Cupcakes in the Wonderful

On my walk with my sister yesterday morning, across the continent and several time zones, in which I am walking the puppy and she is secure in her Boston apartment with her dachshund and we are chatting on the phone, she informed me about a new cupcake recipe she was trying.

I was intrigued.

Cookie dough cupcakes? Those sound like two extremely delicious things in one...kind of a two-for-one situation.

I like those situations.

She got her recipe from Annie's Eats blog, and boy...there's a lot of butter in those suckers. The original recipe calls for THREE STICKS in the cupcakes alone! That's a cup and a half of butter! Wowza!

I substituted 1/2 cup of all natural, no-sugar added applesauce for one of those sticks, and the result still tasted damn delicious. I'm thinking it changed the texture slightly, but as me personally doesn't mind a little oddness -- and our guests for the evening, their toddler, and my Tyler didnt seem to mind either -- I'd rather go for a little more healthy! Especially considering how much butter was in everything else....

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

recipe courtesy of Annie's Eats...www.annies-eats.com

INGREDIENTS

for the cupcakes...

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used 2 sticks, and 1/2 cup applesauce)

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips (semi sweet or bittersweet)

for the filling...

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed

1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

7 oz. sweetened condensed milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips 

for the frosting...

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. milk

2 tsp. vanilla

for the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). Combine butter and brown sugar with a mixer. Beat on med-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add dry ingredients to mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, mixing each addition until just incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 - 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

for the filling...

Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on med-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture firmed up a bit, about an hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

for the frosting...

Beat together the butter and brown sugar. Mix in the confectioners sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well-blended. Frost as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips for decoration.

Enjoy!

Ciao,

kc