Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I'm on a baking spree! I've only got a floor full of hungry college students for two more days so I'm taking advantage of it while I can!

I had some left over cookie dough in my freezer so I thought I'd try combining my favorites - cookie dough and cupcakes!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes
(idea from Ice Cream Before Dinner)

Frozen cookie dough - you don't need too much, maybe 10 cookies worth?
Vanilla cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
Frosting

First, thaw your cookie dough so that you can reform it into little balls - about the size of a marble, maybe just a little bigger. And then refreeze.

I cheated and used a cake mix (sorry!!) but it was quicker and I could use my meal points. Make the cupcakes according to the instructions on the box and then when you fill the cupcake liners, do just a little bit less than normal. Not too much, but the cookie dough ball will take up some of the volume. Plop a cookie dough ball right in the middle and bake for 18-21 minutes!

They should come out looking just like normal cupcakes and your guests will have no idea what surprise is in store for them! Once cooled, frost the cupcakes (again I just used a store bought :/) and garnish with some cookie crumbs! (I baked the left over cookie dough and then broke up the cookies to put on top)

Angel Food Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

I know. How perfectly amazing does that sound?

It's getting pretty warm here in St. Louis and that makes me excited for summer - which makes me excited for yummy summer treats! And what is more summery than angel food cake?

Well, I thought I'd try making angel food cupcakes since I had never heard of anybody making them before! They turned out great! Especially with the strawberry buttercream :)

Angel Food Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

Cupcakes:
1 box angel food cake
Strawberry jam

Strawberry Buttercream:
(Recipe from Baked Perfection)

2 sticks of butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup strawberry filling (strawberry jam or preserves can be substituted)
pinch of salt
6 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
Fresh strawberries for garnish

I used a box of angel food cake (gasp! sorry, limited on baking ingredients in my dorm) and just poured them into the muffin tins. Be sure to use cupcake liners! It gets sticky!

Optional, but amazing - fill the cupcakes with strawberry jellly!
Once cupcakes are cooled, use a teaspoon to scoop out a hole in the top of the cupcake. Take that part out but keep it, no eating! Scoop some jelly into the hole and cover it up with the top! Now frost the cupcakes!

Then for the buttercream,
Beat butter and vanilla until creamy. Mix in strawberry filling and salt. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Top with fresh strawberries!

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Moist chocolate cake filled with homemade caramel... topped with vanilla butter cream and seasalt? What could be better?!!

I am in love with salted caramel anything - chocolates, cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, you name it!

This is one of my favorite salted caramel concotions - they are my go-to "need to take cupcakes to a party" cupcakes and they are always a hit!

I made them last weekend because I had told so many people here at school about them, but hadn't made them yet! They are on the complicated side - with lots of ingredients - so it's been hard to find the time and all the ingredients! But with classes behind me and reading week ahead of me - I went for it! My floor and all my friends loved them!

The chocolate cake that I use is pretty incredible too. So if you're just looking for a basic chocolate cupcake recipe - try these out!

Salted Caramel Cupcakes – Makes 36


Cupcakes
2 C. flour
1 C cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 C granulated sugar
1 cup milk
1 stick melted butter
2/3 c melted chocolate
2 tsp vanilla
1 C sour cream


Chardonnay Caramel Sauce (Store bought caramel works just as well)
1 C sugar
1 stick butter
½ C heavy whipping cream
1/4 C oak vatted Chardonnay


Butter Cream
2 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla
6 C powdered sugar
3-5 tbsp milk



Make the caramel sauce first and stick it in the fridge; it will still pour just fine after being in there and won't be completely absorbed by the cake when you fill the cupcakes.


Caramel Sauce
Heat sugar and on medium high (any hotter and you'll have sugar flying all over your kitchen!) in heavy 2 quart saucepan and stir. When the sugar starts to boil (and all the sugar is melted) add butter to pan and whisk until melted. Remove pan from heat and let cool about 5 seconds. Whisk in cream. (It will foam and that’s good) Whisk until smooth. Add Chardonnay while hot and whisk together. Remove from pan into a glass jar to store. Can be premade. 

CupCakes
Preheat oven to 350. Line Muffin Tins with Cupcake Liners. Sift together Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, Baking Powder and Salt. Beat eggs and sugar. Add Milk, Butter, Chocolate, Vanilla and Sour Cream. Add Dry ingredients. Beat at medium for 2-3 minutes. Pour Batter 2/3 full in muffin tins. Cook for 8-12 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. The cake is pretty fine (read: crumbles easily) and the less you handle the cake the better.


Butter Cream
Cream butter and vanilla. Add Confectioner’s Sugar in 1 cup increments. Add Milk to desired thickness. Beat on high about 4 minutes


Assembly
Once cupcakes are cooled, use a teaspoon to scoop out a hole in the top of the cupcake. Take that part out but keep it! No eating! Pour caramel sauce into the hole. Replace the top and then frost the cupcakes! Drizzle caramel sauce over the top if you'd like and sprinkle with sea salt. Enjoy!