These delicious chocolate honey cupcakes are not too sweet but full of chocolate and honey flavor topped with a decadent silky whipped honey buttercream.
If you have never tried chocolate and honey together, now is your chance. With these simple chocolate cupcakes that couldn't be easier to make and the cupcake itself is sweetened only with honey! If you are craving more chocolate, be sure to check these other delicious chocolate recipes. And if honey is your thing, check out these honey recipes for more honey flavor!
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Ingredients for Chocolate Honey Cupcakes
Made with only 10 ingredients, these chocolate honey cupcakes were developed to be simple and satisfying. They're quick to make with simply ingredients and reduced refined sugar. We do use powdered sugar in the frosting, but the chocolate cupcakes are sweetened only with honey.
It's hard to believe there is no other sugar in the chocolate cupcakes other than the honey! Honey does all the work for us, which is why I love baking with it! These cupcakes are not too sweet but will satisfy any chocolate lover's sweet tooth with the perfect balance of sweet and flavor.
- all purpose flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- honey (I love using a local raw honey for the richest honey flavor)
- coffee
- oil (any neutral oil such as vegetable, canola, avocado, etc.,.)
- eggs
- baking soda
- salt
- pure vanilla extract
- powedered sugar
- unsalted butter
- heavy whipping cream
A note about honey...
Using a local raw honey will give you the richest honey flavor and health benefits. The flavor is also so much better and the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties will be more beneficial compared to an ultra filtered low grade mass produced honey. It will add richness and a stronger true honey flavor and color to your buttercream as well. The color of the buttercream will greatly depend on the butter and honey that you use. Please keep in mind that the color can vary. Support your local bee keepers!
How to Make Chocolate Honey Cupcakes
These simple chocolate honey cupcakes are super easy and quick to make. We start by preheating the oven and prepping a 12 cup cupcake pan. In a mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together, set aside. In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together the wet ingredients starting with the oil and sugar, then adding the eggs and whisk until combined.
Add in half of the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until combined. Add in the coffee and mix until uniform. Add in the remaining dry ingredient flour mixture. Then divide chocolate cupcake batter evenly among a 12 cup cupcake pan. I love using a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the batter in the pan.
Lastly, combine the wet with the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Divide evenly among a 12 cup cupcake pan and bake to perfection.
How to Make Whipped Honey Buttercream
While the chocolate cupcakes are baking, whip up the silky honey buttercream frosting. Use an electric handheld mixer fitted with beater blades or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment by whipping the softened butter and honey together, adding in the powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Then whip up for a couple minutes to honey buttercream perfection.
Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. I like to simply spread this frosting on top with a small icing spatula or butterknife and drizzle a tiny bit of honey overtop.
Note: The color of your honey buttercream will very greatly depending on the honey you use, as well as the butter. Butter from grass fed cows tends to be more yellow or deep gold. I personally love to use a local raw honey for full rich honey flavor and this honey also tends to be more dark amber in color instead of a light gold, so the buttercream will take on the color of the ingredients you are using.
How to Store Chocolate Honey Cupcakes
These cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an air tight container and served at room temperature for best flavor. The cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for a day or two as well and/or during serving. They are best kept covered in an air tight container to avoid drying out.
I do not recommend freezing due to the honey content in the buttercream and it is possible that the consistency would not be right when thawing, however you can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Honey has a very long shelf life in general and is typically stored at room temperature, so that is why honey works great in these cupcakes and makes it easy to store them.
Tips for Baking the Best Cupcakes
- Avoid overfilling cupcake liners! This is one of the easiest mistakes to make when baking cupcakes. Fill the cupcakes according to the individual recipe. Some recipes call for only ½ full, ⅔ full, and some cupcake recipes may even call for ¾ of the way full. Regardless, listen to the recipe and DO NOT fill to the top.
- Use room temperature ingredients. This is especially true for cold ingredients often used for cupcakes such as milk, eggs, and/or butter. Butter can be melted or softened at room temperature.
- Measure the flour properly. Flour is the most commonly incorrectly measured ingredient in baking and using too much or too little can greatly alter the outcome of any recipe. The MOST accurate way to measure flour is to weigh it. Most recipes will account for around 120-130 grams per 1 cup of flour. If you do not have a scale or the recipe does not specify metric measurements, use the spoon and level method! At the very least, you should ALWAYS fluff up the flour before measuring it into the measuring cups. Fluff the flour up with a utensil in the container and/or bag, then use a spoon to spoon the flour into the measuring cup until full, then take the straight edge/handle of the spoon or butter knife to level off the flour from the top of the measuring cup.
- Avoid overmixing! Always whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl first and then fold the dry ingredients in gently. This helps to avoid overdeveloping the gluten. If you are using a gluten free flour 1:1 blend, then you do not need to worry about this as much.
- Use cupcake liners! These are a must for cupcakes. No ifs, ands, or buts about it!
- Use a cookie scoop/ice cream scoop to distribute the cupcake batter evenly in the cupcake pan. This is an easy tip to distribute the batter evenly (you could also use a scale to ensure each cupcake weights the exact same) and this method helps avoid making a mess with the batter.
- Do not open the oven while the cupcakes are baking. Use the oven light to help you see the cupcakes while baking. Opening the oven lets out a ton of heat and can sink the middle of the cupcakes.
- When making mini cupcakes, use mini add ins! For example, instead of regularly sized chocolate chips, use mini chocolate chips. For any fruits or nuts, chop them first before folding into the cupcake batter. Remember mini cupcakes also require much less time to bake!
- Let baked cupcakes cool COMPLETELY. It is essential for the cupcakes to be cool before decorating with frosting and/or toppings.
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More Cupcake Recipes...
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Chocolate Honey Cupcakes with Whipped Honey Buttercream
Equipment
- electrix mixer with paddle attachment
- whisk
- cupcake pan and cupcake liners
- measuring cups & spoons
Ingredients
Chocolate Honey Cupcakes
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 6 ounces coffee (not hot, slightly warmer than room temperature)
- ⅓ cup oil (any nuetral oil - vegetable, canola, avocado)
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped Honey Buttercream
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (softned, room temperature - 1½ sticks)
- 6 cups powedered sugar
- 4 ounces honey (Local honey is best and the type of honey will determine the flavor - source a good honey!)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Optional Toppings
- extra honey (for drizzling over top if desired)
- honeycomb
- bee pollen sprinkles
Instructions
Chocolate Honey Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Prepare a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients including the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Add in half of the dry ingredients, whisking until combined. Then add in the coffee, whisking to combine. Whisk in the remaining dry ingredient mixture and whisk just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fill each cupcake liner around ⅔ full. Then bake for 18 minutes or until the cupcakes are baked through. Let cool at room temperature before frosting.
Whipped Honey Buttercream
- With an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip together the softened butter, honey, and salt for a couple of minutes until thoroughly combined and fluffy.
- Mixing on low speed, slowly add in the powedered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract. Once all combined, whip up the frosting on medium to high speed for a couple of minutes until a silky buttercream forms.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired and top with additional honey drizzle.
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