Large Batch Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting

This big-batch recipe makes 36 tender, well-behaved chocolate cupcakes and a beautiful, unfussy raspberry whipped cream frosting to pipe on top. Here’s how to make it great.

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Why we love this recipe

This nice big batch of cupcakes is the perfect size for a class party or bake sale. You won’t have to worry about running out or stiffing the teachers and little siblings at home. These chocolate cupcakes with whipped cream frosting:

• Are always a favorite with kids and adults alike
• Look beautiful, but with a nice, unfussy vibe
• Make a flavorful sweet treat that’s definitely not cloying
• Can be prepped well in advance

What you’ll need

Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.

For the large batch chocolate cupcakes

• Dutch-process cocoa powder is processed with alkali. The higher pH makes it react differently in batter than regular cocoa powder, so don’t swap one for the other. It shouldn’t be too hard to find, but if you can’t get it locally, you can order it on Amazon.
• Safflower oil is my neutral-tasting vegetable oil of choice. You can substitute another oil that has similar properties, such as canola, sunflower, peanut, corn, or vegetable oil blend.
• Whole milk produces beautifully tender and moist cupcakes.
• The water doesn’t need to be at an actual boil, but do ensure it’s very hot. Among other functions, it helps to develop the flavor of the cocoa.

For the raspberry whipped cream frosting

• Fresh or frozen raspberries are fine. I almost always use frozen since they tend to be both less expensive and picked at the peak of ripeness.
• Use heavy cream, not whipping cream. Heavy cream has a slightly higher fat content, and it will hold its whipped consistency longer and better. This is important when frosting cupcakes.

How to make it

Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make large batch chocolate cupcakes with whipped cream frosting. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.

To make the cupcakes

1. Mix together the dry ingredients.
2. Beat in the egg, milk, oil, and, vanilla.
3. Carefully beat in the hot water.
4. Bake at 350°F for about 18 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. 

To make the frosting

1. Simmer the raspberries and half the sugar until the raspberries have broken down and the mixture has thickened.
2. Strain it through a fine-mesh sieve, leaving the seeds behind and pushing through as much of the raspberry puree as you can. This will require a little persistence, and you won’t get it all, but do your best.
3. Whip the cream to the soft-peak stage. Add the remaining sugar and whip to incorporate.
4. Whip in the raspberry puree until just incorporated. Do the last bit of mixing by hand, being careful not to overdo it.

Expert tips and FAQs

More favorite chocolate cupcake recipes

• With cream cheese frosting
• With buttercream frosting
• With candy canes

4.44 from 41 votes

Large Batch Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting

By Carolyn Gratzer Cope

These delicious and unfussy cupcakes would be perfect at a larger party, but I’ve made a recipe of this size specifically for bringing to school. Piping the simple icing through a big star tip is quick and easy and looks like you worked harder than you did.

Prep: 1 hour hr

Cook: 18 minutes mins

Additional Time: 1 hour hr

Total: 2 hours hrs 18 minutes mins

Servings: 36 cupcakes

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Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• ▢ 3 cups (594 grams) sugar
• ▢ 2 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons, (315 grams) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons, (96 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 2 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 ½ cups (355 ml) whole milk
• ▢ ¾ cup (177 ml) vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 ½ cups (355 ml) boiling water

For the frosting

• ▢ 10 ounces (284 grams) frozen raspberries
• ▢ ⅔ cup (133 grams) sugar, divided
• ▢ 2 cups (473 ml) heavy cream
• ▢ 36 fresh raspberries, to decorate

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Instructions 

For the cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three standard muffin tins with 36 paper liners (or bake in batches, one or two tins at a time).
• In a very large bowl or the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with the paddle (I have this one, which is 6 quarts, and it still sloshes a little), stir sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
• Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until batter is smooth.
• Pour in boiling water and stir with a spoon or very carefully mix on low speed with the splash guard surrounding the bowl until just incorporated.
• Pour batter into muffin cups. Bake cupcakes for about 18 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.
• Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

For the frosting

• In a small pot set over medium heat, stir together the frozen raspberries and 1/3 cup of the sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the raspberries have broken down and the mixture has bubbled itself away to a slightly syrupy consistency.
• With a spoon, push the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. The liquid will go through on its own, but you'll have to work to get as much of the seedless pulp through the strainer as you can. I like to go through three or four rounds of smushing the pulp around inside the strainer and then, using a clean spoon, scraping it from the bottom of the strainer into the bowl. Cool completely before using. You can do this quickly in an ice bath or make the syrup up to a week in advance of frosting the cupcakes.
• Whip the cream just shy of the soft peak stage, then add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat a little more. Spoon in the raspberry syrup and stir with a spoon until incorporated.
• You can spread the icing onto the cupcakes, but I prefer to spoon it into a disposable piping bag (such as this one) fitted with a star tip (such as this one) and quickly pipe some icing onto each cupcake. You can get this look by piping vertically from directly above the cupcake.
• Place a raspberry in the center of each cupcake and send that kid to school.

Notes

1. Dutch-process cocoa powder is processed with alkali. The higher pH makes it react differently in batter than regular cocoa powder, so don't swap one for the other. It shouldn't be too hard to find, but if you can't get it locally, you can order it on Amazon.
2. Safflower oil is my neutral-tasting vegetable oil of choice. You can substitute another oil that has similar properties, such as canola, sunflower, peanut, corn, or vegetable oil blend.
3. Whole milk produces beautifully tender and moist cupcakes.
4. The water doesn't need to be at an actual boil, but do ensure it's very hot. Among other functions, it helps to develop the flavor of the cocoa.
5. Fresh or frozen raspberries are fine. I almost always use frozen since they tend to be both less expensive and picked at the peak of ripeness.
6. Use heavy cream, not whipping cream. Heavy cream has a slightly higher fat content, and it will hold its whipped consistency longer and better. This is important when frosting cupcakes.
7. You can make the cupcakes themselves in advance. Once cooled, they'll do well in an airtight container at room temperature for about three days or in the fridge for up to a week. Or you can wrap them well in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze them for later use, up to about three months.
8. You can also make the raspberry puree well in advance — it will keep for a week in an airtight container in the fridge, or you can freeze it. Make the frosting on the day you plan to serve the cupcakes, and frost them as close to serving time as possible, though they'll hold up well for many hours.
9. Store any leftover frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge and bring to cool room temperature before serving.
10. Cupcake batter adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod.

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcal, Carbohydrates: 32.7g, Protein: 2.7g, Fat: 10.5g, Fiber: 1.7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

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