Week 42, November 16, 2014 ~ Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

This cupcake is basically a chocolate chip cookie dough lovers dream! It is a chocolate cake with a cookie dough center and a cookie dough cream cheese frosting. I could not stop eating this frosting, it was addictive and the best part is that their is obviously no raw egg in it so you can eat all you want and not get sick! (I probably shouldn't encourage that though) The cookie dough center is an eggless cookie dough that is frozen and then baked into the cupcake so that it still is a little doughy but the rest of the cupcake is cooked.

This recipe makes 16 cupcakes!

For the cookie dough center:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/6 tsp baking soda
• 1/6 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp milk
• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt into a small bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, sugars, milk and vanilla until smooth.
3. Beat the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips into the butter mixture until smooth.
4. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes until it is firm enough to handle.
5. Scoop out dough into 16 balls. and freeze for 30+ minutes.

For the chocolate cake:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 ounces dark chocolate ( I used an 80%)

2 large eggs, room temp

2 large egg yolks, room temp

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup sour cream

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder--I use Hershey's Special Dark

1/2 cup brewed coffee, room temp

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool.
3. Beat butter and sugar until fully combined and looks like wet sand; add the melted chocolate once cooled and mix to combine.
4. Mix in eggs and egg yolks one at a time until just combined.
5. Mix in oil, vanilla, and sour cream until just combined.
6. Sift flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a separate bowl.
7. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture a little at a time until just combined.
8. Add the coffee and mix till combined.
9. Fill cupcake liners half way and then place a frozen cookie dough ball into the center and press down till covered and bake with 18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. Set aside on a wire rack and let cool.

For the Cookie Dough Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 5 Tbsp. butter, softened
• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• ½ cup flour
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ⅔ cup mini chocolate chips

Cream softened cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl.

Add brown sugar, vanilla and Dream Whip and evenly beat together.

Add milk, flour and powdered sugar and beat to evenly incorporate until smooth. If necessary add more powdered sugar to thicken it or more milk to thin it. Add the chocolate chips.

Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes so it firms up a bit/

Frost cupcakes...I went for a messier raw dough look.