sit 5 minutes.
• Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Spoon the flour into the measuring cup to avoid packing it. If you pack the flour too much, the cupcakes will turn out dry.
• If you are using this recipe to make standard size cupcakes, you will need to increase the bake time but a few minutes.
• Store cupcakes without icing tightly covered at room temperature for a day or two, or with/without frosting in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
• To freeze cupcakes, store unfrosted cupcakes individually wrapped in plastic wrap or in freezer bags for up to 3 months. If the cupcakes are frosted, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, wrap in plastic wrap or place in airtight containers. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

More Mini Cupcake Recipes

Mini Sprinkle Cupcakes (Mini Funfetti Cupcakes) Two bite Mini Sprinkle Cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting are sweet, petite and absolutely delightful. They are a copycat version of everyone’s favorite funfetti birthday cake. These delicious little bites are a fun dessert option for all types of gatherings and celebrations. Get The Recipe Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes are a 2-bite, sweet and delicious miniature version of classic red velvet cupcakes. These cuties are topped with a simple Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting and are perfect for any occasion. Their beautiful red color makes them especially wonderful for Valentine's Day and Christmas celebrations. Get The Recipe Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes This classic, spring recipe is the perfect celebratory dessert to serve on special occasions such as Easter. Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes are made completely from scratch, with homemade cream cheese frosting too. These bite-size cakes taste sweet, creamy, tangy, and spicy from warming spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Get The Recipe

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Print

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes are rich, moist, and decadent bite-sized treats with the perfect balance of chocolatey sweetness. These easy mini cupcakes are ideal for parties, holidays, and entertaining, making them a crowd-pleasing dessert everyone loves. Course DessertCuisine American Prep Time 10 minutes minutesCook Time 15 minutes minutesTotal Time 25 minutes minutes Servings 36 mini cupcakes Calories 55kcal Author Lauren Harris

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 batch Homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (or the frosting of your choice)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line a mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake liners.
• Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.1 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Whisk together the sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until well-blended.1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Do not over-mix.
• Fill each cupcake liner halfway with batter.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
• Let cool fully prior to frosting.
• Pipe or spread on the frosting of your choice. Decorate, as desired.1 batch Homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Notes

Tips and Techniques

• To make your own buttermilk, combine 1/4 cup buttermilk with 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar and let sit 5 minutes.
• Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Spoon the flour into the measuring cup to avoid packing it. If you pack the flour too much, the cupcakes will turn out dry.
• If you are using this recipe to make standard size cupcakes, you will need to increase the bake time but a few minutes.
• Store cupcakes without icing tightly covered at room temperature for a day or two, or with/without frosting in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
• To freeze cupcakes, store unfrosted cupcakes individually wrapped in plastic wrap or in freezer bags for up to 3 months. If the cupcakes are frosted, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, wrap in plastic wrap or place in airtight containers. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary. It does not include the frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1mini cupcake | Calories: 55kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

This recipe was originally published September 28, 2020. It was updated with new images, step-by-step instructions, tips and techniques in January 2026.