Cupcakes and a New Look

Thank you for being patient while I make some changes around here. I definitely noticed a need for an upgrade to my blog, and I finally found that inspiration that pushed me to update my blog and renew my spirit. And it came from these cupcakes. Let me start at the beginning...


I love baking, but most of all I love baking cupcakes. Even better is when I see people try my cupcakes and they enjoy them. Because of this, it only made sense for me to want to bake cupcakes for others. At the same time, I'd like to make a profit from it too since ingredients aren't cheap.


Time passed where I was still trying to work everything out in my head and figure out what this could mean for me. Eventually I realized if I wanted to turn this into a business of any kind, I needed a name and logo. After some thought I choose a name and my sister hooked me up with a friend of hers who designs logos. We worked together and created something pretty cool. I'll share it with you soon!

After seeing this, an idea that had floated in my head finally put to paper or an abstract idea becoming concrete... well it was a great feeling. At this point, I had my name and logo, I knew what I wanted to do, and I was fairly good at it, but I got stuck. Then school took over and my business ideas took a back burner to life.


Here's where these recent cupcakes come in. Up until this point I didn't care what my cupcakes looked like. It was how they tasted that mattered, right? Wrong. So so wrong. People want to buy and eat pretty cupcakes. Otherwise my "homely" cupcakes would be overlooked like my favorite discontinued television show (R.I.P Pushing Daisies). After winning a giveaway on Ingrid's blog, I acquired a Williams-Sonoma gift card. And I had just the thing in mind to buy. I got myself a brand new mechanical pastry bag. Kind of a weird name, but you know what I mean. This was the fresh start I needed to start making cupcakes that not only tasted great, but looked great.




And these my friends were the cupcakes that did it. They inspired me to break out this new toy and make some dang good (and good looking cupcakes). At first, these cupcakes were just for me and family and friends to enjoy, but my sister asked if I would give some to her so she could bring them into her work. Of course I said yes! I gave her two dozen and she came home empty handed. Her first words, "You should have given me business cards to hand out because everyone loved them!"




I still had some cupcakes left and so I gave they out to neighbors and my boyfriends family. After delivering them to each home, I received phone calls from each telling me they were the best cupcakes they have ever had! In fact, two of them asked me to make cupcakes for them next week and they would pay me! With this one cupcake recipe, I was back on the map. I found my love for starting my own small business again, and I don't ever want to forget it. I'm heading into college next year planning on studying entrepreneurship. Although many people change their minds, this is where I feel drawn so I'm going to go with it.




If I wasn't clear earlier, this cupcakes were out of this world. The cookie dough center is like a soft cookie and the cookie dough frosting makes the cupcake what it is. I spent a lot of time making my presentation of them perfect, but I still have a ways to go in perfecting my piping skills.



Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Buttercream

frosting and cookie dough from Kevin and Amanda
cupcakes from Martha Stewart

For the 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

For the cupcakes:
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
5 large whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks, room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the 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

Directions:

To make the 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.

To make the cupcakes:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2) With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add yolks, and beat until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in vanilla.

3) Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 2/3 full. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.

Bake at 350 for 16-18 mins.

To make the 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!

With Martha's Vanilla Cupcake recipe I got 4 dozen cupcakes! It makes a lot but you'll sure want them all!