“Those brownies were down right delicious,” my dad said as he licked the frosting off his fingers.

“Dad, they’re cupcakes,” I said, unwrapping one of my own.

“I think I already ate five,” he said while eyeing another. “What’s in these brownies?”

“Dad,” I said, narrowing my eyes, “they’re cupcakes.” Didn’t I just say that?

Chocolate, chocolate chip cupcakes with buttercream frosting and a strawberry flame.

“Oh they have chocolate chips,” he said while inspecting the interior of his sixth. “I don’t think I’ve ever put chips in a brownie before.”

“Dad! they’re cupcakes!” For goodness sakes! That’s the third time I’ve told you now.

“That’s a genius idea Jules,” he said standing up, the six wrappers in a teetering tower on top of his plate. “I’m always going to add chips to my chocolate brownies from now on.”

“CUPCAKES! They are NOT brownies. They are CUPCAKES!” I said, losing it a little.

“Whatever,” my dad said, at least acknowledging it this time. “Cupcakes, brownies, same deal, just add chips.”

He wasn’t wrong.

“Sometimes dad,” I said, smiling inspite of myself, “you are very tough to argue with.”

Chocolate, chocolate chip muffins and strawberry sage muffins (recipes to come soon).

I can’t say why the simple confusion of one pastry to another bothers me so much. Brownie, cupcake, muffin, scone…they’re all pretty much the same thing, right? WRONG. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I spend my days studying food and my nights obsessing over word choice? Who can say for sure?

But what I can say for sure is this.

A simple addition of chocolate chips – just a half cup can do it sometimes – makes all the difference between your everyday, kind of bland, not quite chocolatey enough, pastry, to something truly magnificent. I might even dare to say delicious.

Close up of a delicious chocolate, chocolate chip muffin.

Try it. I dare you.