Description
Delicious and fudgy brownie cupcakes made from a boxed brownie mix with added ingredients for extra moisture and flavor, topped with a rich and creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfect for parties or everyday indulgence, these cupcakes offer the classic brownie taste in convenient single-serving portions.
Ingredients
Brownie Cupcake Batter
- 1 Box Brownie Mix (see notes for details)
- 1/2 cup (60g) All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup (100g) Granulated Sugar
- 1½ teaspoons (6g) Baking Powder
- 2½ Tablespoons (15g) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted (113g / 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup sour cream (full fat)
- 1/2 cup hot coffee or hot water (we used instant espresso dissolved in hot water)
- 3 large eggs
- Fudge Packet (if your brownie mix comes with one)
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened (do not microwave)
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (35g)
- 1-2 tablespoons milk (add more as needed to reach desired consistency)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (6g)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350℉. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. This recipe yields about 18-20 cupcakes.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the brownie mix, all purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and baking powder. Whisk them together until evenly combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, sour cream, fudge packet (if included), hot coffee or hot water, and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a rubber spatula until the batter is well combined and smooth.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon approximately 1/4 cup of batter into each cupcake liner, filling them evenly.
- Bake: Bake the cupcakes at 350℉ for 18-20 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool Cupcakes: Once baked, remove the cupcakes from the pan immediately and place them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Buttercream Frosting: In a bowl, beat the softened butter on low to medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla extract and blend well. Gradually add powdered sugar, salt, and sifted cocoa powder while mixing on low speed.
- Add Milk to Frosting: Slowly add most of the milk and increase mixer speed to medium as ingredients incorporate. Continue mixing, adding remaining milk as needed, for 3-5 minutes until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Adjust by adding milk if too thick or powdered sugar if too soft.
- Frost Cupcakes: Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost them as desired. Using a piping bag fitted with a star tip or simply spreading with a knife works well. Optionally, decorate with mini chocolate chips.
- Storage: Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- The brownie mix used can be any boxed brownie mix; adjust ingredients accordingly whether your mix includes a fudge packet or not.
- Using hot coffee or instant espresso dissolved in hot water enhances the chocolate flavor but hot water alone works fine too.
- When softening butter for frosting, avoid microwaving to maintain proper texture.
- Add milk gradually to the frosting to achieve your preferred consistency.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
