Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Yes, I am still obsessed with cupcakes this week.  I made these yummy cupcakes last night.  You can tell by the poor lighting that it's night, so the pictures did not come out as I hoped, but the cupcakes turned out soooo gooood, I couldn't wait to share it with you.

I have made Chocolate cookie dough cupcakes before, thanks to Amanda's recipe and I love them.  Last night I decided to try something different...

Notice that instead of shaping the cookie dough into a ball, I made it longer so that it could spread evenly on the inside instead of going to the bottom of the cupcake.  

I wanted a super moist cake and more chocolate...

...that's when I thought, instant chocolate pudding.

Ta da!  Can't see the cookie dough...

Can you see it now?

Love it, got these shots this morning!  What a difference in lighting!  Can you see that yummy cookie dough on the inside?

The cake recipe I used is:

1 box yellow cake mix 

1- 41/2 cup serving box of instant chocolate pudding

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 cup oil

3/4 cup water

Bake at 350 degrees following instructions on the box.

You may find the filling and frosting recipe here along with the original cupcake recipe.

Cookie Dough and Filling

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I have the cupcake fever.  I had "Red Velvet Cupcakes" for the first time ever and I'm in love.  I know, I know, where have I been?  Well, it has never caught my eye before, until now.  After I tried it, I wanted to make some for the family, so I found Paula's recipe over at the Food Network and I had to try it !

Paula Deen's recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder, but the chocolate is what I loved about the cupcake, I added a bit extra to mine.

My little helper (my four year old)  loves that they are so red.  He helped mix the batter and pour it into the  Nonstick Bakeware Muffin Pan.

Although the recipe includes a "make it yourself cream cheese frosting",  I already had on hand Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Frosting, it is just as good and already made.

Oh yum!  

I think I may make these for Christmas, but next time I will add white chocolate shaving on top.  Yummy!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Flan Recipe

What is Flan?  It is a baked caramel custard with a layer of soft caramel on top, as opposed to creme Brule, which is a custard with a hard caramel top.
My favorite flan (custard) is my grandmother's recipe.  There are different variations, but her recipe is the best in my opinion.  It is so rich, so creamy and so sweet.    

Photo by Kelli Stanko

It is a real treat!  

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 12 oz. Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk
• 14 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• block of cream cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

1. Melt the sugar in pan or small pot over medium heat, you may opt to add a little bit of water to the sugar before melting, it is optional, I personally do not. When melted, lower the heat so that the sugar does not burn.  If it burns it will become bitter. Once the sugar is melted completely, pour it over the pan that the flan mix will go into quickly, then cover with foil.

2. In a bowl, mix eggs, vanilla, salt and all the milk.  Strain the mix, then pour carefully to avoid disturbing the caramel mold candy.  Cover tightly with foil.  Place mold carefully in a casserole dish with water, it will prevent the caramel candy from burning and it's called water bath, bake for one hour covered or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
* You may also use the old fashion way, by cooking it over the stove like my grandma.  For this process use a large pot with a bit of water and place mold in the pot tightly covered.  Do not allow water to splash into custard!!

3. Let it cool to room temperature, then loosen the edge of the flan from mold, place on a tray and turn over mold. Refrigerate before serving.

So, you don' t feel like doing all that hard work but still want flan?  Try these.

Goya Flan, 4-Ounce Units (Pack of 36)

Jell-O Pudding, Flan, 3-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 18)

It's not as rich as the recipe, but still tasty and easy to make, just follow the instructions on the box.