Mini Chocolate Cupcakes (Small Batch)

Looking for a fun dessert? These mini chocolate cupcakes are just what you need.

Today is Little Miss’s half-birthday, so I knew that would have to play into the recipe I chose for this week.

And let me stop there since I’ve recently learned that I need to explain a half birthday. In our family, we don’t just celebrate our birthdays each year, we also celebrate the half birthday six months into the year. On birthdays, people get a cake, but for half the birthdays, cupcakes are served. There are no presents, but the half-birthday person still gets to choose what we have for dinner.

When the wee ones woke up this morning, Mister Man was so excited to wish Little Miss a happy half-birthday. He rushed into her room and gave her a big hug and a kiss. Then he ran back into his room exclaiming, “A plan! I need to come up with a plan quickly!” He re-emerged carrying one of his treasured Atlantis Legos. What a sweetie.

It didn’t end there. He dashed back into his room and came back shortly upset because “I can’t find it!” I assumed he was looking for a uniform shirt, but no – he wanted to give Little Miss his Thomas birthday shirt to wear today. I quickly found it, and she proudly went through the day wearing Mister Man’s shirt.

Back to cooking though — since Little Miss chose my pizza for her dinner tonight, there went that idea. Instead, I am “stuck” with her eensy weensy cupcakes.

I bought an itty bitty baking kit from the book fair this fall that Little Miss received for Christmas. She was so excited to use it for the first time. It actually worked out well because making a cake usually means having lots of leftovers. I found a recipe that makes not too many small cupcakes, which was perfect. I adapted it to (in my mind) improve it, but I love the ability to make a treat like this without having a kajillion leftovers.

How to Make Mini Chocolate Cupcakes

Some links in this article are affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

For the Cupcakes:
In a medium bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in the egg then stir in the chocolate. Once incorporated, add the vanilla and beat again.

Add the baking powder and mix, then add the flour and stir until just mixed. Stir in the milk until the batter is smooth, but do not over-stir.

Use mini muffin tins, and spray with a nonstick spray. Spoon in a dollop of batter into each muffin space, filling about three-quarters full. This made 24 cupcakes and the 6 itty bitty cupcakes perfectly! Tap the muffin tin on the counter to get out any air bubbles.

(And, yes, these cupcakes really are that little – that’s a teaspoon measure sitting next to the cupcake pan for relative size comparison.)

Place into a preheated 350 oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool for ten minutes, then gently twist each cupcake and turn the pan upside down to release.

For the Icing:

Directions:
Carefully mix together the milk and butter. Add the cocoa and stir until combined. Add the vanilla and mix again. Add powdered sugar a half cup at a time until the frosting is at the consistency that you prefer.

Turn the cupcakes upside down and twist in the frosting to coat gently, then use a butter knife to add more frosting and spread it around.

Because these are so small, they will dry out quickly. Store in an airtight container, but eat them quickly!

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Enjoy this article? Please share it and save it for later!