Daily Cupcake Recipe

Recipe for Friday, June 28th, 2012:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Requested by legitimatizeyourmind.

Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart.
(via Martha Stewart Living)

Prep time: 80 minutes
Cook/bake time: 18-20 minutes

Serves: 36

Ingredients [Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes]:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 2 1/4 cups Chocolate Chip Cookie Base (see below)
• 36 small cookies for garnish *
• Vanilla frosting (see below)

Ingredients [Chocolate Chip Cookie Base]:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (2 cups)

Ingredients [Vanilla Frosting]:

• 4 1/2 sticks room-temperature unsalted butter
• 6 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

(A conversion table can be found here.)

Directions [Cookie Base]:

Sift flour, baking soda, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt into a bowl.

In another bowl, beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Add flour mixture in 3 additions. Beat in vanilla. Mix in chocolate chips.

Directions [Cupcakes]:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three 12-cup muffin tins with baking cups.

In one bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

In another bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour.

Press 1 tablespoon cookie dough into bottom of each baking cup. Top each with 2 tablespoons batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Transfer tins to wire racks; let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to racks. Let cool completely.

Directions [Frosting]:

Beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium-low; gradually add an additional 5 1/4 cups sugar. Raise speed to medium-high. Add milk and vanilla. Continue to beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Store at room temperature until ready to use (up to 2 days).

Transfer frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes, and top each with a cookie.