Black Cocoa Cupcakes

These Black Cocoa Cupcakes are rich, moist, and packed with deep chocolate flavor. Made with black cocoa powder for their signature dark color and delicious flavor, they're topped with a smooth and creamy black cocoa frosting and finished with festive sprinkles. They're easy to make and perfect for Halloween, birthdays, or any chocolate lover!

A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED

• Room Temperature Ingredients:
  • Butter: It’s important that the butter is softened. In a pinch, you can put your butter in the microwave for about 5 seconds on each side, but watch closely to make sure it is just softening and not melting.
• Measuring Your Ingredients: I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
  • However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
• Oven Temperature: Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
  • I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together the flour, black cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the sugar and oil together on medium speed until well combined.

Add the egg and vanilla with the mixer on medium speed and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

With the mixer on low, add in the flour mixture, buttermilk, and coffee. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix just until it is incorporated.

Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners and carefully divide the batter evenly among them, filling each only about two thirds of the way. The batter will be pretty thin.

Bake for 19-21 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before gently pulling the cupcakes out of the pan to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Cream the butter until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar and black cocoa. Add the vanilla and cream. Mix on low just until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, scoop the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1M or similar piping tip.

Starting at the outside rim of the cupcake, begin to pipe the frosting in a clockwise motion, moving to the center until you have covered the entire top in a beautiful swirl design. Repeat this with the remaining cupcakes. Top each cupcake with sprinkles. Enjoy!

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