Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

So this all started when me and a girl I work with (who happens to be pregnant) started talking about cupcakes.  Before it was over with, we had both convinced me that I needed to make this.

To start, you need to whip up some chocolate cupcake batter.  I prefer my recipe that I have finally figured out for myself, so here it is again if you need it.

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
2 cups room temperature unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 box instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 cups milk

When filling your cupcake liners, fill them slightly over half-way full.  If you fill them like normal and then add the cookie dough, your cupcakes will over-flow when they bake.

Now, for your cookie dough, you are more than welcome to mix that up from scratch.  I bought a tub of cookie dough and used that. ;)

I used a half tablespoon and scooped out the cookie dough and rolled it into a ball.  Place it in the center of your cupcakes and push down slightly.  Your cupcakes will bake up around the cookie dough.

Bake these at 350 degrees for about 15-16 minutes.  You don't want to over bake these and the cookie dough will settle in the middle when you take them out, so don't panic.

Cookie Dough Frosting
3 sticks butter
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons milk
2-3 teaspoons vanilla
chocolate chips for garnishing, if desired

I don't usually prefer the taste of alot of butter in a frosting recipe, but for this, it worked well.  If you don't like the butter at all (which I usually don't), feel free to substitute it with shortening.

Top your cupcakes with the frosting and chocolate chips, and you're good to go!

Motocross Helmet Cake

Ahh, I loved making this cake!  It was so fun and I was so excited to do this!  This is a motocross helmet birthday cake.

For the helmet, I used two 6-inch round pans and half of the sports ball pan.  I stacked them and then chilled them so that I could carve out the face.  Just carve it smooth down the front.  Then, using rice crispie treats, I made the mouth piece.  Then, I covered the cake in buttercream and MMF.

For the visor, I used red gumpaste and had it sitting to take the shape that I wanted.  I almost hit panic mode because it didn't set up and get hard.  Not sure why - it just wasn't working out.

So, I had a brilliant idea. :)  I took a piece of clear plastic from a package of stencils I had in my cake cabinet, washed it and cut it out in the shape of the visor - leaving a couple inches on the end extra.  I stuck that end into the cake and laid the gumpaste over it.  YAY!  It worked!

For the design on the helmet, I just mixed up a little black gel food paste coloring with some vanilla extract and painted it on.

Halloween Ghost Cupcakes

Just as I did last year, I had to make cupcakes for my boyfriend's niece and nephew's Halloween party!  This year, I used an idea that I seen in Betty Crocker's Easy Fall Entertaining magazine.  (That magazine also has some awesome dinner recipes.  Yum.)

I made vanilla cupcakes and topped them with orange buttercream.  Then, you just take a dum dum sucker and stick in the middle of the cupcake.

For the ghost, cut out 2 1/2' circles from fondant and just drape them over the suckers.  Then pipe on some "Boo"s and some eyes.

Way cute.  And these were so fun!

Baby Rump Shower Cake

I was so excited to do this cake!  I couldn't wait!  I love the baby rump cakes and I love zebra cakes.  This cake has both!

The cake also has three flavors.  The bottom 10-inch cake is oreo cake.  The middle 8-inch tier is red velvet cake.  The top layer is half of the sports ball pan and it's white cake.  The entire cake is covered and decorated with MMF.

Hello Kitty Birthday Cake

This is a Hello Kitty themed birthday cake for a little girl.  It's white cake covered and decorated with MMF.

I used a template printed from Google for the shape of the head and bow.  The rosettes around the bottom are also made with MMF.

Buzz Lightyear Cake

This cake was made for a co-worker for her son's birthday.  It's chocolate cake covered and decorated with   MMF.  The figurines are toys.

It's a Monkey Party!

My friend Tiffany asked me to make not one - but TWO cakes for her niece's birthday party.  She wanted her to have her own cake

The first cake I finished up was the cake for the little girl.

This is a 6-inch round cake covered with MMF.  It's topped with a fondant cell phone and some texting lingo.  The monkey on the front of the cake is also made with MMF.

This is the cake for everyone else.  I will admit, I got slightly carried away and made the fondant monkey too big for this cake.  Haha.  It still turned out cute, though.  At least I think so.