Life can be intense sometimes. Flavors can be intense. While I love 70% dark chocolate with sea salt caramel as much as the next person, some days, I just don't want intense.
Some days I just want something easy to make and easy to eat.
These chocolate chip cupcakes hit on both marks. The simple cake base receives a punch of sweetness from mini chocolate chips and a few tablespoons of orange juice in both the batter and frosting keep it bright, without tasting overly citrus-y. The frosting is so easy, you'll wonder why you ever popped open a can.
As for being easy to eat? Let's just say that most times in my household, I end up eating the majority of my bakes because the rest of my family isn't all that into dessert. These cupcakes, however, were devoured two at a time and didn't last the weekend. :D
Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Quick Buttercream Frosting
Makes 20-24 cupcakes, depending on how full you fill the muffin cups.
Cake
- 2 1/3 cup cake flour (or 2 cups all-purpose flour + 1/3 cup cornstarch)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperture)
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Slightly less than 1 cup milk
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
Measure out lemon and orange juice into a liquid measuring cup and add milk until total liquid is 1 cup. Set aside.
Using a wooden spoon or mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add vanilla to mixture.
In a separate bowl or sifter, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. If using bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
Starting and ending with the flour mixture, add flour and milk to egg/sugar mixture in alternating portions, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next.
Add chocolate chips and mix to combine.
Scoop batter into prepared pans, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Clean up any drips and place pans in the center of the oven and bake from 18-20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean and the top of the cake springs backs when touched.
After about five minutes, remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on a rack before frosting.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
- a pinch of salt
- 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- up to 1 Tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Melt chocolate in a double-boiler or microwave and allow to cool. Mix together powdered sugar, butter and salt until well-combined. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, milk and orange juice. Mix until well combined, adding additional milk or orange juice until desired consistency is reached. Frost cupcakes.
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