How to Make Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 5, 2020

Cupcakes are a delightful treat, but did you know you can make them with chocolate chips too? They are tasty enough to be eaten on their own, but they go well with chocolate buttercream. Once you know how to make basic chocolate chip cupcakes, you can experiment with different types of chips, such as white chocolate or mint chocolate!

Ingredients

Cupcakes^{[1]
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1/3 cup (75 grams) butter, at room temperature
1 cup (225 grams) sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
2 cups (200 grams) flour (cake flour recommended)
½ teaspoon salt
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup (180 milliliters) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons oil (canola or vegetable)
1 cup (175 grams) mini chocolate chips

Makes 20 cupcakes

Chocolate Buttercream^{[2]
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3 cups (375 grams) confectioners' sugar
¾ cup (75 grams) unsweetened cocoa
½ cup (115 grams) butter, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 milliliters) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:
Making the Cupcakes

1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C) and line your cupcake tin with cupcake liners. If you are using silicone cupcake liners, place them on a baking sheet instead.
2
Cream the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. You can do this using a stand mixer, a handheld mixer, or even a food processor fitted with whisks. This will take about 2 minutes. To make beating a little easier, cut the butter into cubes first.
3
Beat the egg into the butter mixture. Keep beating it until the yolk is broken and evenly mixed into the butter mixture. There should be no streaks or swirls of egg yolk visible.
4
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder and set it aside. For best results, use cake flour. Many bakers find that this is the secret to the ideal cupcake texture.^{[3]
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5
Mix together the milk, vanilla extract, and oil in a separate bowl. The oil will help add extra moisture to the cupcakes and prevent them from turning out too dry. Be sure to use a flavorless oil, such as canola or vegetable.^{[4]
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6
Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk mixture into the butter mixture. Beat in a little bit of the flour mixture into the blended butter, then beat in some of the milk mixture. Keep alternating and beating until everything is blended together.
- Ideally, you should add in the flour mixture three times, and the milk mixture two times.^{[5]
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7
Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Do this by hand using a spatula and not with a mixer. Keep folding in the mini chocolate chips until they are spread evenly throughout the batter.
8
Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds of the way with the batter. For easy, even measuring, use an ice cream scoop to pour in the batter. There is enough batter to fill about 20 cupcake liners.
9
Bake the cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes. Start checking them at 15 minutes for doneness. They are ready when the domes spring back when lightly touched.^{[6]
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- Another way to check whether or not the cupcakes are done is to insert a toothpick into the middle of one. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done.
10
Let the cupcakes cool for at least 10 minutes.^{[7]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:
Making the Chocolate Buttercream

1
Combine the sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Sift them first to get rid of any clumps, them mix them briskly using a fork or whisk.^{[8]
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2
Mix together the butter, 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of heavy cream, and 1 cup (225 grams) of the sugar mixture in a separate bowl. Keep beating until everything is smooth and evenly mixed together. Do not add all of the heavy cream and sugar mixture; you will be adding both in a little bit at a time.^{[9]
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3
Beat in another 1 cup (225 grams) of the cocoa-sugar and 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of the heavy cream. Keep adding the cocoa-sugar and heavy cream, beating after each addition, until you have nothing left.^{[10]
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4
Beat in the vanilla extract and make any necessary adjustments. The frosting should be stiff enough to spread or pipe onto a cupcake. If it is too thin, add more confectioner's sugar. If it is too thick, add more heavy cream. Be sure to beat the frosting after each addition.
- If the frosting is too sweet for you, you can also add a pinch of salt. This will help cut the sweetness.
5
Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. You can spread the frosting onto the cupcakes using a butter knife or spatula. You can also fill a piping bag with the frosting and pipe it on instead; use a star-shaped decorator's tip for this.
- If you'd like, you can garnish the cupcakes with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips.
6
Serve the cupcakes. Cover and store any leftover cupcakes in the fridge.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I replace the heavy cream with all-purpose cream?

Community Answer

Yes, you can.
Question

Could I use normal flour?

Carmilly

Community Answer

Cake flour will give you an even better tasting cupcake, but normal flour would work just fine.
Question

Do I need to frost the cupcakes?

Community Answer

No, it's just a decorative cream that provides additional sweetness and flavor.