So, after some exciting and very uplifting news this weekend (my recipe made this site!), all I could think about was celebrating! My celebrating consists of doing the things I love, so I sipped Prosecco with my favorite people, listened to my favorite jams, and baked away in my kitchen, with my little pup by my side. I couldn't have asked for a better way to begin and pretty much end my weekend, as we are still in awe and excitement of this site publishing! :)
And, with all of this excitement I 'forgot' about my effort to healthy-up my baked goods, and made a delicious and ever-so-perfect sugar filled cupcake to devour happily. Nutella. Cookie dough. Peanut butter. Holy holy moly. As having all of these tastes at one time would seem obnoxious and over-the-top, they ended up being absolutely lovely together, and a wonderful little dessert.
Cupcakes, although you were plenty work and not the healthy I have been chasing after, i love you as you are wholly homemade and absolute heaven to eat.
Prepare cookie dough first. If you would like it chilled, you can place it in the refrigerator while you prepare the cupcake batter.
Cookie Dough
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup organic sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups dark chocolate chips
In a large bowl, cream butter and both sugars until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to the batter along with salt. Stir in flour until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Set aside.
Cupcake
2/3 cup Nutella
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1 1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs (Or, 6 egg whites)
1 1/2 cups organic sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside. Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until pale and thick. Add in the butter, mixing until combined. Add in Nutella, and then buttermilk, continuing to mix until well incorporated. Add flour mixture to wet mixture in 3 increments, beating until smooth.
Divide batter into cupcake tins, filling them only half full. Taking the pre-rolled balls of dough, place one in each half filled cupcake tin. Fill cupcake tins with remaining batter, being sure the cookie dough is covered, and tin is about 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
3 ounces dark chocolate
3 tablespoons peanut butter
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 8 tablespoons milk
In a double broiler, melt chocolate with the butter. Once melted, remove from heat and allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes. With an electric mixer, add chocolate mixture and confectioners' sugar together. Beat until mixture resembles chalky beadlike balls. Then, add the vanilla and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until a spreadable consistency is reached. Frosting should look fluffy when finished. Or, stick your (clean) finger in it and give it a taste!
