What do we have here? Swirls of cookie dough frosting on top of a moist yellow cake with mini chocolate chips mixed into the batter and neatly sprinkled on top. Mmmm look at those cupcakes… I’m actually just distracting you from the news that I promised you in my last time. But no more of that nonsense, let’s get right to it, shall we?
Deep breaths now… I’ve decided to finally pursue my dream, to do something for myself for once. I figured what better time than now? I have no real commitments, nothing holding me back, no kids to take care of, I’m young and I still have plenty of time ahead of me *knocks on wood* to start my life. Heck, this is me starting my life right now.
I’m… I’m… going to Paris next year for Le Cordon Bleu!!!!! Well, I’m not going to get too ahead of myself just yet because nothing’s official. I haven’t done any paperwork or anything.. I’ve just made the decision that I’m going.
I figure that I’ll work until then and save up as much money as I possibly can before I leave. I’m debating to either go to the one that starts in March or June of 2011. I actually have an uncle that lives in Paris with a spare room, and he told me that I could stay with him for as long as I want to. It’s meant to be. I can feel it.
The program is divided into three parts: basic, intermediate, and superior. Each part is about three months long, so I’ll be gone for a total of roughly nine months. Oh, also the superior course is only demonstrated in French… which means I’ll need to get my hands on the Rosetta Stone soon. I’m really excited about this decision and I will definitely keep you posted along the way.
Back to the initial distraction– I got the cupcake recipe from Cupcakes From The Cake Doctor and the frosting recipe from Perry’s Plate. Frosting was a bit sugary for me, but the cupcake was perfect. I seriously love that book and sleep with it by my bed every night. It’s comforting.
- 1 18 ounce package of cookie dough
- 24 cupcake liners
- about 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, depending on your taste
- 1 18.25 ounces box of yellow cake mix
- 1 3.4 ounce box of vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Put the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in your big mixing bowl.
- Mix with an electric mixer until combined (2 minutes-ish) scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well blended.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Take a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop batter into each lined cupcake cup for a total of 24 cupcakes.
- Push a frozen cookie dough chunk in the middle of each cupcake.
- Bake the cupcakes until they are goldeny done – for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- 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
- 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.
Yay that is wonderful Kim! Paris sounds so wonderful. Now of course those cupcakes are distracting me so much I have had to fix a bunch of typos lol.
Congrats on Paris!!!!
Good for you! You’re young – go take a chance – have no regrets!
Cheryl
Kim, I’m so happy for you that you are pursuing what you love to do. Many of us neglect the importance of following what we love. Instead, we always do what we think we “should” do. While I think that teaching is a great career, it’s not the one for you. Keep this in mind, find a job you like and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.
Congratulations on your decision! And good luck!
Yummy!! Good luck, Kim! I hope everything works out for you.
Congrats on deciding to go to Paris — it’s going to be great! (And you’re right — now, before other stuff ties you down, is the best time to do stuff like this!)
such exciting news, you’ll be awesome! so nice that you already have a place to stay. you’ll keep blogging right? I want to hear all about it!
Was the frosting at all grainy with the brown sugar beat into it?
And congrats on your decision! Best of luck!
Kim,
I am so so happy for you. I’m sure that it’s somewhat scary to think about the unknown ahead in Paris, but I know that it will pay off. You can do this!! Please let all of us in bloggie-land know if there’s anything we can do to support you. You’re fabulous!
-Emily
Congratulations! That is so exciting for you! I am glad that you finally decided to go for your dreams because this is somthing that you have talked and posted about a lot!
Also, the cupcakes look and sound so yummy!
I always want to gain like 10 pounds when I read your blog. Mmmmm.
WOW!!! Paris!!! I am so happy for you!! I love Paris, it’s my favorite city. Ever since the first time I visited it, I’ve always wanted to move there and go to culinary school too. You are living out my dream! Make the most of it, I’m sure you’ll have an amazing experience. Hmm will you still be doing your blog while you are there? And these cupcakes look delicious, I will definitely try them 🙂
~angelps_7
Hmm these look delish, cookie dough cupcakes have been on my ‘to bake’ list for a while now, your post has inspired me to get around to doing it! Congrats on Paris exciting stuff…if you want to take part in a giveaway I’m having head on over to my blog 🙂
Kim, you are very beautiful.
I’ve never commented before, but have always enjoyed reading your blog! I just wanted to say congratulations on making the decision to go to Paris!! I can’t wait to read all about it!!! 🙂 You will do great!!!
So happy for you, sounds like it is going to come together! Best of Luck in Paris and I too will enjoy reading about the journey! Happily baking with you!
Exciting!
congratulations!! yay
Congratulations on your decision to live your dream! I’m so jealous for multiple reasons. Have you been to Paris? It’s lovely and definitely a foodie city. These cupcakes look delicious! I’ve been eyeing that same book at the store.
Mmm love that there’s a chunk of cookie dough in the cupcakes!! How exciting to decide about going to Le Cordon Bleu! I think it’s amusing that the highest level is called superior. 🙂
congratulations and good luck!
if you’ve not read it i recomend http://www.amazon.com/Sharper-Your-Knife-Less-You/dp/0670018228
very frank biography of an american woman putting herself through Le Cordon Bleu
I made a different variation of these cupcakes. The main idea was still the same and VERY GOOD!