Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

These are the best Chocolate Chip Cupcakes made from scratch in less than one hour! A white cupcake base with chocolate chips throughout and topped with a homemade chocolate buttercream - they're guaranteed to be a favorite dessert recipe!

There's nothing like a great cupcake, especially one with lots of icing and chocolate. My family is big fans of a vanilla cake with chocolate icing, so these similar Chocolate Chip Cupcakes were a huge hit and a perfect individual portion. Better yet, they're assembled in under an hour!

I have some secrets when it comes to making cupcakes from scratch. I recommend using self rising flour, it already has the leavener mixed in making the recipe even simpler to make. Also, be sure to use mini chocolate chips, they suspend in the cake batter better so you're sure to get a hint of chocolate flavor in each bite.

My last secret is to add some cream cheese to your buttercream icing. Now this isn't a traditional buttercream, but it's insanely delicious. The buttercream also stabilizes the frosting so it's truly a foolproof recipe.

If you love making desserts like I do, be sure to also check out my Strawberry Tres Leches Cake, Zinger Cake, and Texas Sheet Cake Bites.

Laura Ashley's Tip: If you don't have self rising flour, don't worry, it's so easy to make at home. Simply combine 1 cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

• Flavors Everyone Loves. Whether you are a fan of chocolate, vanilla, or both, this chocolate chip cupcake recipe combines both for goodness in each bite.
• Easy Dessert Recipe to Make. This cupcake recipe is completely made from scratch, no box mixes here. It's so simple to make for both kids and any beginner bakers.
• Dessert in One Hour. A cake can take several hours to make, but these cupcakes are ready to go in less than an hour! Perfect for entertaining or bringing to a celebration.

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Cake Ingredients:

• Granulated sugar: The key ingredient to sweeten the cake. Also helps make the nice fluffy cake texture.
• Self-rising flour: My secret shortcut for this recipe, this flour already has baking powder in it. If you don't have it, simply mix 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
• All-purpose flour: Stabilizes the cupcake to make that moist and fluffy cake.
• Salted butter: The fat that is essential to any baked good, adds a nice rich flavor. We prefer salted here for a bit of extra seasoning to the white cake base.
• Large eggs: Binds everything together, make sure they're room temperature for more even mixing.
• Whole milk: Gives a nice richness to the batter and makes sure it's the correct consistency.
• Vanilla extract: Adds the caramel notes and makes it a classic vanilla cake.
• Mini chocolate chips: Folded into the batter at the end before baking for a hint of chocolate in each bite. Be sure to buy the mini size, they won't sink to the bottom of the cupcake when baked.

Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients:

• Cream cheese: Adds that rich, creamy texture to each bite that we all love so much.
• Salted butter: The base to any great buttercream, we love to use salted here for a bit of extra seasoning to compliment the sweetness.
• Powdered sugar: Thickens the buttercream and adds just enough sweetness. Make sure you sift your sugar before adding it to the butter mixture.
• Cocoa powder: The key ingredient to just enough cocoa flavor in the frosting.
• Vanilla extract: Adds caramel notes and rounds out the cocoa flavor.
• Heavy cream or milk: Used in a very small amount to make sure the buttercream is the correct consistency.

Tools You'll Need

• Muffin Tin
• Large Scoop
• Piping Bag and Tips or Plastic Bag
• Hand Mixer 
• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cups

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

These come together so easily especially with a hand or stand mixer. Let the machine do the work for you!

For the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together both flours and set aside.
3. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating about 30 seconds between each addition.

6. Add half of the flour mixture, mix, then add vanilla extract and half of the milk. Once combined, add the remaining flours, mix, then the remaining milk. Beat just until ingredients are incorporated, but do not overmix.
7. Using a large spatula, gently fold in mini chocolate chips until evenly dispersed.

8. Divide batter evenly among liners with a scoop or spoon. The batter should fill approximately three quarters of each tin.

9. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Carefully transfer the pan from the oven to a wire rack. Cool 10 minutes then transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack to cool completely.

To Make the Chocolate Buttercream:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add cocoa powder to the cream cheese and butter mixture. Beat on low speed until fully combined.
3. Add powdered sugar, and beat on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Add the vanilla extract. Mix to combine. Add the heavy cream or milk, one tablespoon at a time, beating on medium speed until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. If the frosting is too thick, add a bit more cream or milk. If it's too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.

5. Once all the ingredients are combined, increase the mixer speed to high and beat for an additional 1-2 minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
6. Frost completely cooled cupcakes by scooping and spreading with a spoon or spreader. Alternatively, fill a piping bag with the frosting and use a large star tip to icing each cupcake. Garnish with additional mini chocolate chips if desired.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Use the toothpick test. To know if your cupcakes are done, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If there are just dry crumbs, they're fully baked.
• Make sure chilled ingredients are room temperature. For both the white cake batter and chocolate frosting, it's best to let all chilled ingredients sit out to room temperature for even mixing.
• Use a measuring cup or cookie scoop to evenly divide the cake batter. This is the foolproof method to make sure the cupcakes are all the same size and bake at the same time.
• My buttercream is too thick, what do I do? Add another splash of heavy cream and mix again until combined and the right consistency. If you're frosting is too loose, then just add more powdered sugar to thicken it.
• Sift your powdered sugar before mixing. This is SO important, it's an extra step that ensures your buttercream is fluffy and smooth.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

Store any leftovers at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you do store them in the fridge, you may want to let them sit out on the counter for 30 minutes to take the chill off the buttercream.

Freezing these cupcakes works well too! Just be sure to wrap them carefully in plastic wrap. Thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours until soft.

To make this recipe in advance, you can bake both the cupcakes and make the buttercream a day ahead of time. We recommend piping the frosting on a couple of hours before serving.

When making buttercream ahead of time, store in a piping bag or ziptop bag in the fridge. Let it that at room temperature until the right texture and whip with a hand mixer if necessary.

FAQs

More Easy Cake Recipes

• Strawberry Lemon Pound Cake
• Dreamsicle Cake
• Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
• White Chocolate Cake