Preheat the oven to 400° F or 200° C . Using baking liners, line a twelve well cupcake tin.
Prep the crumb topping first by adding the flour and brown sugar to a small bowl and whisk together with a fork, breaking up the brown sugar chunks.
Add the cubed cold butter and cut it into the flour mix with either a pastry cutter, a fork, or best, your fingers until flaky clumps form.
Drizzle the vanilla over top and combine with a fork, breaking up any large lumps. Set aside in the refrigerator to keep cold.
In another small bowl, combine the flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the salt and lightly whisk. Remove about a tablespoon and stir it into a small bowl containing the chocolate chips.
With a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium to medium high speed until airy or about 3 minutes.
Turn the mixer to low and add one egg, mix well, then add the second egg and mix well. Add the vanilla.
Add one third of the dry ingredients to the mixer then half of the buttermilk, alternating until everything is just barely combined.
Remove the mixer bowl, add the chocolate chips with the flour, and fold them gently into the batter.
For exactly perfect cupcakes, spoon 3 tablespoons of batter into the baking liners. Top each cupcake with about a heaping teaspoon (from your eating utensil drawer) and a half of the crumb topping, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top, and bake for 14-18 minutes.
Or for an easier route, split the batter evenly between the wells, top each cupcake with the amount of crumb topping as the exactly perfect method, top with a few extra chocolate chips, and bake for 17-20 minutes.
In either case, test for doneness with a toothpick and when it comes out clean save a couple crumbs, remove the pan from the oven. After about 5-10 minutes, remove the cupcakes to a cooling rack to thoroughly cool.
Notes
Adapted from Love and Olive Oil.This recipe can likely be made gluten free by using a cup for cup flour alternative.