Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

     Once I was able to make my first cupcake recipe and have it turn out okay, I gained some confidence in my ability to create a simple cupcake recipe. I haven't gone too crazy since that first recipe but I am taking some steps toward making my "Friends" themed cupcakes. This Vanilla Chocolate Chip cupcake recipe was a trial and error for a Phoebe themed cupcake. Now that I know that chocolate chips taste really good in cupcakes (those are the words used by my amazing boyfriend and taste tester), I'm ready to start expanding my cupcake recipes and taking more risks. I wasn't going to put this recipe on here because it was basically the cupcake recipe from before with some chocolate chips (and the same buttercream frosting from before) but the point of this blog is to post all the recipes I create and bake, so here we go:

Caroline's Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cupcake Recipe: 

Ingredients: 

1. 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2. 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
   
3. 1/4 teaspoon salt
4. 1/2 cup milk
5. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6. 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
7. 3/4 cup sugar
8. 2 large eggs
9. 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners. I used silicone ones but normal paper cupcake liners work as well. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 
3. In a medium sized bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy (about 2 to 3 minutes). 
4. Once the butter and sugar is fluffy, beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth.  
5. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and milk. Make sure to alternate the dry ingredients and milk, starting with and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the vanilla.
6. After stirring in the vanilla extract, gently fold in the chocolate chips.  
7. Using a cupcake scoop, scoop the batter into the cupcake pan and bake for 18-20 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes onto a wire rack. 
8. While the cupcakes cool, start making the buttercream. 
9. Make sure the cupcakes are cooled completely before frosting them or the buttercream will melt off.

Caroline's Vanilla Buttercream Recipe: 

Ingredients: 

1. 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2. 3 1/2 - 4 cups of powdered sugar
3. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4. 1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions: 

1. In a medium bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. 
2. Using low speed on your mixer, gradually add in 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. Once sugar is incorporated, increase speed to medium-low until sugar and butter are combined. 
3. Dropping the mixer speed back down to low, add the milk and vanilla. 
4. Once the milk and vanilla are incorporated, bump the mixer speed back up to medium and whip it until smooth (this should take a few minutes). 
5. Add the remaining sugar if you want the buttercream firmer. 

    Of course, after letting the cupcakes cool and then frosting them, I just had to try one! They were soft and moist and had just the right about of vanilla flavor. Then you get a surprise pop of a chocolate chip that adds an additional flavor and slices through the sweetness of the cupcake and the buttercream. This time, instead of coloring the buttercream frosting, I decided to keep it the actual color. When I was making the frosting, something told me that I should keep it simple and not go over the top. Sometimes, keeping it simple can be just as elegant. 

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