Summer Cupcakes

So this summer I was off to a barbecue at a friend's house.  I wanted to bring something that wasn't store bought.  After some searching on Google and foodgawker, I found some lovely cupcake recipes perfect for the summer.  I had a very difficult time choosing, so I ended up making two different kinds.

These recipes come from Homemade by Holman... Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Raspberry Lemonade cupcakes!  Yum!!

The cookie dough cupcakes were the biggest hit ever.  They were instantly gone, and forever remembered. I busted them out again for our housewarming party a few weeks later.  I made those one slightly smaller, and accidentally added too much vanilla.  Everyone said the extra vanilla really added to the taste, and were voted even more popular.

Edit:

Recipes for each of these wonderful cupcakes!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: 

Cupcake:

1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

4 eggs

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 cup whole milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with liners. Combine the butter and sugar in mixing bowl, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir together vanilla and milk in a measuring cup. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the batter, mix at low speed. Alternate adding flour mixture in 3 parts with ½ of the milk; beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix each addition until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips. Scoop the batter evenly into prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 to ¾ of the way full. Bake about 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

½ tsp salt

3 T whole milk

2 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Extra chocolate chips for decoration if desired

Beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed, until smooth. Add in the flour and salt and beat on low speed until incorporated. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe frosting on to cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top if desired.

 Pink/Raspberry Lemonade:

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/4 cup plus 2 T lemon juice

1/2 cup buttermilk

Zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 12 cup muffin tin with liners. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Add sugar and lemon zest to mixing bowl or stand mixer and rub zest into sugar with your fingertips until well distributed and fragrant. Add the butter and cream cheese to the sugar and beat until light and creamy, 2 - 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating about 1 minute after each egg. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, beating on low speed until just incorporated. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk, once incorporated, add the next 1/3 of the flour mix, followed by remaining buttermilk, and remaining flour, beating each addition until just incorporated. Add lemon juice, beating until just incorporated on low speed.

Transfer batter to muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center cupcake comes out clean. Cool about 5 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting:

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup fresh raspberries

½ tsp lemon extract

1 pound powdered sugar

Cream butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add in raspberries and lemon extract and beat until most of the chunks are gone. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and whip for about thirty seconds. Transfer to a piping bag and decorate as desired. Top with fresh raspberries if desired.