1 CAKE MIX, 2 FROSTINGS, 2 COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CUPCAKE RECIPES It all started with me deciding to create cupcakes inspired by 2 favorite treats: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. There are so many ways you could create these cupcakes while maintaining the famous treat’s flavor combo. Today, you will learn how to make my interpretation. Unfortunately, I made a few different recipes and had to toss them because they were not what I was looking for. My loss, your gain. When I think of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, I think of rich and creamy peanut butter as the star and the milk chocolate as a bonus; it’s there, but definitely not the star.  At first I made 2 frostings and 2 cake batters just for 1 cupcake – YIKES – talk about time, ingredients and a lot of dirty dishes. I TOSSED IT, thank goodness. Could you imagine trying to replicate that?!?! Me either; now, that I look back, I don’t know what I was thinking. Either way, the appearance was nice but it didn’t scream “REESES PB CUP” when I tried it; soooo in the trash it went and I started all over and ended up with a wayyy better plan. I decided to make BOTH CUPCAKE FLAVORS with only 1 cake batter and just 2 frostings! You will see how I transform the batter into 2 completely different cakes below. THIS PLAN WILL MAKE 2 DOZEN CUPCAKES; 1 DOZEN OF EACH FLAVOR. And just so you know, I am super proud of these recipes because they are so easy, even a first time baker can make them. This is a basic/quick guide to creating both masterpieces: Step 1: Make chocolate chip cookie dough. Step 2: Prep balls of cookie dough – using the small scoop and ½ of a small scoop (12 of each) put the smallest bits of dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet; these will be baked mini cookies, later used as a topper. Step 3: Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Make cake batter. Step 4: Scoop 12 cupcakes using medium scoop and place 1 full-size cookie dough ball into the center of each. Step 5: Add extra ingredients to remaining batter, to make it a chocolate cake batter. Step 6: Scoop 12 cupcakes using large scoop. Step 7: Bake mini cookies and cupcakes @ 350 degrees. Cupcakes go on middle rack; cookies on the rack just below. Appx 8-12 minutes for mini cookies and 18-22 minutes for cupcakes. *Test cupcakes with toothpick. Let cool completely. Step 8: Make frostings, one at a time. Step 9: Prep toppings: chop up mini Reese’s PB Cups and dish out Nestle mini morsels. Step 10: Once cakes are room temperature, frost and decorate. *I swirled the cookie dough icing using TIP 1m. *I scooped the peanut butter frosting using the medium scoop **I recommend buying the three sized scoops; it will make this project faster and easier for you and they are great tools for other baking and cooking projects. I will reference them often. Small Scoop, Medium Scoop, Large Scoop. INGREDIENT & MEASURING NOTES I try to be thorough throughout each post, including my tricks and tips, so beginner bakers will be able to successfully make my treats. When I say butter, I mean butter. I USE BUTTER, NOT MARGARINE, NOT SHORTENING, unless otherwise noted. There is a quality difference between butters, lesser qualities are okay, but will not give the same flavor results. SOFTEN THE BUTTER SO IT IS EASILY INDENTS WHEN YOU APPLY PRESSURE WITH YOUR FINGER BY LEAVING IT OUT ON THE COUNTER OVERNIGHT, DO NOT MELT IT. COCOA POWDER: preferably, do not use a knock off or store brand, there is a BIG flavor difference. I have compared the powders and the treats made with the lesser brand, I threw away. Scoop flour and level it off with a knife, do not pack it into the measuring cup. Here are recommended dry ingredient measuring cups Here are recommended wet ingredient measuring cups PACKED Brown Sugar: <-means to cram the brown sugar into the measuring cup until it’s full, I like to use the back of a spoon to apply pressure. tsp= teaspoon; TBS= Tablespoon ^^^ Use measuring spoons, not your eating utensils. BAKING SODA AND BAKING POWDER - make sure there are no chunks. Chunks can provide an unfavorable (and unforgettable) bitter bite out of your treat. 
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES I used Nestles cookie dough recipe because it was right in front of me; however, I have a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I prefer and I will share that later. You will not need this entire recipe, so make some extra cookies to enjoy later or freeze the remainders for another time. NESTLES CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE INGREDIENTS Yields appx 5dz (Tablespoon sized cookies) 2-1/4 cups All Purpose Flour 1 tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened ¾ cup granulated sugar ¾ cup packed light brown sugar 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 2 Large Eggs 2 cups (12 oz. package) Nestle Chocolate Chip Morsels – semi sweet DIRECTIONS In a small bowl wisk: flour, baking soda, salt. <- DRY INGREDIENTS In a large mixing bowl cream: butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. <- WET INGREDIENTS Once all wet ingredients are incorporated, Add-in one half of the dry ingredients and mix well, then add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. VOILA! Your cookie dough is done! Use a small scoop like this one and make 18 balls, keep 12 aside (these will go into the cupcakes) and cut 6 in half and reshape into balls for mini cookies <These will be baked but not yet. Do whatever you want with the rest of the dough, I freeze mine for later use, after sampling. Hee hee … KEEP ALL THE DOUGH BALLS ASIDE FOR NOW, WE WILL BAKE THEM LATER, LETS MAKE OUR CUPCAKE BATTER FIRST… (Nestle recommends to shape Tablespoon sized balls and to bake at 375 degrees F for 9-11 minutes, or until golden brown.) CUPCAKE BATTER
In this post I am splitting a recipe to make 2 different cupcakes with “one batch.” I don’t typically use box cake mix, but this will make it easy for anyone to replicate these cupcakes, even if you are a first time baker. Using a box cake mix will also cut down on ingredient investment; if you are not already an avid cake baker, you will appreciate this; and my simple adjustments will make these more like a “scratch” cake. CUPCAKE BATTER INGREDIENTS PART ONE Vanilla Duncan Hines cake mix, I used “classic white” 15.25oz box 4 whole Large eggs, room temperature 1 cup Milk, warmed to room temp 2/3 cups Butter, measured then melted PART TWO ADD-IN INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING HALF OF THE BATTER INTO CHOCOLATE ¼ cup baking cocoa 1 TBS granulated sugar PART ONE DIRECTIONS Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Mix all ingredients from “Part One” together, then scoop 12 cupcakes using this medium sized scoop here. Drop 1 full sized cookie dough ball into the center. Set aside. PART TWO DIRECTIONS With the remaining batter, fold in the baking cocoa and sugar. Then scoop 12 cupcakes using the large sized scoop here. BAKING TIME……………. POP the Cookie sheet with the mini cookies balls in the oven; place this on the rack just below the middle rack. &&&& POP both cupcake pans into the oven on a rack positioned in the middle, bake for appx 18-22 minutes. Check your cupcakes with a toothpick. If the center releases a clean toothpick then your cupcakes are done, remove from the oven and let cool. Cookies should take only 8-12 minutes. The chocolate cake batter is AWESOME with cookie dough added, if you feel like experimenting too. *Note, due to the heavier frosting and added cookie dough, a denser cake is what we are going for. While our cookies and cupcakes are baking, let’s prep the frostings. Here we have 2 completely different frostings and I do recommend using a stand mixer, it is faster and you can whip the frosting until it’s nice and creamy without your arm wanting to fall off. FROSTING RECIPES
COOKIE DOUGH FROSTING
A basic butter and powdered sugar icing was not going to work since this is supposed to be like chocolate chip cookie dough, so I added in the cookie’s key ingredients: brown sugar and chocolate chips. The brown sugar gives a little grainy texture, just like chocolate chip cookie dough, so this frosting is not smooth like buttercream; this is intentional, it was made to resemble cookie dough. Another not so ordinary ingredient is cornstarch (corn flour). It was NEEDED because the brown sugar made the icing sooo sweet, so this helped thicken it up (without adding more powdered sugar) and it helped curb the sweetness overload. If you want your icing to be “thicker” please do not add more cornstarch, it will leave a “floury” taste; instead, let it chill in the fridge to firm up a bit. NOTES: I mentioned that cornstarch, as does flour, needs to be baked before consumption. You can purchase some pre-baked flour or make your own by sprinkling some on a parchment lined cookie sheet and baking for 5 minutes at 350 degrees (the flour must reach 160 degrees). This helps prevent salmonella and other possible poisoning. COOKIE DOUGH FROSTING Good for appx 12 cupcakes INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup (1 sticks) butter, softened 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1-1/4 cups powdered/icing/confectioners’ sugar 1 TBS milk ¼ cup + 2 TBS cornstarch, prebaked. See notes above. 1/2 tsp vanilla Dash of salt, if using unsalted butter Nestle mini chocolate chip morsels for sprinkling on top – semi sweet DIRECTIONS: On a low setting, cream butter and peanut butter, then add brown sugar, once fully incorporated; slowly add the rest of the ingredients. Once fully combined, beat on high for about 4 minutes. 
PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING This is easy to make and fluffy. PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING Good for appx 12 cupcakes Ingredients ½ cup peanut butter, I used Peter Pan Creamy 5 TBS butter, softened 2 cups powdered/icing/confectioners’ sugar 2 TBS milk 1 tsp vanilla Bag of Mini Reese’s PB Cups, cut up, for topping. DIRECTIONS On a low setting, cream the peanut butter and butter, add vanilla extract. Then, alternate between adding the sugar and milk. Once mixed, beat it on high to get it nice and fluffy. If you want to scoop the frosting like I did, set in fridge for the frosting to firm up, check after 20 minutes. I used the medium sized scoop. After frosting the cupcake, dip the cupcake into the cut up Reese’s peanut butter cups. NOTE: If you let it rest in the fridge too long, you may have to let it thaw and re-beat in the mixer, so you are able to scoop it. I hope you enjoyed these recipes.
Let me know how yours turned out below :) XOXO ~Julie
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