Chocolate Cupcakes
Delicious homemade chocolate cupcakes with a simple chocolate frosting.
Allergens: none of the 14 main allergens in the usual versions of these ingredients. Brands differ, so always check the labels on what you buy.
Not every ingredient has a checked price at Asda, Aldi, Morrisons, Co-op, Iceland, so they aren't compared here yet (more are checked every day). Lidl doesn't publish prices online, so it can't be compared.
Ingredients and prices
Swipe the table to see every supermarket.
| Ingredient | Tesco | Sainsbury's |
|---|---|---|
| Plain flouruse 150g | £0.801.5kg · £0.05 per 100g | £0.45500g · £0.09 per 100g |
| Caster sugarnot compared | – | £1.30 |
| Unsalted butterpack 250g · use 125g | £1.85£0.74 per 100g | £1.85£0.74 per 100g |
| Eggspack 6 · use 2 | £2.10£0.35 each | £2.40£0.40 each |
| Semi skimmed milkuse 125ml | £2.202L · £0.11 per 100ml | £0.85568ml · £0.15 per 100ml |
| Milk chocolateuse 50g | £1.19100g · £1.19 per 100g | £2.00180g · £1.11 per 100g |
| Caster sugarnot compared | – | £1.30 |
| Basket total (full packs) | £8.14 | £7.55 |
| Cost of what this recipe uses | £2.43 | £2.60 |
| Per serving | £0.20 | £0.22 |
Not compared (a price wasn't found at every shop, so it isn't in the totals): Caster sugar, Caster sugar.
From your cupboard
Not in the prices above. Check you have these before you start.
Prices checked on 4 October 2026 from each supermarket's own listing or a price-comparison site. Each shop's unit price (or pack size) is shown under its price, and "cost of what this recipe uses" compares like with like (tap a price to see its source). Cheapest in each row is ticked. Prices, offers and pack sizes change; loyalty-card prices are not included unless stated.
Method
The method is written for 12. For a different number, use the amounts in the table above.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (160C fan, gas 4). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners. Finely chop the 50g milk chocolate into small shards using a sharp knife so they melt evenly through the batter.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the 125g unsalted butter and 100g caster sugar using an electric whisk or wooden spoon for about 3 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This aeration ensures the cupcakes stay light.
- Beat the 2 eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Pour in the 125ml semi-skimmed milk and combine to prevent the mixture from curdling.
- Sift the 150g plain flour into the bowl. Use a large spoon to gently fold the flour in until no white streaks remain. Do not overmix, as this will make the cupcakes tough.
- Fold the chopped 50g milk chocolate into the finished batter gently. Distribute the batter evenly between the 12 paper liners, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room for rising without overflowing.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes. The cupcakes are ready when they are golden at the edges and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean with no wet batter attached.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cold, you can serve them as is or dust with icing sugar if desired.
Tips
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to keep them moist.
- To freeze, wrap cooled cupcakes individually in cling film and freezer bag for up to 3 months; defrost in the fridge overnight before eating.
- Swap the milk chocolate for dark chocolate for a richer, less sweet flavour profile.
Nothing wasted: your leftover ingredients
Supermarkets sell set pack sizes, so you'll have some ingredients left. Here's how to keep them, and other recipes here that use them up.
- Plain flour · about 1.35kg left
Dry stores keep for months sealed in the cupboard, so nothing goes to waste. Use it in: Salmon with New Potatoes, Cinnamon Rolls, Coffee & Walnut Cake. - Caster sugar · about 850g left
Check the label: most raw ingredients can be frozen before their use-by date, and cupboard staples keep for months. Use it in: Cinnamon Rolls, Coffee & Walnut Cake, Apple Turnovers. - Unsalted butter · about 125g left
Check the label: most raw ingredients can be frozen before their use-by date, and cupboard staples keep for months. Use it in: Pad Thai with Chicken, Kedgeree, Cheesy Omelette. - Semi skimmed milk · about 875ml left
Keep in the fridge and use by the date on the pack; milk can also be frozen. Use it in: Rich Chocolate Mousse, Beef and Ale Pie, Cheesy Omelette. - Milk chocolate · about 50g left
Keep in the fridge and use by the date on the pack; milk can also be frozen. Use it in: Rich Chocolate Mousse, Millionaire’s Shortbread, Jammie biscuits. - Caster sugar · about 900g left
Check the label: most raw ingredients can be frozen before their use-by date, and cupboard staples keep for months. Use it in: Cinnamon Rolls, Coffee & Walnut Cake, Apple Turnovers.
Storing leftovers
Cool leftovers and put them in the fridge or freezer within 1–2 hours. Eat fridge leftovers within 2 days, or freeze them. Defrost in the fridge and reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through (Food Standards Agency guidance).