Sometimes life is confusing.
You know.
Do blueberries taste good in mojitos?
Wait, really… did I buy those skinny jeans?
Do people actually drink wine after squishing grapes with their toes? Really?
What will happen to Vincent Chase come September?
Do I want a cookie or a cupcake?
What on earth was I thinking when I bought those jeans?
Can I have both a cookie and a cupcake?
How much extra time on the elliptical will I need if I eat a cookie and a cupcake?
Or… two cookies. And a cupcake.
Why didn’t the sales associate warn me that those skinny jeans come with the Fat Booth app built in?
Ahhh. Life is delightful.
Since I’m not ready to talk about jeans that make you shimmy and shake or the possible end of Vincent Chase, let’s talk cupcakes.
These cupcakes are fun and a little cheeky. I dressed them up with bright, scattered sprinkles and pushed a chewy chocolate chip cookie chunk into the fat frosting. Yes, they definitely needed more calories — and they have a chocolate chip cookie bottom, too. I like them a lot.
I made them for my housemate, who promptly ate three after a “well-balanced” lunch of a double burger and a protein bar. He polished off seven burgers that weekend, so I’m politely requesting a new life insurance policy for him.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie-Bottomed Cupcakes
Makes 18–20 cupcakes
Cookie layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
Line a muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray each liner with non-stick spray. Using a spoon sprayed with non-stick spray, press about 1½ tablespoons of cookie dough into the bottom of each liner.
Cake layer:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 whole eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup milk
Keep the oven at 350°F. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add the milk and mix, then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Using an ice cream scoop or spoon, drop the batter on top of the cookie dough in each liner. Bake at 350°F for 15–18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake (not the cookie) comes out clean.
Top with your favorite frosting, sprinkles, and a chocolate chip cookie chunk.
Note: For vanilla frosting, use your preferred recipe. I doubled the cookie dough recipe above to bake extra cookies and placed those cookies on top of the frosted cupcakes.
*Names have been changed to protect the guilty.