Ingredients
- For the Cupcakes:
- 3 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 7 ounces (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup + 2 T. milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- For the Frosting:
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips to fold into basic vanilla buttercream
- 12 ounce(s) (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 pound(s) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Mix milk and vanilla in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk mixture and ending with dry ingredients. Scrape sides of bowl.
Beat egg whites to stiff peaks, and fold into batter. Fold in chocolate chips. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean – about 22 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Frost with Chocolate Chip Frosting, and serve immediately.
For the frosting, beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high, and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium-high). Add vanilla, and beat until buttercream is smooth. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)