This is a delicious moist chocolate cupcake recipe with olive oil that's made in just one bowl. The Mascarpone frosting is basically a delicious, fudgy chocolate ganache that takes them over the top.

Moist chocolate cupcake recipe (and a Mascarpone frosting) 3

You probably already have a chocolate cupcake recipe in your recipe book, but if you're like me then you know that there's always room for another one!

Plus this recipe is very easy (it's made in just one bowl and you can even make it without an electrical mixer), it has some healthy fat from the olive oil - just like these melt-in-your-mouth olive oil brownies - and produces moist, intensely chocolaty, fluffy and soft cupcakes.

As far as the chocolate Mascarpone frosting I really have no words... It's like eating a fudgy chocolate truffle, and it complements the cupcakes perfectly. Note that this cupcake recipe is without milk, but the frosting is not.

So, if you follow a dairy-free diet you can make the cupcakes but you should substitute the Mascarpone frosting with something else that doesn't contain dairy.

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How to make (and keep) them moist.

The first thing you should do is start with a good chocolate cupcake recipe! You may have noticed that cocoa powder absorbs a good amount of moisture. This means that the recipe needs a lot of liquid in order to stay moist. So that's why the batter for many chocolate cake recipes is a lot thinner compared to a vanilla cake batter.

What liquids to use

Your best option is coffee or water (roasted almond/hazelnut milk is also great if you have some). Coffee has a similar flavor profile with cocoa, thats why it enhances the taste of chocolate cupcakes. And in most cases you won't be able to taste the coffee because the cocoa powder will overpower it. If you don't want to add any coffee, you can add water instead.

Don't overbake

You hear it all the time. If you overbake your cupcakes they will be dry. Because every household oven is different, you are the best judge for when your baked goods are done. Use the times given in the recipe as a reference point, and check doneness with a toothpick.

If a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with a few crumbs stuck on it, then your cupcakes are perfectly baked. Also, to ensure even baking for all the cupcakes, make sure that all the cupcakes liners are filled equally. An ice cream scoop is very helpful for this.

After the cupcakes have cooled, store them in an aitight container to prevent them from drying. They're even better the next day!

Moist chocolate cupcake recipe (and a Mascarpone frosting)

Why this recipe is without milk

I have been baking cakes and cupcakes for over 20 years now, and I have come to the conclusion that dairy (like milk, yogurt, buttermilk) makes the cocoa taste less chocolaty. However, almond milk or hazelnut milk (because it's not dairy) will go very well with this recipe.

Note that only the cupcakes are dairy-free. The Mascarpone frosting is not dairy-free because it contains Mascarpone which is a type of cream cheese.

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My favorite tip for decorating cupcakes is this the star tip 1M.

Some of the best chocolates for these cupcakes are:

Lindt Swiss Bittersweet Chocolate Bar
Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Chocolate Chips
Belgian Dark Couverture Chocolate Semisweet Callets

If you have any leftover chocolate, make sure to make this easy, 2-ingredient chocolate mousse recipe!

For decoration inspiration, watch this video with 4 ways to frost a cupcake.

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