Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

In addition to making Nutella bomb cupcakes for my birthday Whistler trip with friends, I also made these cookie dough filled cupcakes. Ever since I made chocolate dulce de leche cupcakes back in January, I have been craving making another filled cupcake. I decided that between the two types that I made for my birthday at least one should have a filling.

This recipe was definitely more work than the average cupcake because it involved baking the cupcakes, making the filling, chilling the filling before cutting holes into the cupcakes and stuffing them, and finally frosting the cakes. I wish I could say that these cupcakes were truly amazing and worth all of that effort but the truth is that they were just okay. Personally, I felt that they were a little too sweet and I enjoyed the Nutella bomb cupcakes more. However my friends enjoyed both which just goes to show that everyone has different tastes. Regardless, I had a great time celebrating my birthday with my friends and I hope it was just the beginning of a great year to come.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Note: The original recipe was for 24 cupcakes, however I cut it in half and made only 12. The recipe below reflects the amounts I used. The original recipe can be found here.

For the cupcakes:

• 1½ cups (16 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1⅓ cups flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup chocolate chips 

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend and set aside.
2. Beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. 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. 
5. Blend in the vanilla and fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
6. Divide the batter evenly in a well-greased or cupcake lined pan . Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
7. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup + 1 tbsp flour
• 3½ oz sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 
2. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. 
3. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.

For the frosting:

• ½ cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla 

1. Beat the butter and brown sugar together until creamy. 
2. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. 
3. Beat in the flour and salt, then mix in the milk and vanilla until smooth and well blended.

To assemble:

1. Cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.
2. Remove the tip from the cupcake cones and press each top back onto the cupcake.
3. Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with some mini chocolate chips for garnish.

Nutella Bomb Cupcakes

I did something new for my birthday this year and took a trip with my closest friends from nursing school. Originally I wanted to take a week long trip to some sort of sunny destination but in order to be able to accommodate everyone's schedules and budgets I settled for a weekend trip to Whistler instead.

Rather than bake a cake and worry about transporting it to Whistler, I decided to make two different kinds of cupcakes and was able to get some plastic carriers from the local store. One of the recipes I had previously seen a few weeks ago and couldn't get out of my head due to its fun name: "Nutella Bomb Cupcakes".

At first I considered mixing it with another recipe that featured a Nutella filling, to really make it full of Nutella, however once I baked the cupcakes I saw that they were quite soft and moist and I wasn't too sure they could stand up to a filling. Nevertheless they were delicious and personally my favorite between the two types I baked. This cupcake experience confirmed that I prefer a Swiss meringue buttercream instead of regular American buttercream as I often find the latter too sweet while the Swiss meringue buttercream is just right, despite being more tedious to make.

Nutella Bomb Cupcakes
Makes about 12-13 cupcakes (The recipe actually is for 13 but I slightly overfilled my 12 and it turned out fine).

For the cupcakes:

• 1 cup flour
• 1¼ cups sugar
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¾ cups room temperature water
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg, at room temperature

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Add the oil and sour cream and mix until blended.
3. Add the water in ¼ cup at a time and mix until combined.
4. Mix in the vinegar and vanilla to blend.
5. Add the egg and mix until combined.
6. Divide the batter equally in a well-greased or cupcake-lined tray.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out almost clean. 
8. Cool for five minutes in the pan before removing and allowing to finish cooling on wire racks. 

For the Frosting:
Note: I made half of the original recipe because personally I don't like too much frosting and the recipe claimed to make more than enough. I actually did not have enough to frost the last cupcake but I was okay with that. The recipe below is the original amounts.

• 4 large egg whites
• 4 oz (113 grams) sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1½ cups (16 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 2" chunks
• ½ cup Nutella

1. Combine the egg whites, sugar, and salt in a large heat-proof bowl.
2. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (making sure it does not actually touch the water). 
3. Heat the egg white mixture until it reaches 145-150 degrees Fahrenheit, whisking frequently so as not to get scrambled eggs.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat, and whip the egg whites on medium-high until they become fluffy and double in volume. The bowl should be cool to the touch (this will usually take several minutes).
5. Turn the mixer down to medium low, and add the butter in one chunk at a time, until it has all been incorporated. If the mixture looks curdled at this point, this is normal. Just keep whipping for a few more minutes until it comes together. If the mixture looks soupy, you can add a few cubes of chilled butter, or stick the whole bowl in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes and then continue beating.
6. Once the buttercream has become smooth, add the Nutella and beat until incorporated.
7. Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.

Coconut Brownies

About a month ago I made some black bean brownies as an experiment at home after a coworker had brought some in to work one day. While one of my brothers was horrified that I had tricked him with the brownies, the other was quite intrigued and asked if I could make some sort of dessert using coconut flour.

Shortly after I showed up to work and discovered that another nurse had brought some brownies that were made using coconut oil and flour. I immediately asked her for the recipe and excitedly brought it home. Last week my brother bought me some coconut flour and I finally had the chance to try out the recipe.

Although I tend to prefer fudgy brownies over more cakey ones, such as these, the brownies still tasted good. Both of my brothers enjoyed them and made suggestions of additions I could make next time, such as carob or chocolate chips or some nuts. I decided to leave additions out this time so that they could just taste the natural flavor of the brownie itself, which is quite coconut and almondy due to the coconut oil and almond butter. My one substitution was that I used half maple syrup and half honey because I didn't have the full amount of maple syrup called for in the recipe.

Because the recipe made a large amount I decided to bring some in to work the next morning to share with my colleagues. The brownies were well received and it felt nice to be able to spread a little extra cheer before the weekend. One of the nurses who is actually gluten-free fell in love with them and had three pieces! She raved about the brownies and begged me for the recipe, which I promised her would be posted on my blog.

Coconut Brownies

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup maple syrup (or 1 cup honey)
• 5 oz (140 g) bittersweet chocolate
• ¼ cup cocoa powder 
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1½ cups almond butter

1. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut oil, maple syrup/honey, and chocolate. Heat until the coconut oil and chocolate has completely melted.
2. Remove from the heat an stir the cocoa powder into the mixture. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla, and baking soda.
4. Add the almond butter and mix well. Mix in the coconut flour.
5. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until a uniform batter comes together.
6. Pour the batter into a 9"x13" well-greased or parchment-lined pan.
7. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.