Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Frosting

Last weekend, while making a peach pie, the DS asked me to "please make something chocolate." So, being the aim-to-please mother that I am, I whipped up these chocolate chip cupcakes.  The vintage recipe predates commercial chocolate chips -- as in, it calls for breaking up a seven-ounce chocolate bar. (Chocolate chips were introduced commercially in 1939.) Because these are old-school (read: not overly sweet or chocolate-y) I paired them with a very rich milk chocolate frosting.

These are good, not great, though the DH ate several and especially liked the frosting.  The best news is, they can be made quickly (like while simultaneously baking a pie) with ingredients probably in your pantry.

Start by blending the butter with the sugar.

When the batter is done, fill paper-lined muffin tins.

While the cupcakes are baking, begin the frositng by melting butter and cocoa.

Add the melted chocolate mixture to the milk and confectioner's sugar mixture.

Beat and voila -- milk chocolate frosting.

This inside view reveals the chocolate to cake ratio.

Recipes are below; I've written out an updated method for the cupcakes, as there are no instructions on the card.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 F

1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
2 1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
2/3 c. milk
1 1/2 t.vanilla
8 ounces chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and combine.
Add vanilla.
Add dry mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into muffin tins.

Bake about 20 minutes or until a tester (toothpick) comes out clean.

For the icing, melt butter (instead of shortening) and cocoa powder in a double boiler over hot water. I had to add extra confectioner's sugar to get it thick enough to spread.

Chocolate Chip Cup Cakes

This all-American vintage recipe (perfect for your July 4th picnic) features a white cake studded with chunks of chocolate.  It was probably created before 1939 (when chocolate chips became commercially available) because it calls for breaking up a bar of chocolate to create "chips."

This is an easy-to-make and delicious confection. Although the recipe didn't call for frosting, and these really could be breakfast muffins, I couldn't imagine an unfrosted cupcake so I topped these with a vanilla coconut buttercream and a bit of shaved sweet chocolate for decoration.

It's essential to use an excellent semi- or bittersweet chocolate.  I got a couple of bars of Lindt and coarsely chopped it.

Mix up the batter and simply add the chocolate chunks in at the end.

Spoon into lined cupcake tins (the batter is very thick), filling about 3/4 full.

Recipe card below, and following is the method I used, as this card is simply a list of ingredients.

Chocolate Chip Cup Cakes

Preheat oven to 350.

Chop up the chocolate.  (Use bittersweet or semi-sweet -- not unsweetened)
Mix shortening (I used unsalted butter) and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and mix well.
Combine dry ingredients and add alternately to the batter with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Add in the chocolate and combine well.
Spoon into prepared cupcake tins.
Bake about 20 minutes.

For the frosting, I used the Magnolia Bakery's vanilla buttercream but added some coconut extract for an additional flavor note.  Top with sprinkles or grated chocolate.