A simple recipe from scratch for super Moist Devil's Food Cupcakes with a rich and delicious buttercream chocolate chip frosting.

We have a back-to-school tradition that I started when Allen started his first day of kindergarten. OMG...where did the time go?? That was just yesterday...
It started with a cake and a back-to-school bash, mainly a few friends from the neighborhood. It was a way to get the kids excited about beginning a new school year. The end of summer fun can be a tad depressing, so this gave them something fun to anticipate.
The cake changed from year to year and some years we had cake and other years I made cupcakes or brownies. It has been a lot of fun baking up memories, and this devil's food cupcake remains one of their favorites. A few more incredible cupcake recipes to try are these Key Lime Cupcakes, Orange Cupcakes, and Lavender Cupcakes. Those are definitely on repeat in this house! If you're a Nutella fan, this Nutella frosting recipe would also be pretty epic on a devil's food cupcake! It's crazy good!!
How To Make The Best Devil's Food Cupcakes
Cupcake Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Grapeseed oil
- Boiling water
Chocolate Chip Frosting Ingredients
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
- Whole milk
- Heavy whipping cream
- Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
How To Make Devil's Food Cupcakes
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line 28-30 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
Step 2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Add sugar and stir to mix.
Step 3. Pour flour mixture into a large mixing bowl and add eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, then stir in boiling hot water (consistency will be thin).
Step 4. Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full with batter and bake for 22-25 minutes. Allow to cool while you make the buttercream frosting.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Buttercream Frosting
Step 1. Place butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with a whisk attachment until creamy.
Step 2. Add one cup of powdered sugar and blend until smooth.
Step 3. Add vanilla, milk, and cream, then continue slowly adding sugar until all is incorporated and the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Step 4. Stir in chocolate chips and frost the cupcakes after they have cooled completely.
Recipe Note
Don't be alarmed when you make the cupcake batter for this recipe and it looks thin. It's supposed to be a thin consistency, but they rise beautifully when baked and you end up with the perfect cupcake texture.
Storage
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Devil's Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Chip Buttercream
Ingredients
- For the cupcakes:
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 whole large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup grapeseed oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- For the frosting:
- 1 ½ sticks butter softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoon whole milk
- ¾ cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- For the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line 28-30 muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium size bowl
- Add sugar and stir to mix
- Pour flour mixture into a large mixing bowl and add eggs, oil, milk and vanilla
- Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, then stir in boiling hot water (consistency will be thin)
- Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full with batter
- Bake for 22-25 minutes and cool while you make your frosting
- For the frosting:
- Place butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with whisk attachment until creamy
- Add one cup of powdered sugar and blend until smooth
- Add vanilla, milk and cream, then continue slowly adding sugar until all is incorporated and frosting is smooth and creamy
- Stir in chocolate chips and frost on cooled cupcakes
- *Store cupcake in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to serve
Notes
Nutrition
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Stacy
You've got me all weepy too, Amee! What a wonderful walk down memory lane and great advice. You've created memories for your children with your back to school traditions and I'm sure they'll carry them on someday with their children. And that's what family is all about!
Amee Livingston
Thinking about our kids growing up so fast always tugs at the heartstrings! Thank you Stacy! I try to create fun memories for them, just like my mom did for me. Thank you for taking time to comment. 🙂
Family Foodie
Such a great post. Love all the memories!
Amee Livingston
Thank you so much Isabel! We have to enjoy every minute we have with them, right?!
Bernie Dezenski
Absolutely love your story and all the photos you included! Your sweet (no pun intended) tradition touched my heart -- your kids will remember it always . . . and the cupcakes -- well, I could easily polish off a couple of them right now!!
Amee Livingston
Thank you so much Bernie! I really appreciate your thoughtful words!!
[email protected] Freshman Cook
What a wonderful post! I got tears in my eyes just reading it. I have that saying that you mentioned, by Robert Brault, in a frame sitting on a table in our living room. It is one of my favorites, and it is so very true! Thanks for a great post!
Amee Livingston
I love that Robert Brault quote so much, Teri! Thank you for your kind words!!