Dessert

Bake Sale Fudge Cupcakes Recipe

ByMariam Harutyunyan December 28, 2025December 28, 2025

Introduction

These Bake Sale Fudge Cupcakes are rich, moist, and full of chocolatey goodness. Perfect for sharing at any gathering, they combine deep cocoa flavor with a tender crumb that melts in your mouth.

The image shows several chocolate cupcakes with two clear layers: the base is a dark chocolate cake that looks moist and dense with a slightly rough texture, and the top is a thick swirl of smooth, rich chocolate frosting with a glossy finish. The frosting on some cupcakes is decorated with colorful small round and long sprinkles in shades of red, yellow, green, blue, pink, and white, adding a bright contrast. The cupcakes are in white paper liners with vertical ridges, and they are placed on a white marbled surface that is also scattered with some loose sprinkles. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 cup (85g) Dutch-process cocoa
2 1/3 cups (280g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 2/3 cups (354g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional but tasty
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons (14g) King Arthur Bread and Cake Enhancer, optional but good for texture and freshness
1 1/2 cups (255g) chocolate chips

3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (340g) milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon (14g) King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract

1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar
1/2 cup (99g) vegetable oil

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper or silicone muffin cups, and grease the cups.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, Cake Enhancer, and chocolate chips. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large measuring cup or medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, oil, and vinegar. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing until everything is well combined.
Step 4: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling the cups about 3/4 full.

Step 5: Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of one of the middle cupcakes comes out clean.
Step 6: Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and as soon as you can handle them, remove them from the pan, and transfer to a rack to cool. Store cooled cupcakes airtight.

Tips & Variations

For extra fudginess, use dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can also fold in chopped nuts for added texture.

If you don’t have Cake Enhancer, simply omit it; the cupcakes will still be delicious.
Espresso powder is optional but enhances the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste.

Storage

Store the cooled cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm briefly in the microwave or let come to room temperature before serving.

How to Serve

A close-up of a chocolate cupcake with the white paper liner peeled down, showing a moist dark brown cake with a bitten side. On top, there is a thick layer of rich, swirled chocolate frosting decorated with colorful sprinkles in blue, red, purple, yellow, and green. In the blurry background, there are more whole chocolate cupcakes with the same frosting on a white marbled surface, along with some scattered sprinkles. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use Dutch-process cocoa instead of natural cocoa?

Yes, this recipe calls for Dutch-process cocoa, which has a smoother, less acidic flavor. Using natural cocoa might slightly change the texture and flavor but the cupcakes will still turn out great.

Why is vinegar added to the batter?

The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help the cupcakes rise and stay tender. It also brightens the chocolate flavor without leaving a noticeable vinegar taste.