Week 1: June 12, 2012

Yay for week 1! 

Today I actually made 2 different cupcakes! Tristan's last day of soccer for the summer is tomorrow and we're having a pizza party afterwards, so I figured what a better dessert than cupcakes! Flavor number 1 is Cookies 'N Cream and number 2 is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Yes, I tried them both! And yes, both of them taste pretty awesome! So let's get on with the recipes and my tips, trial and errors... 

  

                                                    Cookie 'N Cream Cupcakes

                                                Found at www.beantownbaker.com

Ingredients

For Cupcakes:

1 stick unsalted butter

1 c. milk

2 t. vanilla extract

2 1/4 c. flour, plus t T. for Oreo chunks

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 2/3 c. sugar

3 large egg whites

1 package of Oreo cookies 

batch of cream cheese frosting

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Place liners in cupcake pan.

Twist apart 24 Oreos. Place the side with the frosting in the bottom of the paper liner (frosting side up). Save the other halves.

Cut or crush up the extra Oreos in a bowl. Toss with 2 T. flour and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla to mixture. 

Make sure that your butter is fluffy! I'm an impatient person and I didn't wait the entire time. Way harder to do when it's not fluffy! 

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. 

 

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix until integrated. Stir in sugar. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg whites. Beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the cookie pieces. 

Fill the cupcake liners three quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan. 

I was kind of a space cadet today and totally missed adding the sugar until the very end (yeah i know, what was i thinking?!?!?).  So the texture of my cupcakes were much more dense and hard then they normally should be. Make sure you're paying attention the the directions! Easier said then done, apparently :)

                                         Paula Deen's Cream Cheese Frosting 

This is by far my favorite cream cheese frosting that I've found so this is the recipe I will give you :) 

Ingredients: 

2 packages cream cheese, room temperature

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 t. vanilla extract

4 c. powdered sugar

Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until fluffy. Mix in vanilla. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, with mixer on. Test it after to make sure you have the sweetness you like. I added an extra half cup of sugar.

Frost cupcakes and top with more crushed up Oreo cookies! 

Ok. so those were good, but the next flavor were even better!  

                                           

                                              Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

                                                  Found at www.thecurvycarrot.com 

Ingredients

For cupcakes:

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 c. light brown sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 2/3 c. all purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 c. milk (any kind is fine)

2 t. vanilla extract

1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips (I used regular sized)

For cookie dough filling:

1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 T. light brown sugar

1 c. flour

7 oz. sweetened condensed milk (cans come in 14 oz, so just guess)

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips (I used regular again) 

For brown sugar frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 c. light brown sugar

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. flour

3/4 t. salt

3/4 T. milk

2 1/2 t. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line your cupcake pans with liner of your choice. 

2. In a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minute. 

3. Reduce speed and add the eggs, one at a time, and mixing well after each one. Scrape the sides of your bowl down. 

4. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. With the mixer still on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/brown sugar mixer, alternating with the milk in thirds (beginning and ending with flour mixture).

6. Add vanilla to the batter and mix until combined. 

7. Add the chocolate chips to the mixture and gently stir with a spatula. 

9. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake about 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove form oven and let them cool 

10. For the cookie dough filling: In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. 

11. Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla, mixing thoroughly. 

12. Gently stir in chocolate chips until completely mixed. Cover the filling with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. (You can make this ahead of time, but make sure to pull the filling out of the refrigerator about an hour beforehand).  

13. For brown sugar frosting: In a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. 

14. Reduce mixer to low, and slowly add powdered sugar until completely combined. 

15. Add flour and salt. 

16. Add milk and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined and smooth. 

Now it's time to put them all together :) 

1. You're going to want to cut some of the cupcake out to add the filling in. I used a 1/4 t. measuring cup and literally scooped the cupcake out. You can also use a pairing knife if you prefer. 

2. Now you will need to fill the cupcakes with the cookie dough filling. You can use a melon baller or your hands and drop the filling inside. I actually put the filling in a disposable piping bag and cut the tip off and filled them that way. 

3. Next, frost your cupcakes with whatever tip you like. I used the Wilton 1M. Then top with mini Chips Ahoy and some mini chocolate chips! Very cute :) 

   

I really hope that Tristan's teammates (and parents) enjoy! I did :) And I hope you try them at home too! Make sure to leave me some comments if you do make them. If you have any questions, please let me know! 

 Later :)