Soft, moist and absolutely divine chocolate cupcakes made with 100% whole wheat flour.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Soft white wheat: We use flour ground from soft white wheat berries. Flour ground from hard white wheat or spelt also works.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Cocoa or cacao powder works in this recipe. Cacao (alkalized) will give you a slightly darker chocolate cupcake.
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Oil: We use olive oil or avocado oil, but any oil you use in baking should work.
- Sugar: We use organic cane sugar or granulated raw cane sugar.
- Vanilla extract
- Egg
- Hot water
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- To make a cake, visit our whole wheat chocolate cake recipe.
Instruction Photos
Overview of instructions with photos. See recipe card for quantities and full instructions.
Step 1: Stir the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.
Step 2: Stir the sugar and oil together in a medium mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add the egg and vanilla and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until lightened in color and thickened.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients alternately with hot water (see instructions below if you need clarification).
Add about ⅓ of the flour, stir a couple times, add half the water, stir a couple times, add ⅓ of the flour, stir, add the other half of the water, stir, add the rest of the flour and stir until combined.
Step 5: Mix on medium speed for about 20 seconds or until well combined and smooth.
Step 6: Line a cupcake pan with 8 cupcake liners, fill the cups about ⅔-¾ the way full.
Step 7: Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs (see photo below).
Step 8: Transfer the cupcakes from the pan to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Serving Suggestions
Frosting: We have some great frosting suggestions to top these delicious chocolate cupcakes:
- Dark chocolate cream cheese frosting
- Cream cheese chocolate ganache
- The orange variation of this lemon frosting
- Plain cream cheese frosting
- Coffee whipped cream (recipe coming soon)
Filled cupcakes: You can cut a hole in the center of the cupcakes and fill it was some kind of filling before frosting:
- Black Forest Cupcakes: Fill with a cherry filling and frost with whipped cream, you can sprinkle the tops with shaved chocolate if desired.
- Chocolate Orange Cupcakes: Fill with orange curd and top with whipped cream.
Storage
Store baked cupcakes in a covered container, at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze
After the cupcakes are cool, place into an airtight, freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator. You can frost the cupcakes while they are frozen or wait until they are thawed.
Tips From Our Kitchen
Use a high quality, finely ground flour. If your flour has very large pieces of bran you can sift it to make a finer textured cupcake.
We recommend using fresh ground flour for the best flavor and texture.
Make sure you beat the egg into the sugar and oil until it is lightened in color and it has thickened a little bit. This will help ensure the cupcakes rise properly and don’t sink in the middle.
Related Recipes
📖 Recipe
Whole Wheat Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (90 g) soft white wheat flour
- ¼ cup (24 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup (52 g) oil avocado or olive
- ½ cup (105 g) granulated cane sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) hot water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the center position. Line a standard size cupcake tin with 8 paper liners.
- In a small bowl, stir together ¾ cup (90 g) soft white wheat flour, ¼ cup (24 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ⅛ teaspoon baking powder and ⅛ teaspoon sea salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat ¼ cup (52 g) oil and ½ cup (105 g) granulated cane sugar until combined. Add 1 large egg and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract beat on high speed until lightened in color and thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the dry ingredients alternately with ½ cup (120 g) hot water. Beat on medium speed for 20-30seconds or until well combined and smooth.
- Fill the paper lined cupcake cups ⅔-¾ the way full.
- Bake at 350°F for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack, cool completely before frosting.
Notes
Nutrition
We calculate these nutritional facts using an estimate and they can vary drastically between ingredients used and measuring technique. So, they are not intended for medical use.
Beth
I've tried many freshly milled cupcake recipes, but they always end up way too dense and crumbly. I made these yesterday for my daughter's birthday and we all loved them! They actually had a normal cupcake texture and taste. Thank you ladies! I am about to try your hot dog buns next!
WholeWheatKitchen
That makes us so happy to hear, thanks for letting us know! I hope the hotdog buns work out for you too 🤞