Old Fashioned Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Looking for an old fashioned chocolate cupcake recipe that brings back memories of Grandma's kitchen? These cherished recipes from my grandmother's recipe box feature classic chocolate cupcakes made from scratch, including a delightful surprise variation with a hidden marshmallow center, and a sweet almond alternative for those special occasions.

Using simple pantry ingredients like shortening, sugar, flour, and real chocolate, these time-tested recipes produce perfectly moist, tender cupcakes just like Grandma used to make. Whether served plain, topped with rich chocolate frosting, or dressed up for afternoon tea, these home-style treats are sure to become family favorites.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cupcake Recipe From Grandma's Recipe Box

Mom's Recipe Scrapbooks (1920s)

Chocolate Vanilla Cupcakes

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 cups pastry flour (or 1-3/4 cups bread flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate

Cream shortening; add sugar slowly; add well-beaten egg yolks. Sift dry ingredients together and add, alternately with milk, to first mixture. Add vanilla and melted chocolate; fold in egg whites beaten stiff.

Put batter into greased muffin tins and bake in moderate oven at 375°F about 25 minutes. Eat as is or decorated with a walnut, or cover with rich chocolate frosting topped with a red cherry. Delicious!

Chocolate SURPRISE Cupcakes

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 dozen large marshmallows (optional)

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Mix and sift flour, baking powder, and salt, and add alternately with milk to first mixture. Add melted chocolate and vanilla and beat thoroughly. Pour into greased cupcake tins. Bake in quick oven (425°F) 15 to 20 minutes.

To add the SURPRISE ingredient, take from oven, and while still hot remove a little of center from top of each cupcake and put a large marshmallow in the hole to melt.

Put cupcakes aside for later and serve as is, or serve hot with whipped cream or ice cream, or serve cold with a suitable hot chocolate sauce. Makes 12 medium-sized cupcakes that are sinfully delicious.

Almond Cupcakes

1/2 cup shortening, 1 cup white sugar, 2/3 cup milk, 1 teaspoon almond extract, 2 cups pastry flour (or 1-3/4 cups bread flour), 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 egg whites (well beaten).

To make this old fashioned cupcake recipe from scratch, cream shortening, add sugar and continue creaming until light. Sift flour, measure and sift with baking powder and salt, then add alternately with milk to first mixture.

Add the almond extract. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in greased square tin in moderate oven (350°F to 375°F) for 20 minutes. When cold, cut in triangles, squares, rounds, or fancy shapes suitable for the occasion.

Or, bake in fluted paper cupcake cases or small muffin tins. Ice the teacakes before serving. These are perfect for fancy afternoon teas.