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Sunday 19 May 2013

She takes my time and I don't mind

You may have seen me mention earlier in the week that I'd had a stroke of madness and decided to enter a cupcake competition. I've been a regular at the Iron Cupcake competition since it started a few years ago but have always seen my role as one of the judges more than as a baker. I'm definitely quite talented at eating cake, not many people can munch through a selection of entries as quickly  skilfully as I can. And yet, despite knowing where my real talents lie, I somehow convinced myself that this was going to be the month I'd bake lots of cupcakes fit to be scrutinised by a hoard hungry people with score cards. 

I didn't win the competition, there were far too many amazing entries as always (sneak a peek at the rest of the entries here), but I'm more proud of myself for actually challenging myself to bake for an audience other than my office at work (who quite frankly will eat anything I put in front of them!). Plus being a baker meant I saved myself from the usual Sunday evening sugar induced coma I tend to experience after the competition. I'd like to say I'd turned over a new leaf and was becoming a healthy little bean, but then I'd be lying about what happened to the leftover back-up cakes I'd made in case my first set went wrong...

So, my efforts for the competition were Cookie Dough cupcakes. I'm one of those people that enjoys eating raw mixture just as much as I love the end product, so if you're anything like me this cake is the absolute best of both worlds as a hefty chunk of uncooked cookie dough is hiding inside each cupcake. The basic recipe was from Making Cupcakes with Lola and, not that I'm one to blow my own trumpet or anything, they tasted bloomin' amazing!

Cookie dough cupcakes
makes 12 (although I doubled the recipe and it made 28... the mixture goes a long way!)

for the cookie dough and cookies for decoration:
4 tablespoons butter
100g light brown sugar
150g plain flour
6 tablespoons condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons of chocolate chunks/chips

for the cake mixture
200g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
180g butter
175g light brown sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 tbsp milk
60g of chocolate chunks/chips (I used chopped up bars of milk chocolate because I'm not a big fan of chocolate chips, plus I decided the chunks looked more authentic!)

for the cookie flavoured icing
175g butter
150g light brown sugar
150g icing sugar
50g plain flour
3 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract


(You're best off starting with the cookie dough as this needs to sit in the fridge for an hour after making)

Combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the flour, condensed milk and vanilla extract and beat until the mixture is smooth and combined. 

Once you've done this, add the chocolate chips/chunks and mix them into the dough.

Form into 12 balls (pictured below) and 12 small, flat cookie shapes for the cookie toppings. 

Bake the small cookies in the oven at 180C for about 5 minutes/ until they're just starting to go brown around the edges. 

Place the balls of cookie dough in the fridge for an hour or so whilst you make the cakes.

For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 180C. 
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Once you've got a fluffy mixture, add the eggs and beat well. 
Sift about a third of the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix well. Add about 1/3 of the milk and mix well. Repeat this until all of the milk and dry ingredients have been added and mixed together. 

Once this is done, add in the chocolate chips.

Divide the mixture between your cake cases and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until springy to touch.

When your cupcakes have had time to fully cool, using a sharp knife, cut a hole in the middle and fill each cupcake with a ball of the cookie dough mixture.

Whilst you're waiting patiently for your cupcakes to cool, make the cookie flavoured icing. 

Cream butter and brown sugar together then add in the icing sugar until it has formed a smooth mixture. 

Beat in the flour and salt, then add the milk and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.

Spoon the icing into a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes.

Top each of your cakes with one of the cookies you made earlier. 



Apparently its World Baking Day today, so if you're feeling like rising to the occasion, these would be a perfect way to spend your Sunday! 


12 comments:

  1. just WOW. I am so so hungry now.. I just want a big box of cookie dough! good luck with the competition lovey! xx Lisette Loves xx

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    1. I'm tempted to make another batch of the cookie dough without making the cakes to go with it... Yum.
      I didn't win but I got a lot of compliments on the cakes which is more than enough for me :) xx

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  2. They look amazing, going to have to give them a go after my uni exams!

    Shanaz xxx


    La Belle Aventure

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  3. Mmmm, these look amazing Kaz! I love to eat cake too, but I actually think I like baking just a little bit more. These remind me of my cake batter truffles I made a couple of weeks back. I love the presentation of them, with the cookie on top - yum! xx

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    1. I think it's always more satisfying when you've put loads of effort into baking something :) plus I love seeing people enjoying eating what I've made :)
      Thanks, I was pretty proud as I'm usually so lazy with presentation! Xx

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  4. omg good effort, they look so yummy! I think I need a day of cake making can't remember the last time I did this. Lovely post x
    http://kimiandme.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Thank you :) they tasted even yummier than they looked! Xx

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  5. oh jees i should not have read this post when i'm this hungry! these look incredible! x

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    1. Haha, apologies for inadvertently torturing you then! Thanks :) xx

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