These Chocolate Chip Cupcakes are so soft, fluffy, light and loaded with mini chocolate chips! They are the perfect combination of airy sweetness from the vanilla cupcake base and richness from the chocolate fudge frosting! This chocolate chip cupcake recipe is so simple to follow; you will have delicious treats in under an hour! Best yet, these beauties are gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be made vegan!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 12 cup and 6 cup regular size cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.Once combined, whisk in the 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 4 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch with 6 tablespoons of water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick and the 1 cup of granulated sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture into the creamed butter and sugar. With the mixer still on low speed, beat in the ½ cup sour cream, the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. The mixture will look very chunky. That's normal.
Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk into the batter. Mix until just combined.Once it is combined, turn off the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. You don’t want to over mix this. Just make sure everything is fully combined. The batter will be thin.
Use a spatula to fold 1 ½ cups of mini chocolate chips into the batter until combined.
Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake tins ¾ way to the top. Smooth the tops with a small knife. There should be enough batter for 18 cupcakes.You do not want to overfill the cupcakes. This will result in them spilling out of the top and not baking evenly inside.
Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes are golden brown, spring back at you when carefully touched or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (I only like to bake one cupcake pan at a time).Let the cupcakes cool almost completely in the pan before trying to remove them.
Make the Chocolate Fudge Frosting
In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the ¾ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
With the mixer on very low speed, slowly add in the 3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar, the 1 cup of the cocoa powders and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
While the mixer is on, slowly add in the ½ cup room temperature water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use all the water.
Decorate the Cupcakes
If you have piping bags, pipe the chocolate frosting on top of each cooled cupcake.If you don’t have piping bags, put a thin layer of chocolate fudge frosting on top of each cupcake.
If you frosted the cupcakes by hand, pop the cupcakes in the fridge for 15 minutes to let that thin layer harden. This is your crumb layer so that when you frost the tops of the cupcakes, the crumbs don't get all over the frosting.If you have a piping bag, you don’t need the crumb layer or this step.
Immediately after finishing frosting the cupcakes, sprinkle on the extra mini chocolate chips so they stick to the frosting.
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Notes
Vegan: Use a dairy free gluten free flour, vegan sugar, vegan baking sticks, non dairy milk, vegan sour cream and vegan mini chocolate chips.All Purpose Flour: I cannot test this due to celiac disease, but use 1 ¼ cups packed AP flour (210 grams) and ½ cup milk.Storing: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container or wrapped in foil at room in the fridge for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for 30 days. Let come to room temperature prior to eating. Nutrition: The info below is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.