Easy to make one bowl chocolate cake and cupcakes. These chocolate mayonnaise cupcakes are made with simple ingredients and no egg or oil. Instead, mayonnaise is used.
Chocolate mayonnaise cupcakes or cake are moist and delicious and can be whipped together with just a spoon or a spatula. No special equipment is needed!
Chocolate mayonnaise cake
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes (or cake) are super moist and full of chocolate taste! This one-bowl recipe is made with simple pantry ingredients.
No eggs are added, just mayonnaise and you'd never know it was in there. This is probably the easiest homemade cake recipe you'll ever make. It takes just one bowl and a handful of pantry ingredients.
Chocolate mayonnaise cake originated during the Depression era when there were plenty of shortages of fresh food staples, including eggs and oil. This recipe was created without eggs, oil or milk, which are typical cake ingredients.
Instead, mayonnaise is used which has eggs and oil giving a nice richness to the cake and it helps keep the cake extra moist with a velvety texture. Many mayonnaise jars used to print this recipe right on the label and it has stuck around all this time!
My Grandma Grace was well known for her Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake and cupcakes. This recipe came from her. My mom still makes this anytime the family is together. You just can't go wrong with these great-tasting chocolate cupcakes.
This classic cake recipe is so delicious and tasty and is a recipe we make on a regular basis!
Key ingredients
- Flour - all-purpose flour
- Sugar - granulated sugar
- Mayonnaise - or Miracle Whip. Any type of mayonnaise will work but avoid a low fat or nonfat mayonnaise.
- Cocoa powder - unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- Vanilla- use pure vanilla extract
Step by step directions
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Stir in mayonnaise, warm water and vanilla.
- Stir until well combined, but a few small lumps may exist.
- Pour into paper-lined muffin tins and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 12-15 minutes.
- Allow cupcakes to cool slightly, then remove them from the muffin tin and continue cooling on a baking rack.
- Once fully cooled frost with chocolate buttercream or your favorite frosting.
Recipe tips
- Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutch process cocoa powder.
- If your cocoa powder is lumpy, sift through a fine-meshed sieve to remove the lumps.
- Don't overmix the cake batter. Just stir until the dry ingredients are combined. It's okay to have a few small lumps.
- Don't overbake your cupcakes or they will become dry. Check them beginning at 12 minutes with a toothpick. If there are just a few moist crumbs, they are done. Otherwise, keep cooking for a few more minutes.
- Allow cupcakes to fully cool before frosting.
Frequently asked questions
Once fully cooled, store the cupcakes in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The cupcakes can be stored at room temperature.
Yes, you can freeze the cake or the cupcakes. For best results use within one month.
Chocolate mayonnaise cake
This recipe can also be baked into a Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. Follow the recipe but place cake batter in a greased 11 x 7-inch cake pan. Increase the cooking time to 30-35 minutes.
You might also want to check out this recipe for buttermilk chocolate cake! It's just as easy and rich and delicious!
More favorite cupcakes
- Lemon Cupcakes
- Oreo Cupcakes
- Confetti Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
- Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
- Monster Cupcakes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
If you loved this recipe you’ll LOVE all the other recipes in this category. Check out all my desserts here!
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl.1 cup sugar, 2 cups flour, 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add mayonnaise, water and vanilla.1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup warm water, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Mix with a spoon until all ingredients are combined
- Fill paper lined cupcake holders ⅔ of the way full.
- Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.
- Cool on a baking rack. Frost with your favorite frosting.
Notes
- Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutch process cocoa powder.
- If your cocoa powder is lumpy, sift through a fine meshed sieve to remove the lumps.
- Don't overmix the cake batter. Just stir until the dry ingredients are combined. It's okay to have a few small lumps.
- Don't over bake your cupcakes or they will become dry. Check them beginning at 12 minutes with a toothpick. If there are just a few moist crumbs, they are done. Otherwise keep cooking for a few more minutes.
- Allow cupcakes to fully cool before frosting.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in January of 2105.
Sara says
You say no eggs or oil in the recipe. Eggs and oil is what makes mayonnaise.
Kathy says
That is correct. What I meant is you didn't need to add eggs or oil, just the mayo.
Thank you,
Kathy 🙂
Fred says
Great tasting cupcakes.
Kathy says
They are a classic that have been in my family for 3 generations!
Theresa says
These are absolutely the best. I sifted the con. sugar and I'm not sure I should have. Frosting was a tad sweet for me but still the best. My grandmother use to make these when I was young and didn't leave a recipe. This is the BEST! One other problem, I only got 14 cupcakes out of the batter? I thought maybe I was missing something. Should I have used a blender? I mixed everything with a spoon.
Kathy says
Hi Theresa,
This recipe was passed down by my grandmother too! It's a regular in our house. I also just mix everything by hand. I might be making my cupcakes a bit smaller which would make the batter stretch a bit further. I don't like too big of a dome on the cupcakes.
Kathy