These were made in celebration of my dad’s birthday two days ago– Happy Birthday Dad! I originally baked a brown sugar cupcake, but those didn’t turn out so great for me… probably because I didn’t have brown sugar on hand and made my own by creating a mixture of white sugar & molasses. So after disposing a batch of failure cupcakes into the trash can, I decided just to go with a simple french vanilla based cupcake instead.

I was planning to put cookie dough in the middle of the cupcake, but in order to do that, you have to use well-frozen cookie dough so that it doesn’t cook all the way while baking inside the cake batter. Since I didn’t have time to freeze the cookie dough, I just left my cupcakes the way they were and focused on the frosting. The next time that I attempt these (there will definitely be a next time, if not a third and a fourth), I’ll make sure to have enough time to freeze the cookie dough in advance. Cookie dough inside the cupcake would have been a welcomed addition! The frosting itself was very rich and decadent. It’s EXTREMELY sweet before mixing in the eggless cookie dough. I couldn’t stop eating the eggless cookie dough batter that you mix into the frosting. It’s so addicting! PLUS, it’s okay for you to eat because it’s eggless! Double points.

Have I mentioned how much I hate piping frosting? I swear I’m terrible at it and always make the biggest mess while doing so. I envy the talented pipers out there! This frosting was a bit frustrating because the mini chocolate chips would get stuck in the tip, causing my frosting to go all over the place. I’d have to use a toothpick to unjam my tip every now and then. I wouldn’t waste time piping frosting onto cupcakes if they weren’t so gosh darn cute. Curse the cuteness (but not really because we all know how everyone’s a sucker for a good lookin’ cupcake)!

Brown Sugar Cupcakes

(Recipe from Cupcake Bakeshop. Makes about 12 cupcakes)

• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.
3. Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beat for 30 seconds after each.
5. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
6. Measure out milk and vanilla together.
7. Add about a fourth of the flour to the butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine.
8. Add about one third the milk/vanilla mixture and beat until combined.
9. Repeat above, alternating flour and milk and ending with the flour mixture.
10. Place previously prepared frozen cookie dough ball (mine were fairly big) into cup liners, then fill about half to three-quarters full of cupcake batter.
11. Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden and the cake springs back when lightly touched. (Testing by using a toothpick would be insufficient because of the gooey cookie dough in the center).

Cookie Dough Frosting

(Recipe from The Cupcake Review. Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes.)

• 1-3/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Eggless cookie dough (recipe below)

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, unsalted butter, salt, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.
2. Add milk and continue mixing until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary. With the mixer running, slowly add remaining 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, mix until well combined.
3. At this point you can mix in the eggless cookie dough. Mix in enough cookie dough to suit your taste. Any cookie dough leftover you can gladly eat! There are no eggs in it so it is safe. Yum!

Eggless Cookie Dough

(Recipe from How To Eat A Cupcake)

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

1. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add water and vanilla and mix well. Add flour and salt and stir to combine. Stir in mini chocolate chips (optional).
   
2. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
   

I’ve been craving chocolate cake for the past week or so, but I’ve been either too busy or too sick to make it. I’m not gonna lie, I usually make my cakes/cupcakes from boxed mixes because I think they always turn out ten times better than when I make it from scratch. Boxed mixes are always perfectly moist and come out beautifully every time… You just can’t mess them up– They’re so easy! PLUS, you don’t have to worry about washing so many dishes!

Last night, I was so close to making my own chocolate cake from scratch, but I didn’t have all the ingredients to make the frosting. We all know you can’t make a chocolate cake without the chocolate frosting.. so off to the grocery store it was. Now, by the time I actually got dressed and into the car, I was just not feeling up to par and wasn’t in the healthiest mood to be baking a cake. That’s when my boyfriend (bless his heart) told me that he would make me red velvet cupcakes and even frost them for me! Granted they were both going to be cupcakes made from a boxed mix and frosting from a can, I was ecstatic that he would do all that for me. For those of you that are unaware, my boyfriend is not exactly the best person in the kitchen. Let’s just say that he tried to heat up “microwave chicken” once and forgot to puncture holes AND cover the plate with a paper towel, despite the clear directions on the side of the box.

Anyways, I’m walking through the baking aisle and thought to myself.. it’s already nearly midnight; I didn’t want my boyfriend to make a mess in the kitchen and go through all the trouble for me just so I can get a piece of chocolate cake. I opted for the Betty Crocker Warm Delights in Molten Caramel Cake with some cookie dough ice cream on top, instead. It only takes a minute and 15 seconds to make and it’s the perfect amount to satisfy my craving.. or so I thought. I woke up the next morning feeling ten times better with the same urge to bake a chocolate cake. Thank goodness I did! These cupcakes were magnificent!

This recipe is from Jennifer of Seattle’s Trophy Cupcakes. If you’ve never had a cupcake from there, then you haven’t lived. Seriously. I went to Seattle for my cousin’s wedding last summer, and their wedding cake was made up of Trophy’s Cupcakes. They are BY FAR the BEST cupcakes I’ve never had. Better than those Sprinkles & Crumbs cupcakes found here in LA. The red velvet was to die for, and I ate at least six different kinds of cupcakes from there when I went. Each one was just as delectable as the next. I’m still dying to try the Chai one (Chai tea lattes are my all time favorite drink and I love Chai EVERYTHING), but they didn’t have it on the days that I went. 🙁

I had a bunch of my family over tonight to celebrate Chinese New Year a bit early, and by the end of the night, there were only 6 cupcakes left from the original 24 that I baked plus a mini cake. Everyone loved them– Even my dad, who doesn’t normally like super sweet desserts. I’d use this recipe over and over again! Now if only Jennifer from Trophy’s can release their red velvet recipe….

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 squares)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• Marshmallow Frosting (See recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Sift 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix ingredients together on low speed.
3. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine; set cake batter aside.
4. Place graham cracker crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined.
5. Place 1 tablespoon graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a small glass to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining graham cracker mixture for topping.
6. Place 2 teaspoons chocolate in each muffin cup. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with remaining chocolate and graham cracker mixture. Return to oven and bake, rotating pans halfway through baking, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.
7. Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or French tip (such as Ateco #867 or Ateco #809). Pipe frosting in a spiral motion on each cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the frosting, taking care not to burn the cupcake liners. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

Marshmallow Frosting

• 8 large egg whites
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

My Notes: I followed the recipe to the T and it turned out beautifully. The batter might seem a bit thin, but that’s how it’s supposed to be! It turned out for a super moist cupcake. I didn’t have that many graham crackers, so I wasn’t able to sprinkle the top with it. I’m sure it didn’t make much of a difference, but I’ll make sure to have more on hand the next time I make these. I also had a TON of batter leftover and was able to bake a mini cake, so you can line some more muffin tins and make more cupcakes instead (there was enough to probably make at least 6 more cupcakes). The frosting was just AMAZING. Seriously. AMAZING.