• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • Contact Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Chickens and Farm Animals
  • Gardening
  • Recipes
  • Podcast
    • Guest Application

Beyond The Chicken Coop logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Chickens and Farm Animals
  • Gardening
  • About
    • Contact Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Podcast
    • Guest Application
×

Home » Desserts » Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes

Published: Mar 21, 2020 · Modified: Feb 24, 2022 by Kathy · This post may contain affiliate links

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes

Jump to Recipe
A baking rack filled with chocolate cupcakes.

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 is moist and delicious and can be whipped together with just a spoon or a spatula. No special equipment needed!

Three chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting.
Table of Contents
Chocolate cake with mayonnaise
Key ingredients
Step by step directions
Recipe tips
Frequently asked questions
Chocolate mayonnaise cake
More favorite cakes and cupcakes
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes

Chocolate cake with mayonnaise

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 keeps 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. 

Decorating chocolate cupcakes.

This classic cake recipe is so delicious and tasty and is a recipe we make on a regular basis!

Key ingredients

Ingredients for making a chocolate cake.
  • 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.
Dry cake ingredients in a glass bowl.
Flour, sugar and cocoa powder mixed together in a glass bowl.
  • Stir in mayonnaise, warm water and vanilla.
  • Stir until well combined, but a few small lumps may exist.
Adding mayonnaise and water to dry cake ingredients.
Chocolate cake batter in a glass bowl.
  • 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 from muffin tin and continue cooling on a baking rack.
  • Once fully cooled frost with chocolate buttercream or your favorite frosting.
Chocolate cupcakes in a muffin tin.

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 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.

Frequently asked questions

How long will these cupcakes last?

Once fully cooled, store the cupcakes in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The cupcakes can be stored at room temperature.

Can I freeze chocolate mayonnaise cake?

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.

More favorite cakes and cupcakes

  • Lemon Cupcakes
  • Oreo Cupcakes
  • Confetti Cupcakes
  • Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
  • Applesauce Cake
  • Monster Cupcakes
  • Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting.

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!

  • Oatmeal Lace Cookies
  • Ginger Cookies
  • Peppermint Meringues
  • Hot Chocolate Cookies
Three chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes

Kathy
Super moist chocolate cupcakes
5 from 50 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 20 Cupcakes
Calories 163 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Muffin Tin
  • Cooling Rack
Prevent your screen from going dark

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

This recipe can also be baked into a Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. Increase the cooking time to 30-35 minutes in a 11 x 7 inch cake pan.
 
  • 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

Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 163kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 155mgPotassium: 67mgSugar: 10gVitamin A: 5IUCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.7mg
Keyword Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake, Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

This recipe was originally posted in January of 2105.

« Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
How to Cook Quinoa »
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sara says

    June 18, 2021 at 10:25 am

    You say no eggs or oil in the recipe. Eggs and oil is what makes mayonnaise.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      June 18, 2021 at 10:32 am

      That is correct. What I meant is you didn't need to add eggs or oil, just the mayo.
      Thank you,
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  2. Fred says

    March 14, 2021 at 4:06 pm

    5 stars
    Great tasting cupcakes.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      March 16, 2021 at 3:50 pm

      They are a classic that have been in my family for 3 generations!

      Reply
  3. Theresa says

    February 17, 2021 at 6:50 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      February 17, 2021 at 8:26 pm

      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

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

The author holding a chicken.

I'm Kathy, a busy working mom who loves to cook from scratch, grow a garden, and raise farm animals. Take a look around and find all my recipes, gardening tips, and country living antics.

More about me →

Popular Recipes

  • Oatmeal Banana Muffins
  • Beer Battered Fish
  • Pan Fried Walleye
  • Chicken Pasta Bake

Homemade Bread

  • Pretzel Buns
  • Braided Bread
  • Honey Oat Bread
  • Potato Bread
  • Pumpkin and Sunflower Seed Bread
  • Homemade White Wheat Bread

Featured In...

Beyond the Chicken Coop recipes have been featured in many different sites.

Footer

↑ back to top

Beyond the Chicken Coop recipes have been featured in many different sites.

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 Beyond the Chicken Coop®