The soft and perfect cocoa cupcake base for decorating is a simple but essential recipe for those who love to prepare beautiful and delicious treats. Unlike classic muffins, these cupcakes remain relatively flat on top, just as tradition demands. Ideal for decorating with frosting, camy cream whipped cream, namelaka, or even fondant.
The dough is really easy and starts from butter whipped with sugar, to obtain a soft and creamy consistency in just a few minutes. I usually prepare them in paper cups, but if you want more precise and uniform cupcakes, I recommend using a muffin tin lined with paper cups: the result will be perfect!
This cocoa base is the right choice for those who want to have fun with decorations, but also for those who prefer to enjoy them plain, accompanied by a cup of milk or coffee. Soft, fragrant, and versatile: once you try them, you’ll never go back!
Before moving on to the recipe, other sweet ideas:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 12 cupcakes
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 165.10 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 18.23 (g) of which sugars 11.37 (g)
- Proteins 2.60 (g)
- Fat 9.92 (g) of which saturated 6.24 (g)of which unsaturated 3.64 (g)
- Fibers 0.80 (g)
- Sodium 13.99 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 40 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4.4 oz butter (soft)
- 4.4 oz sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3.5 oz all-purpose flour
- 0.7 oz unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp milk
- vanilla extract
- 0.2 oz baking powder
Tools
- 1 Electric Whisk
- 1 Muffin Tray
- 12 Paper Cups
Preparation
My advice, before starting this preparation, is to weigh and prepare all the ingredients: this way the dough will be really easy and quick to make. Once ready, you just have to follow a few steps to get soft cocoa cupcake bases perfect for decorating.
Let’s start by putting the soft butter and sugar into the bowl, then with the help of electric whisks, work them until you get a light and fluffy cream. At this point, add the eggs, continuing to mix well to absorb them.
Then incorporate the flour in multiple additions, alternating it with unsweetened cocoa and the three tablespoons of milk, which will make the dough more fluid and creamy. Scent with vanilla extract and, lastly, add the baking powder. Mix again to blend all the ingredients well: the result will be a smooth and velvety dough.
Now just distribute the dough into the 12 paper cups. As I mentioned, you can use them directly on the tray, but in this case, they will tend to lose some shape. My advice is to insert them into the classic muffin tin.
To fill the cups, I suggest using two spoons, so it will be easier to dose the right amount of dough without making too much mess. Fill about two-thirds of the cup, so they can rise without spilling during baking.
Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 20 minutes, until the surface is soft but dry.
Once baked, let them cool completely before decorating them as you prefer!
💡 In brief
The soft and perfect cocoa cupcake base for decorating is an easy and quick recipe to prepare cupcakes with an intense flavor and a smooth surface, ideal for any type of decoration. The dough is made in a few minutes starting from butter whipped with sugar, and it is perfect for baking in classic paper cups or a muffin tin for a uniform and precise result.
Check the baking with a toothpick: it should come out dry.
Let them cool well before decorating, so the creams don’t melt.
They stay soft for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
You can freeze them undecorated and thaw them at room temperature.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I prepare the cocoa cupcake base in advance?
Yes, you can prepare them the day before and store them in an airtight container: they will remain soft and fragrant.
Can I use oil instead of butter?
No, the taste and texture would be different, but you can substitute it with margarine.
