These bakery-worthy chocolate ganache cupcakes feature a moist chocolate cake filled with rich chocolate ganache, topped with a light & airy whipped chocolate ganache, and finished with a glossy drizzle. As a chocolate on chocolate cupcake recipe, they're guaranteed to satisfy the most intense chocolate cravings. From the soft cake to the creamy ganache, these cupcakes are truly irresistible and make for the perfect dessert to celebrate a birthday!
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Why you'll love these Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
- Rich, Tender Crumb: This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, a butter-oil combination, and dutch process cocoa powder to create the most tender crumb with a rich chocolate flavor!
- Chocolate on Chocolate: You can't go wrong with a classic chocolate cupcake!
- Chocolate Ganache AND Whipped Chocolate Ganache: To simplify this recipe (and maximize chocolate goodness!), the cupcakes are filled with chocolate ganache, and the remaining ganache is whipped to a pipe-able frosting-like consistency.
For more chocolate cake recipes, try my Sheet Pan Chocolate Birthday Cake, Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes, and Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Use high quality unbleached all-purpose flour for best flavor and overall result.
- Cocoa Powder: I recommend dutch process powder for a rich chocolatey flavor.
- Butter: I highly recommend European-style butter, as it has a higher fat percentage and less water content than American-style butter. I use Kerrygold!
- Neutral Oil: Using both oil and butter gives this cake a super moist texture without losing out on that buttery taste.
- Chocolate: Ganache is mostly chocolate, so it's very important to use a high quality brand! I love Guittard semisweet chocolate.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this chocolate ganache cupcake recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Start the cupcake batter
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Cut up the butter into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until it resembles wet sand.
Finish the cupcake batter
Add the oil, whole milk, and vanilla, and mix until just combined. In a separate medium bowl, add the egg whites. Use an electric hand mixer to whip them until medium peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Bake the cupcakes
Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter into the cupcake pans, filling each about ¾ full. Bake the cupcakes for about 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
Make the ganache & fill the cupcakes
Make the ganache and our about ⅓ of it into a piping bag. Place the remaining ganache back in the fridge. Use a 1" round cookie cutter to cut out the centers of each cupcake. Fill the centers with ganache, leaving some for a drizzle on top.
Whip the remaining ganache
With the remaining ganache in the fridge, use an electric hand mixer to whip until light and airy. Transfer to a piping bag with a large round tip.
Decorate
Pipe the whipped ganache onto each cupcake. Finish with the remaining ganache drizzle.
Expert Baking Tips
- Do not over-whip the egg whites. Whip the egg whites only to medium peaks. Whipping them to stiff peaks will make the egg whites too dry, causing them to deflate as they're folded into the batter.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter. To add an even amount of batter to each cup, use a cookie scoop. I used a 3 tablespoon scoop to fill each cup about ¾ full.
Recipe FAQs
Store these cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other chocolate recipes to try
If you tried this recipe, I'd love to know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating & review below and post a picture (or video!) on Instagram and tag me so I can see your bakes! Not ready to make this recipe yet? Click the heart button on the right of your screen to save it for later 🙂
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes:
- 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 250 g (1 ¼ cups) granulated sugar
- 84 g (1 cup) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 113 g (8 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temp
- 100 g (½ cup) neutral oil
- 360 g (1 ½ cups + ½ tbsp) whole milk, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 egg whites
For the chocolate ganache:
- 454 g (2 cups) heavy cream
- 454 g (2 ⅔ cups) semisweet chocolate
- 56 g (tablespoon) unsalted butter
Instructions
For the chocolate cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and add parchment cups to two cupcake pans.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut up the butter into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until it resembles wet sand.
- Add the oil, whole milk, and vanilla, and mix until just combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, add the egg whites. Use an electric hand mixer to whip them until medium peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter into the cupcake pans, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
For the chocolate ganache:
- In a small saucepan, place the heavy cream over low-medium heat. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula, and bring to simmer, or about 190 degrees F.
- Remove the pan from heat and add the chocolate and butter, and gently stir with a rubber spatula until fully combined. Place in the fridge to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Pour about ⅓ of the ganache into a piping bag. Place the remaining ganache back in the fridge.
For assembly:
- Use a 1" round cookie cutter to cut out the centers of each cupcake. Fill the centers with ganache, leaving some for a drizzle on top.
- With the remaining ganache in the fridge, use an electric hand mixer to whip until light and airy. Transfer to a piping bag with a large round tip.
- Pipe the whipped ganache onto each cupcake. Finish with the remaining ganache drizzle.
Notes
- Do not over-whip the egg whites. Whip the egg whites only to medium peaks. Whipping them to stiff peaks will make the egg whites too dry, causing them to deflate as they're folded into the batter.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter. To add an even amount of batter to each cup, use a cookie scoop. I used a 3 tablespoon scoop to fill each cup about ¾ full.
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