Chocolate Cupcakes Without Cocoa Powder

You are excited to make your favorite chocolate cupcakes. You preheat the oven and start melting the butter. When you’ve prepared the batter, it’s time to add cocoa powder to it. Then, you realize that there is no cocoa powder at home.

Alas! All your effort goes to waste. You stare sadly at the batter and the empty cupcake tin. There goes your dream of making those chocolate cupcakes…

Does this situation seem familiar? Well, no worries! The good news is that you don’t have to give up on those cupcakes just yet. 

Chocolate Cupcakes Without Cocoa Powder

Today, we will learn how to make chocolate cupcakes without cocoa powder. Yup, you heard it right!

These chocolate cupcakes will taste just as delicious and chocolatey – maybe even better!

They will turn out to be moist and soft, with the perfect sweetness. When you’ll dig your teeth in the cupcakes, you will surely moan in delight. No one will be able to tell that you haven’t added any cocoa powder in them. 

The best thing about these cupcakes is that they are so easy to make. After a lot of tweaking, I’ve finally come up with the best recipe.

So, you won’t have to worry about anything going wrong. Plus, this recipe is so quick to make. It will be done in just twenty minutes. You can leave the rest of the work to your oven while you enjoy a cup of coffee. 

DIY Double Boiler For Melting Chocolate

You don’t need to use an electric beater for this recipe as it is made with melted butter and an egg. So, you just need a double boiler.

If you don’t have one at home, don’t worry. You can easily make you’re a makeshift double boiler. 

All you need is a pot and a heatproof bowl to make your own double boiler. Here’s how to make your own DIY double boiler for melting chocolate:

• Fill the pot with water and bring it to boil.
• Once the water has boiled, turn the heat to low.
• Place the bowl on top of the simmering water. You can use a stainless steel or glass bowl that is slightly bigger than the pot.
• Add the butter and chocolate in the bowl. They will melt smoothly due to the heat coming from the boiling water. The bowl doesn’t have to touch the boiling water as it’s not a water bath. 

By the way, if you’re on the market for a new set of stainless steel measuring cups, check out this recent review we did of our very favorites!

Tips for Making Chocolate Cupcakes Without Cocoa Powder

Tip #1: Use dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Make sure that you get dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate for this recipe.

If you are using a store-bought chocolate bar or milk chocolate, it won’t melt smoothly in the double boiler. 

Tip #2: All ingredients should be at room temperature

An important tip that you must remember is that the ingredients should be at room temperature.

So, make sure that you bring everything to room temperature after you take them out of the refrigerator. You don’t need to microwave them. Just leave them on the counter at room temperature for a few minutes and they’ll be ready for the baking magic. 

Many amateur bakers end up using cold butter or eggs that ruin the recipe. The cupcakes will not turn out to be tender and light-textured with cold ingredients. This is because cold ingredients don’t incorporate well.

So, you might even end up with clumpy frosting or a dry cupcake that doesn’t taste that good. 

Tip #3: Use powdered sugar or caster sugar (not granulated sugar)

Another thing that you must keep in mind is that you shouldn’t use regular sugar for this recipe. You need powdered or caster sugar instead. Many other recipes use regular sugar.

This recipe doesn’t use an electric beater so the regular sugar crystals won’t melt. They will sink to the bottom of your cupcake and might even burn. So, the sugar you are using might be the difference between a success and a failure! 

Tip #4: Don’t overfill the cupcake liners

Another essential tip that no one will tell you is that you should fill the cupcake liners only halfway full.

If you fill it more than that, the batter won’t rise into a fluffy cupcake. It might even overflow from the wrappers. Also, if the cupcake tin is too full, the cupcakes might not cook fully.

How To Make Chocolate Cupcakes Without Cocoa Powder 

Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven 350 ˚F.

Melt the chocolate and butter completely using the double boiler method.

Add powdered sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, milk, and egg, combine to mix everything.

Add paper mold to a muffin tin and pour the chocolate mixture into the mold.

Place in the oven and cook for 18 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely. 

How To Make Icing For Chocolate Cupcakes Without Cocoa Powder

Add the cream, chocolate chips, and a pinch of salt to a small pot and place over low heat. Whisk until melted. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 6-8 hours.

Use a hand mixer to beat cream until peaks form and it looks nice, fluffy, and creamy. 

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