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.

Recipe for Thursday, May 12th, 2011:
Sweet Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe via Martha Stewart

Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 40-45 minutes

Serves: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients [Cupcakes]:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 zucchini (10 ounces), coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Ingredients [Frosting]:

• 4 tablespoons room-temperature unsalted butter
• 4 ounces room-temperature bar cream cheese
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

(A conversion table can be found here.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cups of a standard (12-cup) muffin tin with paper or foil liners.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in nuts.

In another bowl, combine zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla; add to flour mixture, and mix just until combined (do not overmix).

Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes out, right side up, and cool completely.

Make frosting: In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread frosting on cupcakes. The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.

Recipe for Thursday, May 12th, 2011:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Buttercream

Recipe via Kevin & Amanda

Prep time: unknown
Bake time: 16-18 minutes

Serves: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients [Cookie Dough]:

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Ingredients [Cupcakes]:

• 3 sticks softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs
• 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Ingredients [Frosting]:

• 3 sticks softened butter
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

(A conversion table can be found here.)

Directions:

Make cookie dough: combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a 1.5 tbsp scoop, shape the dough into balls or tubes. Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

Make Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend.  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.  Blend in the vanilla.

Using a 3 tbsp scoop, fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake. Bake at 350 for 16-18 mins.

Make frosting: Combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Beat in the salt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips!