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Have a special occasion coming up and looking for the perfect chocolate cupcake recipe?  These Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes are a delicious way to celebrate every special occasion.

I adapted the Food Network’s Basic Chocolate Cake recipe and added a little instant espresso.  Because chocolate and coffee go together like peanut butter and jelly.  True story.  The espresso helps to intensify the chocolate flavor.  And what’s not to love about more chocolate-y goodness?  Nothing.  That’s what.

How To Make Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

Mocha Cupcakes

Yield: 18 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 24 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 9 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
• ¼ cup espresso powder
• 1 ½ cups boiling water
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• buttercream icing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. Whisk together cocoa and espresso powder in medium sized bowl. Add boiling water and set aside.
3. Combine eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla in using a mixer on low speed.
4. Meanwhile, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
5. Turn off mixer and add dry ingredients and cocoa mixture to mixing bowl. Turn mixer back on low speed and incorporate all ingredients together. Turn mixer onto high speed and mix for 2 minutes.
6. Using large cookie scoop, add two scoops of batter to each cupcake liner.
7. Bake for 22-24 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool and decorate with buttercream icing.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 334 Total Fat: 16g Saturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 37mg Sodium: 247mg Carbohydrates: 45g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 30g Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is an approximation.

What To Top Chocolate Cupcakes With

A simple buttercream icing is the perfect topping for chocolate cupcakes because buttercream + chocolate = love.

I decorated the cupcakes in a couple of different ways:  with a simple swirl of buttercream, with a few chocolate chips, and with an Andes mint perched on top.  You could add jimmies, sprinkles, premade cupcake toppers, or just leave them with plain, luscious buttercream.

Cupcakes are a fun way to celebrate any special occasion, or just because.

Aren’t they cute?

What is your favorite cupcake?