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| Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes |
Confession: I've never been able to keep a journal. I've always wanted to, but I always run into the same problem. I get to a point where I've forgotten to write for about a week, and then feel like I'd have to recap everything I've missed. I put it off, and put if off, until months have gone by and I just give up on the journal altogether.
I ran into the same thing with this blog. Every time I baked something new, I felt like I couldn't post it until I posted all of the other things that I baked. It's been painful.
Today I wrote in my journal for the first time in 6 months. And I'm posting on my blog for the first time in over a month.
What should I post? How about the most over-the-top, incredibly delicious cupcakes ever?
These are no everyday cupcakes. These are special occasion cupcakes. Boys, these are the cupcakes you make when you forget your girlfriend's birthday. Forget the flowers, just bake a batch of these, and you'll be all good.
There are a few steps to these cupcakes, so lets start with the cake.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup canola oil, 2 cups cold water, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons white vinegar.
Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix. The mixture will be quite wet, but that’s ok.
Pour the batter until the cups are two thirds full and place in the oven for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cup comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then place on a wire rack until completely cool.
Got that down? Cool. Let's move on to the cookie dough, then.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fit with a paddle attachment (or with a large bowl and a wooden spoon) cream 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in 2-3 tablespoons peanut butter, along with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and stir to combine.
Whisk together 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoons salt. Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated. Fold in 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips.
Spoon a scant tablespoons size amount of dough in your hand. Roll into a ball and place on a cookie sheet. Make 24 little cookie dough balls, and refrigerate until ready to top the cupcakes.
Almost done! Now on to the frosting.
In a large pot, bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer.
In a large, heat-proof bowl, whisk together 4 large egg whites, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup and a large pinch of salt. The mixture will be grainy, because of the sugar.
Place bowl over simmering water and whisk as it heats. The sugar will dissolve after about 5 minutes. Keep and eye on the mixture, it shouldn’t get warm enough to cook the eggs (gross).
Transfer the egg white and sugar mixture to the bowl of an electric stand mixer. With a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, on high, until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes). The mixture will be fluffy and glossy and look like melted marshmallows. It’ll be sticky too.
Beat in 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract last. Cover, and set aside until ready to frost cupcakes.
Look, you've made everything now! Here comes the fun part - time to assemble the cupcakes.
Use a small paring knife to cut a 3/4-inch whole out of the top/center of the cupcakes. Don’t cut the whole center of the cupcake out… just make a little hole for the dough ball to rest without rolling off.
Place dough balls on top of cupcakes.
Place meringue frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a medium-large tip. Use your instincts for the size of the tip. Any size (star or round) medium tip will do for frosting these cupcakes. Pipe frosting around the edges of the cupcake and over the dough ball in a circular motion. Frost all cupcakes.
Turn on oven broiler. Place 12 cupcakes on a baking sheet. Place cupcakes under the broiler for about 1 minute. Don’t even close the broiler door. Keep an eye on them as they toast. You may need to remove the cupcakes and rotate the pan to ensure that they cook evenly. Once toasted, remove cupcakes, and toast the remaining 12 in the same fashion.
Serve cupcakes!
For the Cupcakes:
2 1/4 cups organic all-purpose flour
2 cups organic cane sugar
1 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract
2/3 cup organic canola oil
2 teaspoons organic white vinegar
2 cups cold water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, water, vanilla extract and vinegar.
Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients being careful not to overmix. The mixture will be quite wet, but that’s ok.
Pour the batter until the cups are two thirds full and place in the oven for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cup comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then place on a wire rack until completely cool before topping with cookie dough ball.
For the Cookie Dough:
1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (i know we’re not baking them, it’s for flavor)
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
In the bowl of a standing mixer fit with a paddle attachment (or with a large bowl and a wooden spoon) cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes in the machine. Beat in peanut butter (or yogurt if using) along with the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon a scant tablespoons size amount of dough in your hand. Roll into a ball and place on a cookie sheet. Make 24 little cookie dough balls, and refrigerate until ready to top the cupcakes.
For the Meringue:
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
large pinch of salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
In a large pot, bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer.
In a large, heat-proof bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, corn syrup and salt. The mixture will be grainy, because of the sugar.
Place bowl over simmering water and whisk as it heats. The sugar will dissolve after about 5 minutes. Keep and eye on the mixture, it shouldn’t get warm enough to cook the eggs. Yucky.
Transfer the egg white and sugar mixture to the bowl of an electric stand mixer. With a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, on high, until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes) The mixture will be fluffy and glossy and look like melted marshmallows. It’ll be sticky too. Beat in the vanilla extract last. Cover, and set aside until ready to frost cupcakes.
Assemble the Cupcakes:
Use a small paring knife to cut a 3/4-inch whole out of the top/center of the cupcakes. Don’t cut the whole center of the cupcake out… just make a little hole for the dough ball to rest without rolling off.
Place dough balls on top of cupcakes.
Place meringue frosting in a pastry bag (or large Ziplock bag) fitted with a medium-large tip. Use your instincts for the size of the tip. Any size (star or round) medium tip will do for frosting these cupcakes. Pipe frosting around the edges of the cupcake and over the dough ball in a circular motion. Frost all cupcakes.
Turn on oven broiler. Yea… it’s about to get real.
Place 12 cupcakes on a baking sheet. Place cupcakes under the broiler for about 1 minute. Don’t even close the broiler door. Keep an eye on them as they toast. You may need to remove the cupcakes and rotate the pan to ensure that they cook evenly. Once toasted, remove cupcakes, and toast the remaining 12 in the same fashion.
Serve cupcakes!
