The Cupcakes That Changed My Life

I realize that cupcake up there is probably the reason why you came here, but bear with me for a moment while I show you my little girl's birthday cake. I am not a cake decorator. Nor have I used fondant before (and was slightly nervous doing so, which is why I didn't cover the whole thing). But it was so much fun! Fondant is like edible play-dough (barely edible - I really don't like how the stuff tastes).

I baked up a Phillips Chocolate Cake (The one my grandma used to make a lot and nearly identical to Pioneer Woman's chocolate sheet cake, minus a stick of butter. You don't miss it.) and frosted it with a frosting recipe I saw on Tasty Kitchen. It was supposed to be the best frosting I've had in my life (according to the recipe name), but I don't think it was. I wanted to love it, but I was pretty disappointed. I think it might be worth another shot, though. Someday.

The cake was still tasty, though. And ever so cute.

I'm really glad she didn't ask for Ariel.

We had a party for her little friends and their families, and I didn't think this would be enough to feed everyone. So I made cupcakes. Perhaps the best cupcakes I've had in my life. (I'm a big cookie dough fan, so it was naturally so.)

When a food blogger says that something is "life-changing", that usually gets my attention. Such bold language isn't used much. I don't think I've used it too often. Maybe for this, and these, too. Annie, the woman who posted these on her blog said those words, and I think she was spot on.

Start off with a bunch of super-moist, slightly dense chocolate chip cupcakes and when they've cooled, cut cone-shaped holes in each of them.

Then fill them with an egg-less form of cookie dough.

Then top with this amazing frosting that tastes like cookie dough, too. Most likely you'll have a bowl of cupcake bits, leftover "dough", and a few dollops of frosting. Then as you putter about the kitchen, you'll piece together bites of heaven until your stomach hurts.

But you'll keep right on eating. That's what happens when food changes your life.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
from Annie's Eats

For the cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet 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
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
3½ cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
2½ tsp. vanilla extract

For decoration:
Tiny chocolate chip cookies (if you feel ambitious)
Mini chocolate chips

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until 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 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-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. If the mixture is too soft or sticky to handle with your hands, refrigerate for an hour until it firms up. (Mine was just right - no chilling needed, but the original recipe suggested it.)

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. You can be generous with the cookie dough mixture. I had about a 1/2 cup leftover.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. 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 the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips and topping with mini chocolate chip cookies for decoration.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

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