Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I've never gotten all that excited about cupcakes in the past, but I have found some recipes lately that have really turned out well.  Rich chocolate cake with a chocolate chip cookie dough filling and cookie dough flavored frosting.  If you like cookie dough, you will love these cupcakes!!  This recipe is for 12 cupcakes, but can easily be doubled to make 24.

COOKIE DOUGH FILLING:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

CUPCAKES:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

COOKIE DOUGH FROSTING:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GARNISH:
additional mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Prepare the cookie dough filling (see *Tips below): In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to stir together the butter, sugars, milk and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes, or until the cookie dough is firm. Scoop out dough in 2 tablespoon scoops and place it on a cookie sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes.

2. Prepare the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners. Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt in a blender. Blend to combine. Add the water, oil, egg and vanilla. Blend to combine, scraping down the sides as needed a couple of times until all is well mixed. Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake liners. Drop a ball of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough into the center of each cupcake. If you would like the cookie dough to bake up slightly, keep the top visible. If you'd like to keep the cookie dough somewhat raw, push it to the bottom of the cupcake wrapper, making sure that the batter comes up and over the dough.

3. Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake portion of the cupcake (not tested through the center where the dough is), comes out fairly clean. Cool the cupcakes completely before adding the frosting. (NOTE:  for me and my oven, I found setting the oven to 350 degrees an cooking for 18 min was about right----you don't want to overcook!)

4. Prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy. Mix in the flour, milk and vanilla and continue to mix until all is well combined.

5. Assemble: Frost cupcakes with a knife or scoop the frosting into a piping bag and pipe it on decoratively. Sprinkle mini chips on top and ENJOY!

Tips:

*You don't necessarily have to melt the butter and refrigerate the dough before scooping. The melted butter just helps the sugar dissolve a bit more so you don't have that grainy texture in the cookie dough. It is necessary to freeze it though.

Source: RecipeGirl.com

*I use the Wilton 1M star tip for getting the lovely frosting swirl on the cupcake.

Rating:  * * * * *  Definitely five stars!

Chocolate Roll Up Cake

I have never made this one before but this is Thomas' favorite cake that his mom makes. So, I thought it would be a great contribution to this blog!

Chocolate Roll Cake
1/2 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup cocoa powder

4 egg yolks 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup sugar

4 egg whites 1/2 cup sugar

15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan greased and lightly floured

Sift together the first four ingredients

in a small bowl beat the egg yolks and vanilla at high speed for about 5 minutes, gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar. When you finish beating the yolks, they should be lemony color and the sugar should not be grainy anymore, they will look and feel thicker than when you started beating them. Thoroughly wash the beaters.

In a large mixing bowl, (it works better if it is metal or glass because egg whites will not whip well if there is any trace of oil in the bowl and plastic can hold on to oil even after it is washed, that is also why you need to wash the beaters well) beat the egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the 1/2 cup sugar continue beating till stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg yolks into the egg whites. Sprinkle flour mixture over the mixed together eggs, and gently fold in until it is all thoroughly combined. It will take a few minutes, and when it is all combined, the batter will taste sort of "foamy" not thick like a regular cake batter. If it does not seem sort of foamy or fluffy, you have mixed it too hard and have flattened out all of the air you whipped into the eggs. That airy ness is what gives it the different texture, so you really want to mix it gently.
Spread batter into the pan Bake in a 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, don't overbake it or it will be really dry. When it bakes it might not all look even and pretty, but that it okay because that side goes on the inside when it is filled. The under part will be all smooth and pretty so it will look fine.
While the cake is baking, tear off about 5 sheets of paper towels (keep them all connected) sift a light layer of powdered sugar onto the paper towels. When you take the cake out of the oven, loosen the edges with a knife and then immediately turn it out onto the paper towels. Roll the cake up in the paper towels and let it cool for at least an hour. Un roll the cake and use whatever flavor of ice cream to spread evenly across the whole cake, then roll it back up (obviously it is not a super tight roll) then put it in the freezer to freeze for at least an hour. You can also use whipped cream and berries in the middle, although ice cream is the best.