4th of July Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

We had two big cookouts to go to this holiday weekend. I wanted to use my star sprinkles and my flag cupcake liners so I needed a light colored cake and a dark frosting. I decided to take a vanilla cupcake and add chocolate chips to it. These cupcakes were really good. The cake was perfectly dense but still moist and crumbly.

The frosting really is to die for. By adding the hot cocoa mix, there is an extra creaminess to this frosting. Multiple people commented that it tasted like mousse. I couldn’t agree more. I even used some to dip my strawberries in to. WOW was that good. The frosting recipe did make a large batch. It frosted 24 cupcakes plus I have about 2 cups of frosting leftover.

Chocolate Chip cupcakes – adapted from Vanilla cupcakes from Crazy Delicious – original recipe from Martha Stewart – makes 24
1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips + 1 Tbsp flour (toss to coat chocolate chips)

Mix the dry ingredients

Add butter

Whisk eggs, milk and vanilla

Add wet ingredients 1/3 at a time to the dry ingredients

Stir in chocolate chips – be sure to coat the chips with flour so they don’t all sink to the bottom while baking

Bake for 17-22 minutes at 325 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean

Chocolate Frosting – from Joy The Baker
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup Ovaltine – I used Ghirardelli hot cocoa

Cream together butter, cocoa powder and salt. Butter mixture will be very thick.
Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar. Turn mixer on low and mix in powdered sugar while adding milk and vanilla extract. As the sugar incorporates, raise the speed of the mixer to beat the frosting. Beat until smooth.
In a 2 cup measuring glass, stir together heavy cream and Ovaltine. Turn mixer speed to medium and pour cream mixture into frosting in a slow, steady stream. Mix until incorporated.

If you’d like a thinner consistency, add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until you’re happy with the frosting.

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23 Responses to “Banana Split Cupcake”

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    1
    stephchows — September 15, 2009 at 12:47 pm

    Great cupcake hero entry!!! yum!

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    oneordinaryday — September 15, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    You’re right – it’s a freaking cute cupcake! I especially love that frosting and how you got it to look like a scoop of ice cream. Nicely done!
    This is my first CH and I can’t wait till the voting begins! : )

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    3
    Amanda — September 15, 2009 at 2:49 pm

    Wow, what a yummy looking cupcake! Great idea!

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    oneparticularkitchen — September 15, 2009 at 4:14 pm

    This is ADORABLE!! I love it!

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    Xiaolu — September 15, 2009 at 5:08 pm

    Gorgeous cupcake, Jen! I love how the cherry stands out. How do you get that black background if you don’t mind me asking? I’m pretty new to this food photography thing 8)

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    Amy Kingman — September 15, 2009 at 5:41 pm

    Yummmm!!!!!

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    7
    Jen — September 15, 2009 at 5:51 pm

    Xiaolu – It’s actually just my black table. I’ve also had luck using a plain black piece of construction paper (most of my backgrounds are the 12×12 scrap-booking papers) or a black towel to get the background all black.

    Here is an example using paper, and one using a towel.

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    Xiaolu — September 15, 2009 at 5:59 pm

    Thanks! That’s really helpful.

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    Joanna — September 15, 2009 at 8:28 pm

    Yum! Great idea 🙂

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    10
    Stephanie Wagner — September 15, 2009 at 10:44 pm

    Awesome idea!

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    bcallegra — September 16, 2009 at 2:04 am

    Very creative and it looks great!

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    The Novice Chef — September 16, 2009 at 3:15 am

    What a cute idea! I love it!! And I know my nieces would be in love!

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    nutmegnanny — September 16, 2009 at 3:33 am

    Great idea…they look delicious!

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    14
    jesstyler — September 16, 2009 at 4:08 am

    holy deliciousness! I NEED one of those! 🙂

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    Kerstin — September 16, 2009 at 4:48 am

    How creative, I love them! So cute and tasty with that cherry on top!

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    Ingrid — September 16, 2009 at 3:14 pm

    Very cute looking! I like your idea.
    ~ingrid

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    lifeoftheparty — September 16, 2009 at 7:25 pm

    These cupcakes are pure genius… you’ve definitely got my vote!

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    Jigginjessica — September 17, 2009 at 12:34 am

    Cute idea! What a great entry!

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    19
    thegreatpantryraid — September 17, 2009 at 7:37 pm

    Wow – super cute! A lot of work, I’m sure, but such a big payoff! Great job!

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    Kami — September 17, 2009 at 8:32 pm

    So stinkin’ cute!

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    Caroline — September 19, 2009 at 6:23 am

    Very cute, indeed and loving the pineapple in the frosting. I can just imagine how delicious this would taste. What a great idea.

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    Keiara Wells — September 19, 2009 at 5:57 pm

    MMM, it looks fantastic! I’ll have to try this one 🙂 xox

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    Sweet and Savory — October 15, 2009 at 5:55 am

    These cupcakes are precious besides, I am sure, being delicious. What a great idea.

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