Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Dark, rich, fudgy cupcakes with cinnamon warmth and a subtle kick, finished with a decadent frosting made from real Mexican hot chocolate discs. Cozy without being boring, bold without being loud—these are the cupcakes people remember and quietly hope you’ll make again.

Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 30 minutes minutes

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These Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes are soft, dark, and laced with cinnamon spice-the kind that sneaks up politely and then refuses to leave. They're what regular chocolate cupcakes wish they were after a strong cup of coffee and a personality upgrade.

🥰 Is this chocolate cupcake recipe for you?

• You like your chocolate desserts rich, dark, and just a little opinionated
• You grew up with Abuela Mexican hot chocolate on the stove-or wish you had
• You want cinnamon warmth and subtle heat, not a sugar coma
• You're bored of basic chocolate cupcakes and ready for something with dark and morally gray
• You believe dessert should feel cozy and a little dangerous

If you nodded at least twice, congratulations. These cupcakes were absolutely minding their business until you showed up. Now you'll never get rid of them.

Grab the printable cheat sheet for these Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes-ingredient swaps, spice adjustments, frosting tips, and the exact doneness cues so they stay rich and tender, not dry and sad. It's the part where I save you from overbaking and questionable life choices.

📖 Recipe

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

4.77 from 42 votes

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Dark, rich, fudgy cupcakes with cinnamon warmth and a subtle kick, finished with a decadent frosting made from real Mexican hot chocolate discs. Cozy without being boring, bold without being loud-these are the cupcakes people remember and quietly hope you'll make again.

Course Dessert - Cupcakes

Cuisine American - Southwest

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings:18 cupcakes

Calories:348

Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ cup butter, room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ 3.2 ounces Mexican Chocolate, I used 1 disc of Ibarra
• ▢ 2 eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ ⅓ cup buttermilk
• ▢ 1 cup flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ cup dark cocoa powder
• ▢ ½ cup espresso, cooled to room temperature

Hot Chocolate Frosting

• ▢ ½ cup butter
• ▢ 4 cups powdered sugar, also called confectioner's sugar
• ▢ ⅓ cup heavy cream
• ▢ 3.2 ounces Mexican chocolate
• ▢ 1 ounce instant hot chocolate mix, 1 packet
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chocolate instant pudding mix

Instructions

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa - set aside.
• Whisk the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla together - set aside.
• Heat the chocolate in the microwave until it is very soft - it won't get runny because of how Mexican chocolate it made.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter and sugar until well combined.
• Beat the chocolate into the butter mixture.
• Add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time until well blended.
• Add the the oil mixture.
• With the mixer on low add the dry ingredients until just combined.
• Blend in the espresso.
• Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cupcakes rest in the cupcake tins for a minute or two before removing them to a cooling rack.
• Frost when completely cool.

Hot Chocolate Frosting

• Heat the cream just under a boil in the microwave.
• Add the Mexican chocolate and stir until thick and creamy - no lumps remain. It will be a little grainy because of the Mexican chocolate - it's ok.
• Stir in the hot chocolate mix and set aside.
• In the bowl of your mixer cream the butter.
• With mixer on low beat in half the Confectioner's sugar until crumbly.
• Add the remaining Confectioner's sugar and pudding mix.
• Beat until well mixed.
• With mixer running slowly pour in the cream mixture.
• Blend well and then turn the mixer up to medium high and whip until light and fluffy.

Assembly

• Swirl the hot chocolate frosting on the cupcake.

Notes

Storage: 

Store covered, at room temperature for 2-3 days. If your kitchen is hot refrigerate. Freeze unfrosted for up to 3 months.

Tips:

• You can use the same amount (3.2 oz) of milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate plus ½ teaspoon each of ground chipotle chiles and cinnamon if you can't find Mexican chocolate.
• If you don't have espresso just use a strong, black coffee.
• Don't overbake the cupcakes - they'll be dry.
• Fill cupcake pans ¾ to allow them to rise properly in the oven.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 383IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

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🧾 Ingredients for Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes

These cupcakes use everyday pantry ingredients with one important upgrade: real Mexican chocolate. That's what brings the cinnamon warmth, subtle spice, and slightly rustic texture that sets these apart from ordinary chocolate cupcakes-no mystery ingredients, no unnecessary fuss.

• Butter - room temperature and cooperative, not straight from the fridge and stiffly holding a grudge
• Sugar - regular granulated; this is not the time for experiments
• Mexican chocolate - I used one disc of Ibarra, but Abuelita works too and will not tattle
• Eggs - room temperature, so they actually behave
• Vegetable oil - keeps the cupcakes soft and unapologetically tender
• Vanilla extract - real, not the sad stuff hiding in the back of the cabinet
• Buttermilk - tangy, rich, and doing important emotional work here
• Flour - all-purpose, no drama
• Salt - just enough to keep the chocolate honest
• Baking soda - for lift and proper cupcake manners
• Baking powder - backup support, as it should be
• Dark cocoa powder - deep, bold, and not here for milk-chocolate energy
• Espresso - strengthens the chocolate without tasting like coffee (trust me)
• Powdered sugar - for frosting that behaves instead of melting down
• Heavy cream - luxurious, rich, and absolutely necessary
• Instant hot chocolate mix - for cozy flavor and nostalgia
• Chocolate instant pudding mix - the secret weapon for frosting that's smooth, fluffy, and not playing games

🔪 How to make cupcakes with Mexican chocolate

This recipe comes together quickly and without any tricky steps-just take your time and don't rush the mixing. A light hand and a watchful eye in the oven are what keep these cupcakes rich, tender, and very much worth it.

1. Beat the butter, sugar, Mexican chocolate, and eggs together until the batter looks rich, smooth, and like it knows what it's doing.
2. Pour in the oil, room-temperature buttermilk, and vanilla and mix just long enough to pull everything together-no overthinking.
3. Add the dry ingredients and mix gently; this is not the moment to prove your mixer's horsepower.
4. Stir in the espresso, fill the pans, and bake until the cupcakes are set, soft, and smelling like a very good decision.

5. Beat the heavy cream and chocolate together until smooth, glossy, and clearly headed somewhere good.
6. Add the hot chocolate mix and let the cozy situation escalate.
7. Stir that chocolate-cream situation into the butter and powdered sugar until the frosting turns thick, fluffy, and ready to show off.
8. Frost generously with a spatula or piping bag-this is not the time for restraint.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

📚 Related recipes

If these Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes lit a spark, don't stop here-this is just the opening act. Marble Cupcakes bring old-school bakery drama with swirls of chocolate and almond, topped like they're headed to a church potluck where reputations are quietly judged. When the mood turns darker, Black Velvet Cupcakes show up looking mysterious and minding their business, perfect for Halloween or any day you're feeling a little feral.

Still not done? Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes lean sweet, nostalgic, and dangerously easy to love, while Black Forest Cake Cupcakes take things fully grown-rich chocolate, sweet cherries, and whipped cream that knows exactly what it's doing. Fair warning: once you start down this cupcake road, there's no pretending you're "just browsing."

🏡 Bringing it home

These Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes are rich, cozy, and just spicy enough to make people stop mid-bite and rethink their opinions about chocolate. They're the kind of dessert that disappears quietly, with no one admitting to seconds and absolutely no leftovers to explain.

Make them when you want something that feels like home but refuses to be boring. Set them out, let folks hover, and enjoy the fact that you brought dessert that actually has a backbone.