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Mary Berry Chocolate Cupcakes

Published: Updated:
Celebrity recipe

696 Reviews

Total Time
35m
Prep Time
20m
Bake Time
15m
Serves 12
Serves 12
easy
Easy

About our Mary Berry Chocolate Cupcakes recipe:

This easy chocolate cupcake recipe was created by Mary Berry, and creates rich, indulgent cupcakes that are easy to achieve in your own kitchen.

Whether you're looking for simple chocolate fairy cakes for a party or an easy chocolate cupcake recipe for everyday baking, this Mary Berry chocolate cupcake recipe is soon to be your go-to recipe for 5-star rich, gorgeously-moreish cupcakes every time. 

In just half an hour, this quick and easy cupcake recipe will make a delicious batch of 12 delicious chocolate cupcakes, ready to pipe with your favourite topping. We love whipping up an easy Chocolate Buttercream flavoured with rich cocoa powder for a satisfying chocolatey hit! So go ahead, treat yourself to a little slice of chocolate heaven – you deserve it.

If you love quick and simple cupcakes, then why not give some of our other cupcake recipes a go? Try our Chocolate Chip Cupcakes for an easy twist on traditional Vanilla Cupcakes. If you’re a Nutella fan, our Nutella Cupcakes are always a winner for family and friends.

How to make Halloween cupcakes:

Turn your Mary Berry chocolate cupcakes into spooky Halloween treats with just a few easy steps! Use Silver Spoon’s chocolate fudge icing sugar and follow the instructions on the pack to whip up the smoothest, most delicious chocolate buttercream. For a fun bat design, top each cupcake with an Oreo for the body, and pipe black and white icing to create little bat eyes. It’s cute, creepy, and absolutely delicious!

How to make Christmas cupcakes:

Transform our versatile Mary Berry chocolate cupcakes recipe into adorable Christmas cupcakes. Simply add some edible eyes, a small ball of red fondant icing (or red smartie) and some broken pretzels for antlers and you have the cutest Christmas reindeer cupcakes. Alternatively, crushed up some candy canes and sprinkle on top for a simple, yet indulgent looking Christmas treat. 

How to decorate chocolate cupcakes:

These rich chocolate cupcakes are perfect to decorate for any occasion, all year round. Simply top with chocolate buttercream, then add Mini Eggs. Alternatively, add a quarter of a teaspoon of Hundreds And Thousands to the top of each cupcake's buttercream topping.

How to make your cupcakes moist and fluffy:

If you want your cupcakes to stay moist for longer, brush your cooled sponges with a simple sugar syrup made from two parts granulated sugar to one part boiling water. After you’ve added the sugar syrup, top the cupcakes with your buttercream icing and enjoy.

Why Bake Mary Berry’s Chocolate Cupcakes?

⭐Ready in under an hour

⭐Ideal for last-minute gatherings and parties

⭐Brilliant for getting the kids involved

14 ingredients5 steps
  • Vegetarian

For the most indulgent cupcakes...

Bake with Billington's
Billington's Golden Caster Sugar
Mary Berry Chocolate Cupcake

Method

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C/gas mark 5. Line a muffin tin with paper cases. Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl, pour in the boiling water and mix into a thick paste. This may look curdled - this is normal (the image below shows what this paste should look like).

    Tip: muffin cases will give you a deeper cupcake.

    Chocolate buttercream being mixed in a glass bowl

    Ingredients for this step

    • 30gCocoa powder
    • 4 tbspWater (boiling)
  2. Step 2

    Add the eggs, butter, golden caster sugar, self-raising flour and baking powder into the cocoa powder and water mix. Mix with an electric hand whisk (or beat with a wooden spoon) until the mixture is smooth.

    Ingredients for this step

    • 3Free range large egg(s)
    • 175gUnsalted butter (softened)
    • 165gBillington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar
    • 115gAllinson's self-raising flour
    • 1 tspBaking Powder
  3. Step 3

    Divide the cake mixture equally between the 12 paper cases. Bake in a preheated oven for about 14-15 minutes until the cupcakes are risen and springy to the touch. Cool in the cases on a wire rack.

    Tip: try using an ice cream scoop to ensure that you have evenly portioned cupcakes. 

    Chocolate cupcake batter being spooned into paper cake cases
  4. Step 4

    To make the chocolate buttercream icing, melt the butter and pour it into a bowl. Sift in the cocoa powder and icing sugar a little at a time and stir to make a glossy and spreadable chocolate buttercream. If the icing is too thick, gradually add the milk until it reaches your desired consistency.

    Alternatively, you can make a delicious chocolate fudge buttercream using Silver Spoon Chocolate Fudge Flavoured Icing Sugar. Simply blend the flavoured icing sugar with 100g of unsalted softened butter until smooth and creamy. For this method, refer to our alternative method ingredients list.

    Chocolate buttercream being piped on top of a chocolate cupcake

    Ingredients for this step

    • 175gUnsalted butter (softened)
    • 40gCocoa powder
    • 3 tbspMilk (whole)
    • 250gSilver Spoon Icing Sugar
    • A handfulDecorations
  5. Step 5

    To finish, fill a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle with the chocolate buttercream and pipe swirls onto the cupcakes then sprinkle with chocolate decorations and leave to set before serving.

Ingredients

  • For the Cupcakes

    • 40gCocoa powder 
    • 4 tbspWater (boiling) 
    • 3Free range large egg(s) 
    • 175gUnsalted butter (softened) 
    • 165gBillington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar 
    • 115gAllinson's Self Raising Flour 
    • 1 tspBaking powder 
  • For the Buttercream

    • 60gUnsalted butter (softened) 
    • 30gCocoa powder 
    • 250gSilver Spoon Icing Sugar 
    • 3 tbspMilk (whole) 
    • A handfulDecorations 
  • For the buttercream (alternative method)

    • 200gSilver Spoon Chocolate Fudge Flavour Icing Sugar 
    • 100gUnsalted butter (softened) 

Utensils

  • Muffin cases
  • 12 hole muffin tin
  • Spoon
  • Bowl
  • Whisk or electric whisk
  • Piping bag
  • Star nozzle
  • Microwaveable bowl

Nutritional information per 80g serving

  • Energy 365cal
  • Fat 19g
  • of which Saturates 12g
  • Carbohydrates 43g
  • of which Sugars 35g
  • Protein 4.4g
  • Salt 0.26g

696 Baker Ratings

I had to add approx another 85g self raising flour as mixture was too runny

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