Chocolate Chip Goodness
Have you ever felt like eating cupcakes without all those elaborate niceties or toppings that adorn them and appear in all tastes, colours, shapes and sizes? That’s exactly how I felt, several weeks ago, when I made these cupcakes. I just wanted to eat a nice, plain, cupcake with lots of chocolate in it, so please, do not expect any elaborate frosting or niceties on these ones.
After eating three cupcakes, which I did enjoy so much, I ventured to find out the definition of a cupcake and wondered whether they must always be elaborately adorned or topped. According to Dear Wiki, a cupcake is any small cake that is about the size of a teacup. If you normally serve your tea in a mug, then you are thinking of the wrong size. The real definition of a teacup is: a small cup used with a saucer for serving tea, and the amount of liquid held by a teacup should be about 150ml (5fl. oz). Cupcakes may be topped with frosting or other cake decorations. They may be filled with frosting, pastry cream or other fillings. I am glad it says, may be.
Well, so much for trying to define a cupcake. After eating my three cupcakes, I actually forgot to post this recipe and today, I just stumbled upon the photos while looking at the hundreds of photos I have accumulated since I began blogging. It’s never too late to share and I hope you’ll enjoy the teacup-sized-cakes, if you ever try to make them.
Please, always remember to assemble all ingredients before you start
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Sift the flour
Combine water and sugar in a small pan,
Stir over heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil, remove from heat
cool syrup to room temperature.
Beat butter, vanilla and egg yolks together
until light and fluffy. With mixture on medium speed, gradually pour in the sugar syrup in a thin stream, continue beating until all the syrup is mixed in.
This is what the mixture should look like after gradually beating in all the sugar syrup
Stir in sifted flour and chocolate chips all at once.
This is what it should look like after adding flour and chocolate chips
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form,
fold half the egg whites into the mixture, then fold remaining egg whites gently into the mixture.
This is the final mixture (batter). Spoon mixture evenly into the paper cases. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. I baked the cupcakes at 400°F (200°C) for 23 minutes.
Stand a few minutes
before transferring onto wire rack to cool
The cupcakes were delicious
I ate three, in one sitting, with a cup of coffee
I hope you like them, the way I did!
Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Preparation Time: 20 minutes + 30 minutes cooling time; Baking Time: 20–25 minutes; Makes: 14 cupcakes
Ingredients
- 225g (1¾ cups, 8oz) self-raising (I used all-purpose flour & added baking)
- 80ml (⅓ cup, 2.7fl oz) water
- 180g (¾ cup, 6oz) sugar
- 125g (½ cup, 4½oz, 1stick + 1 tablespoon) butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 3 eggs, separated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Sift the flour.
- Combine water and sugar in a pan, stir over heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil, remove from heat, cool syrup to room temperature. (I usually pop mine into the freer, it cools faster)
- Beat butter, vanilla and egg yolks together until light and fluffy. With mixture on medium speed, gradually pour in syrup in a thin stream, continue beating until all the syrup is mixed in.
- Stir in sifted flour and chocolate chips all at once.
- Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, fold half the egg whites into the mixture, then fold remaining egg whites gently into the mixture.
- Spoon mixture evenly into the paper cases. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Stand a few minutes before transferring onto wire rack to cool
- **I weigh the flour and butter. I do not use cup measures. The weight of a cup of flour tends to vary based on individual interpretation, publication and size of cup used (from 125g to 130g to 155g per cup).
- Cup measures based on assumption that 1 cup = 125g flour so that would be the US cup of 237ml, not the Australian Cup.
Points to note:
- Please note that oven temperatures are given as a guideline only. You may need to add or reduce the suggested temperature depending on your oven. I baked the cupcakes at 400°F (200°C) for 23 minutes.
- This mixture makes 14 cupcakes. If you make only 12 some of them will be too large.
- I always weigh ingredients, especially the flour and butter. You can use cup measures, but please note if you scoop flour directly from the bag you will end up with 150-185 g of flour instead of the recommended 125g. I suggest you spoon the flour into the cup, heaping it up over the top, then slide a knife across the top to level off the extra. Be careful not to shake or tap the cup to settle down the flour or you will have more than you need. You can also sift the flour first then scoop. Best advice: use a weighing scale, you’ll get the best results.
- If you use all-purpose flour add 1 teaspoon baking powder for every 125g (1 cup) flour
myfavouritepastime.com
My Favourite Pastime 
I so need to make these! BTW, that hob of yours is it electric? I have a gas stove but I’m thinking of changing to an electric one and would like to know if it would be hard to adapt.
Mine is an old, annoying electric one. Unfortunately I have never had a gas stove so I have never experienced baking with gas…If I were to change, I would buy a convectional one, with gas top and an electric oven.I am not planning to buy one soon…sigh. How is baking with gas? Have a nice day!
Oh, I hate baking with gas – cooking is ok though. The electric oven is a must for it’s more efficient and accurate and I’d love to get rid of gas!
That makes the two of us. I love cooking with gas (I don’t have that now) and I prefer the electric oven. Maybe one day, I shall buy a combo convectional stove. Thanks for sharing and letting me know about baking with gas. Best wishes!
Hi, Liz. I made the Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe I have
http://thenotsocreativecook.wordpress.com/2013/09/01/its-not-all-about-the-looks/
But I would love to try yours as well. 🙂 Have a nice weekend.
Thanks so much for sharing. I saw them, I saw Laura making hers too. Yours are smaller, hers are larger but overall, they just look similar. I will try the recipe too, thanks! Have a lovely Sunday!
Thanks, Liz. Have a nice day. 🙂
I am about to go to bed. It;s 2.00 am, Now I know its 2 pm for you!!! Enjoy the rest of your day.
You’re right, Liz. Goodnight and sweet dreams! 🙂
Thank you so much, that’s very kind of you!
At first I thought these were chocolate chip muffins. (I think it was because I’m so ingrained to believe a cupcake has frosting on it! A few weeks ago my coworker asked me the difference between a muffin and a cupcake and I honestly couldn’t answer him.) Regardless, they look delicious! Whenever I bake anything with chocolate chips, the chocolate chips always sink to the bottom. I noticed yours didn’t, which means I must try this recipe so I can finally say I made something with chocolate chips that didn’t sink!
Hi thanks for leaving me a long and interesting note. I call mine cupcakes because of the mixture. I didn’t mix wet and dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.
My chocolate chips never sink in muffins or cupcakes. But you may want to mix the chocolate chips with a little flour before you throw them into the cake, especially if it’s a large cake. Try that next time and share with us. Thanks so much for visiting me and have a wonderful week ahead!
I woul so devour at least 4 of them, if I could, Liz!!! They look smashing!!!! Yummmmmm!
Hi Sophie!
I really enjoyed eating them. I could still eat the same number or more if I made them again. Thanks and wish you a fabulous week!
Liz
Yes, the sugar syrup is new to me as well, I will have to try it and report back. Bring back unadorned cakes I say, they can get so sweet with frosting. The only problem is, I can see myself easily demolishing these in a sitting…
Please try it and let me know if you can. We ate twelve of them and we were only four people. Thanks for visiting me. Have a lovely weekend!
Chocolate chip goodness indeed! Who doesn’t love chocolate chips? I know my little one, Emma, would just love these. And love to make them as well! You know Liz, I’ve noticed we have a similar style to blogging… you have a step-by-step visual and I love that.
Oh Lidia,
thanks for visiting me. We all love chocolate in form of chips, don’t we? My little ones love it and so do their friends. Thanks for liking my step by step visual. I love seeing what I’m about to cook and what it should look like too! I hope other people love it too. I love your blog. It’s one of my favourites. Thanks and have a wonderful weekend!
Hah,it’s so easy to eat three with a decent coffee or tea. I did exactly that with my recent attempt at baking muffins. Well, I’d made a couple of mistakes and couldn’t take photos of them. And I did need to taste test them 🙂
Ha ha thanks. Now I don’t feel as gluttony as I did…before you said you did the same. Anyway I really enjoyed eating them. I hope you’ll make the muffins again and post them. Or were they those moist blueberry muffins I saw just now? They look very delicious and are not as large so I bet I can eat four, with a spicy cuppa. Thanks. Have a happy Friday!
Another favourite! Yums! I could easily eat 3 of these too!
Thanks you can eat four. Have a happy Friday. Best wishes!
anything that has chocolate chips in them is worth marrying!
Thanks Nathan. Have a wonderful week!
You have a lovely space here! I love that you’ve folded in egg whites—these must be so nice and fluffy.
Thank you for complimenting my space. Yes they were very nice and fluffy. Have a wonderful evening and please visit me again and again. Best Wishes!
They look so yummy! 😀
(I love the white serving plate with linear texture!)
Thank you, Hari. I love that plate too. Have a wonderful evening!
Hi Liz,
I have mentioned you as one of the bloggers who have been inspirations for me.
You can check it out anytime in this post: http://hariqhuang.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/the-wordpress-family-award/
Have a nice day! 😀
Thank you, Hari. I have checked it out and feel very, very honoured. I am happy that you think of me as an inspiration. What kind words. You inspire me too, because you are always HAPPY and highly motivated. Wish you a fabulous weekend and best wishes in everything you do!
Oh my these look good!
and taste good too. Thanks for complimenting. Wish you a wonderful end of week!
Cupcakes or muffins… i could eat them all! Hahaha. This looks sooo good.
And tastes so good too. Thanks for liking them. I wish I could give them to you all. Enjoy the rest of your week!
These look great! I too have never heard of baking with a simple syrup, sounds good. I always thought a muffin was a little less sweet than a cupcake. Muffins mixed gently by hand, just combing the wet and dry ingredients. That being said most places call anything without frosting a muffin. My boys would probably scream at me if I offered them a cupcake without frosting, that is the part they live for! But call it a muffin and they would love it!
The syrup cake is very nice. You thought right about cupcake and muffins and the mixing of ingredients by hand to combine wet and dry. There are those days when I crave cupcakes without frosting and so I just omit it and enjoy my cakes. All children enjoy frosting and the trick is always to call it what will make them eat it. Have a lovely day.
Hi lovely people. I always assumed that muffins were made with buttermilk and that that was them main difference between muffins and cupcakes… but now I’m confused and lost too!
Anyway, whatever you call them, these look absolutely delicious (what a good rise!) and I shall try your recipe when I have moved flats and unpacked my baking material in a month time!
Ha ha I wouldn’t try defining a muffin anymore, because this is what Wiki says:” Muffin is a type of semi-sweet cake or quick bread that is baked in portions appropriate for one person.”This doesn’t distinguish anything. Does it?
Please just bake them and eat them and worry not about their definitions. Have a wonderful day and thanks for your participation in the debate.
You had me when I read “chocolate chips” in the post’s title, Liz. I love them wherever I find them: in cookies, cakes, cupcakes, or straight out of the bag. Although I’m not much of a baker, I too saw the sugar syrup and wondered about it. Whatever the reason, it certainly worked. These cupcakes certainly look light and, with all of those chips, mighty tasty! Have a great week, Liz!
Hi there John,
What a wonderful surprise. Do you ever sleep at all? you seem to burn the midnight oil most of the time, like me. I ate those cupcakes several weeks, I think it’s even months ago and totally forgot them. My 14-year old took all the photos that day so perhaps that’s the reason I forgot them.
By now I know you’re not a baker (but there are always possibilities of becoming a small time baker, a tiny wee one!) I shall keep on prodding you. I sneaked into the Bartolini Kitchens the other night, but was way too tired to leave a message, I just left two tiny marks. I shall sneak in again soon.
Thank you so much for being so kind and gracious. I truly appreciate all the support you give me. Honestly, I do! My warm regards to Max.
I have a recipe for Chocolate Chip ‘Muffins’ waiting to be tried but I guess I would replace that with this one. With the sugar syrup and egg whites, I know this is better. And you know I am also confused with the cupcake and muffin thing… and yes! Who cares about about that?! As long as it is delicious, we don’t care! 😉
Please can you post the recipe for the chocolate chip muffins. I have tried a few but never liked them at all. This of course is better than the muffins recipes I tried. I always assume muffins are mixed by hand, dry and wet ingredients mixed together. Cupcakes require an electric mixer and lots of beating . Silly argument but that’s what I use. But at the end of the day, taste matters of course! Have a good night!
Okay, Liz! As soon as I make them, I will post it on my blog. 😉 Hopefully, next week. 🙂
I look forward to them, thanks. Please alert me when you do. Are you not sleeping tonight? Have a good night!
It’s lunch time in our country, Liz. 🙂 Have a sound sleep. Goodnight! 😉
Enjoy your lunch as I enjoy my sleep!
I will, Liz. Thanks. And you, too… on your sleep. 🙂
And yes, I will alert you when I make those muffins. Mwaaah 😉
Thanks!
No worries! 🙂
Wow, Liz, I have never seen the syrup method for making cakes. What does the method do? Lighten it? I am completely fascinated by this technique. Now must see if it can be applied to something I’m working on. Thank you, Liz. Have a terrific night.
It makes the cake light and fluffy and the taste and texture is awesome. Try it on what you’re doing and let me know whether it worked for you. I like the new look of your blog. Thanks, fabulous night to you too!
That caught my eye too – about the sugar syrup. I think I understand why it is done this way. Your cupcakes always look so tasty Liz! They certainly rise up and look nice and fluffy. Interesting that the chocolate chips stay more or less whole baked this way too. I sometimes think we overdo cupcakes by putting all that icing and stuff on top! Let them speak for themselves! I sometimes watch the cooking channel and cupcake wars or whatever they call it and they do look good, but so much sweet icing gets put on top – why not just judge on the baking alone? Oh well, that’s my nickels worth tonight! What do I know? Have yourself a great day tomorrow!
Thank you so much for showering me with praise. I love that recipe. The cakes were really nice and I just wanted to eat them like that, without any toppings. I really enjoyed them. I would love a well-adorned cupcake for a special occasion but not on a daily basis.
I don’t mind watching those cupcake wars etc as long as I’m not ingesting that stuff on a daily basis. I tell you, I really need to lose about 4 inches from my waist and this blogging doesn’t help at all. I am always cooking and tasting and cooking some more. And now my daughter has gotten the cooking bug too and cooks all these lovely things…we are constantly eating. Thanks, Sandy, Have a good night. Thanks for your support and motivation!
What a great post. I too was curious what the difference was and wrote a post about it not too long ago. I don’t understand why I make cupcakes and inevitably someone refers to them as “muffins” and vice versa. Who cares as long as they taste delicious???
Thank you so much for reading and complimenting the post. Please give me a link to this post of yours. When it comes to food, I think what really matters is whether you enjoyed eating whatever it is. Like the butter iced birthday cakes we buy and more than half of that icing is dumped in the bin. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your week!
Here’s the post:
http://tickledpinkpatisserie.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/cupcake-versus-muffin/
I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed yours!
Hi KK
Thank you. I read the post and it was hilarious. I got confused even further and I loved the picture of muffins vs cake. It was my best part of the post. Have a lovely week!
Liz
I like it and it will be on my list … For sure I will make it …. Thanks for sharing .great process:)
Thank you so much for liking it. I loved watching your cooking video tonight. And you made my favourite, Red Lentil soup. Thanks so much wish you a lovely week!
Thanks . You too 🙂
The sugar syrup is a new one on me. Usually the sugar is beaten into the butter, but I can see where the syrup would preclude any problem with graininess.
Ha ha I love this recipe. The cakes taste really nice. you should try it. It’s amazing. Thanks for introducing me to the “Dryer sheet for produce’ I would really love to try it. Have a lovely evening!