These classic chocolate chip cupcakes have been voted the easiest and yummiest cupcakes ever! A simple vanilla cupcake base is dotted with decadent chocolate chips and topped with a smooth vanilla buttercream frosting. They are moist, fluffy and flavourful – the perfect treat for any occasion!
Are you team chocolate or team vanilla? Wherever your loyalties lie, with these gorgeous cupcakes, you get the best of both worlds! They are made from my favourite vanilla cupcake recipe, with a handful of chocolate chips through the mixture and a basic vanilla buttercream topped with even more chocolate chips (of course!)
I’ve been making this recipe for years and it is always a winner! The cupcakes are so deliciously moist and soft, the perfect base to hold all of those yummy chocolate chips. And they have the yummiest combination of vanilla and chocolate that will satisfy any sweet tooth.
You really can’t go wrong with a cake or cup cakes for a party or special occasion. For special celebrations, I often make my famous easy chocolate cake, butterfly cakes or these easy and fun chocolate chip cupcakes.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Perfect for entertaining – these cupcakes are great for birthdays, parties, gatherings, picnics, school fairs, Christmas, or whenever you need a sweet treat.
- Quick and easy – it only takes 15 minutes to make the batter and less than 15 minutes in the oven. Cupcakes are also a quick alternative to baking a full cake.
- Easy pantry staples – which means this a quick and economical recipe to whip up.
- Double the recipe – to feed a hungry crowd or fill up the freezer with.
- Customise to suit your tastes – you can use any type of buttercream or icing, since vanilla cupcakes are the perfect base for almost any flavour! And you can decorate them with your favourite chocolates, sprinkles or any toppings that you like.
What You Need
A handful of pantry staples and less than 30 minutes are all you need to make these gorgeous chocolate chip cupcakes!
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
For The Cupcakes
- Unsalted butter – use real, unsalted butter rather than butter substitutes or margarine. If you only have salted butter that will also be fine to use, but omit adding salt to the mixture. The butter should be softened to room temperature before beating.
- Caster sugar - also know as superfine sugar, caster sugar dissolves easily when mixing with other ingredients.
- Salt - omit if using salted butter.
- Vanilla – I recommend using a good quality vanilla in this recipe, as it is the star flavour along with the chocolate chips and you want the flavour to shine! I like to use a good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Eggs – add moisture and bind the cupcakes together. I recommend using large, free-range eggs. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before adding them to the butter mixture as they will incorporate into the mixture more easily.
- Self raising flour - also known as self-rising flour, this is a blend of plain (all purpose) flour and a raising agent. You can make your own by adding 2 teaspoon baking powder to every 1 cup of plain flour.
- Chocolate chips – you can make these cupcakes with regular baking chips or choc bits, or you can buy the cute mini ones (they are lots of fun too!) Use a good quality brand like Cadbury or Nestlé. Or, you could substitute chocolate chips for Smarties or M&Ms (regular or mini) for a little colour.
For The Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Butter - salted butter is fine to use. Soften butter to room temperature.
- Icing sugar - I recommend using soft icing sugar mixture rather than pure icing sugar, as this makes the buttercream frosting soft and creamy.
- Milk - full cream or whole milk is preferable.
- Vanilla extract.
Step By Step Instructions
A few simple steps and basic baking ingredients are all you need to make these gorgeous chocolate chip cupcakes!
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
Step 1 - Cream The Butter And Sugar
Use beaters, a stand mixer or a Thermomix to beat the butter, vanilla, salt and sugar together until pale and fluffy. This process is called "creaming" and will take just a few minutes. When the mixture is ready, it will change in texture and look pale and "whipped".
Step 2 - Add The Eggs
Add the eggs one at a time, to the creamed mixture, and beat each time until completely combined.
Step 3 - Make The Cupcake Batter
Sift in the flour and add the chocolate chips to the mix. Stir until just combined.
** Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing pushes air from the mixture which will make the cupcakes dense and flat.
Step 4 - Bake
Spoon the chocolate chip cupcake batter into the cases in the prepared muffin tin and bake for 12-15 minutes until just golden.
** You will know they are ready when they spring back when gently pressed in the centre, or a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack before frosting.
Step 5 - The Buttercream Frosting
The vanilla buttercream frosting is made in 2 simple steps:
- Beat the butter in a bowl for around 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Slowly add the sifted icing sugar, milk and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.
Spread the frosting over the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with extra chocolate chips (of course!)
Expert Tips and FAQs
Adding too much flour will result in heavy cupcakes. The easiest way to measure correctly is to use a knife to level the flour and ensure you have just enough.
You can add any type of chocolate chip to the mixture (mini M&Ms make a super-fun addition!).
And in place of the buttercream frosting you can add any flavour icing that you like. You can also be creative in the toppings that you add, for example; mini M&Ms, choc pieces, chopped chocolate bars, sprinkles/Funfetti, mini Oreo cookies or your favourite treats.
Cupcake cases/liners come in slightly different sizes and everyone’s oven is slightly different. Keep a close eye on the cupcakes and take them out as soon as they are ready to prevent drying and browning around the edges. They are ready when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Once you have baked the cupcakes and they have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container. Like all cupcakes, they are best eaten on the day that they are made, however they can be stored at room temperature for around 2 days, or in the fridge for 3-4 days. If they are stored in the fridge, they should come back to room temperature before eating. Butter-based cakes should warm up a bit before eating, as they can go firm in the fridge.
Yes! These cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months (2 months if frosted) in an airtight container. While they can be frozen frosted or un-frosted, I recommend adding fresh frosting to the cupcakes when you want to serve them. To thaw, leave them in the fridge (in a container) overnight, or sit them on the countertop for around 1 hour.
Related Recipes
If you love these fun chocolate chip cupcakes, check out these other reader favourites that are perfect for parties and special occasions!
Easy Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter softened
- 200 g (1 cup) caster sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 200 g (1 ½ cup) self raising flour
- 1 cup chocolate chips extra for decorating
For the buttercream frosting
- 185 g butter softened
- 300 g (2 ¼ cups) icing sugar mixture
- 2 tbs milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Place cupcake cases into the holes of two 12-hole muffin trays.
- Place the butter, caster sugar, salt and vanilla extract into a bowl.
- Beat together with a stand-mixer or hand-held beaters until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time and beat through.
- Sift in the self-raising flour, add the chocolate chips, and stir with a spoon until just combined (don't over mix).
- Place the cupcake mixture into the cupcake cases - filling them to ⅔ full.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden and they spring back when touched in the centre (if you're making mini cupcakes, reduce the cooking time slightly).
- Leave cupcakes in the baking trays for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the buttercream frosting, beat the butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).
- Slowly add the icing sugar mixture, milk and vanilla extract and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.
- Spread buttercream frosting over cupcakes when they have completely cooled and sprinkle with extra chocolate chips.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Place cupcake cases into the holes of two 12-hole muffin trays.
- Place sugar and butter into the TM bowl and and mix for 15 seconds, Speed 5.
- Add the eggs, salt, vanilla extract and self-raising flour and mix for 15 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula, then mix for a further 10 seconds, Speed 5.
- Stir through the chocolate chips.
- Place the cupcake mixture into the cupcake cases - filling them to ⅔ full.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden and they spring back when touched in the centre (if you're making mini cupcakes, they will need slightly less cooking time).
- Leave cupcakes in the baking trays for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the buttercream frosting, place the icing sugar mixture into the TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 9.
- Add the butter, milk and vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix for 30 seconds on Speed 4.
- Spread buttercream frosting over cupcakes when they have completely cooled and sprinkle with extra chocolate chips.
Notes
- Measure your flour - adding too much flour will result in heavy cupcakes. The easiest way to measure correctly is to use a knife to level the flour and ensure you have just enough.
- Variations in the mix - you can make these cupcakes with regular baking chips or choc bits, or you can buy the cute mini ones (they are lots of fun too!). Or, you can substitute chocolate chips for Smarties or M&Ms (regular or mini) for a little colour.
- Variations in the topping - in place of the buttercream frosting you can add any type of icing that you like. And you can be creative in the toppings that you add, for example; mini M&Ms, choc pieces, chopped chocolate bars, sprinkles/Funfetti, mini Oreo cookies or your favourite treats.
- Baking time - cupcake cases/liners come in slightly different sizes and everyone’s oven is slightly different. Keep a close eye on the cupcakes and take them out as soon as they are ready to prevent drying and browning around the edges. They are ready when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Storing - once the baked cupcakes have cooled completely, place them into an airtight container until you need them. Like all cupcakes, they are best eaten on the day that they are made, however they can be stored at room temperature for around 2 days, or in the fridge for 3-4 days. If they are stored in the fridge, they should come back to room temperature before eating. Butter-based cakes should warm up a bit before eating.
- Freezing - these cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months (2 months if frosted) in an airtight container. While they can be frozen frosted or un-frosted, I recommend adding fresh frosting to the cupcakes when you want to serve them. To thaw, leave them in the fridge (in a container) overnight, or sit them on the countertop for around 1 hour.
Paula says
Amazing versatile recipe - thank you -kids love them!
Emma says
My daughter made these cupcakes by her self and she did amazing
Thank you
Lucy says
How wonderful!!!