Sourdough Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes & Espresso Buttercream
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These Sourdough Chocolate Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream are a great way to use up sourdough discard and end up with something worth sharing. Unsweetened cocoa powder goes into the batter alongside sourdough discard, and the acids in the discard react with the baking soda to give you a moist, light, and tender crumb. If you love baking with chocolate and espresso, this Chocolate Espresso Sourdough Bread is another recipe to have on hand.
The batter mixes together by hand and bakes at 350°F for 15 to 17 minutes. Once they’re cooled, you frost them with an espresso buttercream made with good quality butter, powdered sugar, and a shot of cooled espresso.
Quick Look: Sourdough Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Fermentation Time: Overnight (optional long ferment)
- Bake Time: 15–16 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 16 cupcakes
- Calories: ~356 kcal per serving
- Cook Method: Baked
- Flavor Profile: Rich and deeply chocolatey with a bold espresso kick and a subtle sourdough tang. Topped with a velvety espresso buttercream, these cupcakes hit the perfect balance of bittersweet and sweet.
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple mix-and-bake method with no special techniques required. A kitchen scale is recommended for best results.
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Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Chocolate Cupcakes
- Rich chocolate flavor with a coffee kick —The cocoa powder gives these cupcakes a deep, rich chocolate base, and the espresso buttercream frosting brings the coffee flavor once you frost them. If you love a good chocolate sourdough bake, try these Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins next.
- Simple ingredients —These cupcakes are made with common ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, and cocoa powder. If you bake with sourdough regularly, you likely already have everything you need. This Sourdough Red Velvet Cake is another simple chocolate sourdough bake that comes together just as easily.
- A great way to use up sourdough discard —The acidic properties of sourdough discard react with the baking soda to create a moist chocolate cupcake with a light and airy crumb. If you’re always looking for ways to use up extra discard, these Sourdough Banana Muffins are a great one to add to your list.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
Sourdough Chocolate Cupcake
- Flour – I used sifted all-purpose flour, but unbleached cake flour is a great option if you want an extra soft, tender cupcake.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Dutch-processed cocoa powder gives you a richer, deeper chocolate flavor.
- Leaveners – Check that your baking powder and baking soda are fresh before you start. These cupcakes won’t rise properly if either one is expired.
- Salt – Any unrefined salt will do, but my favorite is Redmond’s Unrefined Salt for the extra minerals.
- Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter, subtract 1/4 teaspoon of salt from the recipe.
- Sugar – I used a combination of white granulated sugar and brown sugar for a richer chocolate cupcake.
- Eggs – To bring cold eggs to room temperature quickly, place them in a bowl of hot water for at least 5 minutes.
- Sour Cream – The fat content in sour cream is what keeps these cupcakes moist and tender.
- Milk – Bring it to room temperature quickly by popping it in the microwave for a few seconds.
- Unfed Sourdough Starter – For sweet recipes like these, I stick to discard sourdough starter that’s no older than a week. You can use active sourdough starter if that’s what’s available. Be sure to use the same amount by weight.
- Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract, rather than imitation vanilla, for the best flavor.
Espresso Buttercream:
- Unsalted Butter – The butter needs to be fully at room temperature before you start mixing, otherwise your buttercream won’t come together smoothly.
- Powdered Sugar – Add it one cup at a time while mixing so it doesn’t go everywhere.
- Instant Espresso – Let the espresso cool completely before adding it to the frosting. Adding it hot will melt the buttercream.
How to Make Sourdough Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners. To help prevent the liners from sticking to the cupcakes, lightly spray them with cooking spray before adding the batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the room-temperature milk, sour cream, and sourdough discard until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and the discard mixture and mix until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla extract and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix by hand with a spatula just until combined. Don’t overmix because this will make your cupcakes dense.
- This recipe makes about 16 cupcakes, so you will need to bake in batches. Divide the batter evenly between 16 cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Espresso Buttercream Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the room-temperature butter on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time on medium speed. Add the cooled espresso and mix until combined.
- You can frost the cupcakes with a frosting knife or a piping bag. I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to decorate mine. Leave them clean and simple or finish them with dark chocolate shavings, mini chocolate chips, espresso beans, or fresh fruit.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix the dry and wet ingredients by hand with a spatula and stop the second the flour disappears. Keep going past that and your cupcakes will come out dense instead of light and tender.
- Spray your cupcake liners. A quick spray of cooking spray inside each liner before you add the batter makes peeling them off so much easier.
- Let the espresso cool before it goes into the buttercream. Hot espresso will melt the butter and your frosting will fall apart. Give it time to cool down completely before you mix it in.
- Room temperature butter makes or breaks the buttercream. If the butter is too cold when you start mixing, the buttercream won’t come together smoothly. Pull it out of the fridge ahead of time and let it sit until it’s fully at room temperature before you turn the mixer on.
- You can long ferment the cupcake butter: To long ferment, cover the just-mixed batter and place it in the fridge overnight. The following day, divide the batter evenly in the muffin pan and bake. You may need to add a few minutes to the bake time since the batter will be chilled.
How to Store
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. They are best served at room temperature, so take them out of the fridge at least 1 hour before serving.
Sourdough Chocolate Espresso Cupcake FAQs
Can I turn these sourdough chocolate espresso cupcakes into a cake?
This same batter makes a simple Sourdough Discard Chocolate Cake, so go ahead and make the best chocolate cake you can! Pour the batter into a prepared 6-inch cake pan and bake at 350°F for 23 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. And if you’re feeling a little adventurous today, try my Sourdough Guinness Chocolate Cake. It’s a tender chocolate cake that tastes just like Ireland; you’ll love it.
Can I long ferment the batter in this espresso cupcake recipe?
Yes, you can. Cover the just-mixed batter and place it in the fridge overnight. The following day, divide it evenly between your cupcake liners and bake. Since the batter is chilled, you may need to add a few minutes to the bake time.
What cocoa powder should I use for these homemade chocolate espresso sourdough cupcakes?
The recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa powder gives you a richer, deeper chocolate flavor if you have it on hand.
Why did my sourdough cupcakes come out dense?
Nine times out of ten it’s overmixing. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix by hand with a spatula and stop the second the flour disappears.
More Sourdough Cupcake Recipes Like This
If you tried this Sourdough Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Yield: 16 cupcakes
Sourdough Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes – combine the tangy notes of sourdough discard with the richness of unsweetened chocolate powder and the boldness of espresso. Top these delectable treats with a velvety espresso buttercream frosting for a perfect balance of sweetness and coffee-infused delight.
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 140 grams all-purpose flour, sifted 1 cup
- 40 grams unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup
- 3 grams espresso powder 1 Tablespoon
- 4 grams baking powder 1 teaspoon
- 3 grams baking soda 1/2 teaspoon
- 1 gram salt 1/4 teaspoon
Wet Ingredients
- 60 grams milk, room temperature 1/4 cup
- 140 grams sour cream, room temperature 1/2 cup
- 140 grams sourdough discard, room tempearture heaping 1/2 cup
- 113 grams unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup
- 100 grams white sugar 1/2 cup
- 110 grams light brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 4 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
Espresso Buttercream Frosting
- 226 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup
- 325 grams powdered sugar 2 1/2 cups
- 1 espresso shot, cooled 1 teaspoon of powder in 4 Tablespoons of hot water
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Tip: To help prevent the cupcake liners from sticking to the cupcakes, spray the liners lightly with cooking spray before adding the batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set to the side.140 grams all-purpose flour, sifted, 40 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 grams espresso powder, 4 grams baking powder, 3 grams baking soda, 1 gram salt
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, sour cream, and sourdough discard until smooth.60 grams milk, room temperature, 140 grams sour cream, room temperature, 140 grams sourdough discard, room tempearture
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugars.113 grams unsalted butter, melted, 100 grams white sugar, 110 grams light brown sugar
- Next, add in the eggs and sourdough discard mixture, and mix until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl when needed. Add vanilla extract and mix well.2 large eggs, 4 grams vanilla extract
- Finally, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix by hand with a spatula until all of the ingredients are just combined. Be careful to not over mix. This can lead to a dense cupcake.
- LONG FERMENT: To long ferment, cover the just-mixed batter and place it into the fridge overnight. The following day, divide the batter evenly in the muffin pan and bake. You might need to add a few minutes to the bake time since the batter is chilled.
- This recipe bakes about 16 cupcakes, so you will need to bake them in batches. Divide the batter evenly into 16 cupcake liners and fill about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake the Sourdough Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes for 15-16 minutes. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven. Keep the cupcakes in the cupcake tin for an additional 5 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Espresso Buttercream Frosting
- In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the room-temperature butter at medium speed for 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.This can also be done with a hand mixer.226 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- Next, add the powdered sugar to the butter, one cup at a time at medium speed.325 grams powdered sugar
- Finally, add the cooled shot of espresso and salt. Mix until combined.1 espresso shot, cooled, pinch of salt
Notes
This recipe card was updated on February 23rd, 2026.
Recipe Tips
- For the best results, it is important that all of the ingredients are at room temperature – even the sour cream!
- I also highly recommend using a kitchen scale while baking this recipe. This tool will ensure the most accurate and consistent bake.
- Got a bigger crowd? I also have a full Sourdough Guinness Chocolate Cake recipe, as well!
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LONG FERMENT: To long ferment, cover the just-mixed batter and place it into the fridge overnight. The following day, divide the batter evenly in the cupcake tin and bake. You might need to add a few minutes to the bake time since the batter is chilled.
How to Decorate
You can frost the tops of these Sourdough Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes with a frosting knife or with a piping bag. I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to decorate my cupcakes. Leave these sourdough chocolate cupcakes clean and simple or continue to decorate with dark chocolate shavings, mini chocolate chips, espresso beans, or fresh fruit!How to Store
Leftover Sourdough Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes are to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, but they are best served at room temperature. Remove the cupcakes from the fridge at least 1 hour before serving.Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 120mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 620IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram!
Hi there! I want to make these for my daughter’s 7th birthday but am wondering if I can leave out the espresso and it should still be okay flavor and proportion wise? Thanks!
You can absolutely leave out the espresso — it won’t affect the texture or proportions at all. The espresso just enhances the chocolate flavor (you don’t really taste coffee), so the cupcakes will still be deliciously chocolatey without it.
Wow…I made these today and I’m thrilled with the results!!! Mine baked for 16 minutes and we’re perfect.
I am so so happy I started this journey! ❤️
I am so happy to hear the cupcakes were a hit! Welcome to the wonderful journey of sourdough 🙂
These were yummy. The baking time was a bit short for my batch and I needed to bake them for 19 min. Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you for sharing about extending the bake time, I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Just made these today and they turned out amazing! I never liked chocolate cupcakes because they’re either too sweet or too dry. Well, this one is brilliant, not super sweet and they’re so fluffy, I ate half the batch warm, couldn’t wait. Thank you for this recipe 🤗
Amazing! They are a family favorite, as well. Thank you for sharing 🙂
These look delish! I’m getting ready to make them, but I don’t see eggs listed in the actual recipe under wet ingredients. I see 2 eggs in your picture, and in the written instructions you say to add eggs, so I’m going with it. Thanks!
Hi Kristi! How strange? It was showing up on my side but not on my live site. Thank you so much for informing me about this technical error! You are a great detective – 2 eggs is correct. I hope you enjoy this recipe!