Fresh-Milled Chocolate Cupcakes (with Chocolate Ganache Frosting)
18 perfectly moist cupcakes, endless variations from one simple recipe
There are a few recipes that just feel special from the very first time you make them. For me, this one started that way. The very first time I baked these chocolate cupcakes was for my grandpa’s birthday — and I remember pulling them out of the oven, seeing how soft and rich they looked, and thinking, okay, this one’s a keeper.
Now, this is only the second time I’ve made them — this time for the blog — but they’ve already earned a permanent spot in my recipe box. I didn’t grow up protecting this recipe for years or working toward some secret formula. Honestly, I’m just in a season of converting and refining recipes to work with fresh-milled flour and finding what truly makes them shine. And these cupcakes are proof that simple ingredients, handled with care, can turn into something incredible.
Baking with Fresh-Milled Flour
If you’ve milled your own flour before, you know it’s nothing like the white powder that comes in a store-bought bag. Fresh-milled flour still has the germ and bran intact — it’s more flavorful, more nutritious, and a little more unpredictable. It’s alive.
That “living” quality changes how it behaves in baking. It’s more absorbent, so you often need a touch more liquid. It brings a delicate nutty flavor, and it makes everything taste warmer and more homemade — in the best possible way.
For this recipe, I use a blend of soft white and hard white wheat:
70% soft white wheat for tenderness and a fine crumb.
30% hard white wheat for strength and a little structure.
That mix gives the cupcakes a soft, bakery-style texture while still holding up beautifully to a rich chocolate ganache or heavier frosting like the German chocolate version.
Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
These cupcakes strike that balance of deep chocolate flavor and moist, fluffy texture — exactly what I want in a classic chocolate cake. They’re simple to make, and the batter comes together quickly.
Dry Ingredients
1 ½ cups (about 180g) fresh-milled flour (70% soft white, 30% hard white)
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice, let sit 5 min)
½ cup oil (neutral, like avocado or light olive oil)
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Mixture
8 oz dark chocolate chips (about 1 ⅓ cups)
¾ cup hot water or hot milk
(If you don’t make coffee, hot water or hot milk works perfectly — it just needs to be hot enough to melt the chocolate.)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cupcake pans with 18 paper liners.
Melt the chocolate. In a heat-safe bowl, pour the hot water or milk over the dark chocolate chips. Let sit 2–3 minutes, then whisk until smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl: flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl: eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
Combine wet and dry ingredients, stirring just until the flour disappears — don’t overmix.
Add melted chocolate mixture and stir until fully incorporated. The batter should be thick but pourable; add a splash more buttermilk if needed.
Scoop into cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
Bake 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
The Silkiest Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Ganache sounds fancy, but it’s actually one of the simplest frostings you can make — and it’s easily my favorite version of this cupcake. It’s rich, smooth, and lets that real chocolate flavor shine.
Ingredients
8 oz dark chocolate (chips or chopped)
¾ cup heavy cream (or whole milk in a pinch)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional: 1 tbsp butter for extra shine
Instructions
Heat cream (or milk) in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling.
Pour over the chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Let sit for 2–3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
Stir in vanilla (and butter if using).
Let the ganache cool until it thickens to a spreadable consistency — about 30 minutes at room temperature or 10–15 minutes in the fridge, stirring occasionally.
Endless Cupcake Variations from One Base Recipe
What I love most about this recipe is how versatile it is. With one reliable chocolate base, you can create an entire dessert table full of variety:
Classic Chocolate + Ganache: Smooth, rich, and elegant. Perfect for birthdays or celebrations.
German Chocolate: Top with homemade coconut-pecan frosting for that gooey, caramel-nut flavor that feels nostalgic and cozy.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter: Swap the ganache for whipped peanut butter frosting and add crushed peanuts on top.
Mocha: Use hot coffee instead of milk or water for the chocolate melt, and frost with espresso buttercream.
Raspberry Chocolate: Add a spoonful of raspberry jam in the center of each cupcake before baking, and top with dark chocolate frosting.
All from the same batter — one bowl, endless creativity.
A Note from the Heart
The first time I made these, it was all about celebrating family. My grandpa’s birthday was the reason I tried them in the first place, and seeing everyone’s reaction — especially how much they loved the chocolate ganache ones — made me realize how a simple batch of cupcakes can turn into something meaningful.
This second time, I made them for the blog, and I realized something else: baking is just as much about experimenting as it is about tradition. Using fresh-milled flour adds a layer of intentionality and creativity to the process — it connects you to the ingredients in a deeper way.
The cupcakes may not be perfect every time, but that’s what I love about them. They’re real. They evolve with you.
So whether you make these for a birthday, a celebration, or just because you’re craving something chocolatey and comforting, I hope you’ll feel that same warmth I did. And maybe, like me, you’ll find your own favorite version — the one that feels most like home.
Storage Tips
Room temperature (1–2 days): Store in an airtight container in a cool place.
Fridge (up to 5 days): Store airtight, and let come to room temp before serving.
Freezer (up to 3 months): Wrap individually once frosting has set, then thaw overnight in the fridge.
Final Thoughts
This recipe may only be in its second round for me, but it already feels like one I’ll make for years — the kind that ends up in family recipe books with smudged chocolate fingerprints on the page.
Simple ingredients. Real chocolate. Fresh-milled flour. And a story that started with my grandpa’s birthday.
That’s the beauty of baking — it’s more than just food. It’s memory, love, and a little bit of creativity all mixed into one bowl.
By Leah Ann Grace
