Ode to Joy & Cupcakes

Life can really move fast. Before you know it we are already into summer...what? I have really meant to blog, but have been so busy. After listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Homefries, with Joy the Baker. I was inspired to bake her birthday cupcakes and of course attempt to blog about it.  These were made for a bunch of different Memorial Day BBQs and right now with the 4th of July beating down our door. I suggest you make them.

Dense, chocolaty, chocolate easy as pie cake, cupcakes. Turned awesome with some.....

Peanut butter cookie dough balls shoved into the center. Yes, a cookie and  a cupcake in one! Hooray!

Add some marshmellow frosting and you have yourself and party, shin-dig, doo-wop..thingy! 

Toast this little bad boy under the broiler to make a campfire like cookie, cupcake party in your mouth. Is that legal? You bet!

Chocolate, Peanut butter cookie, toasted marshmellow cupcakes
From Joy Wilson

The recipe makes about 24 to 21 cupcakes depending on how big they are

These cupcakes were a bit of a two step process, but easy to make. I could have eaten the chocolate cupcakes just plan as they were so good. Adding the extra goodies was really a treat. Great to bring to any event where you want to make people smile.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

2 and 1/4 all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2/3 cups canola oil
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 cups cold water

For the Cookie Dough Balls

1 stick of unsalted butter (room temp)
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoon peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Marshmellow Meringue Frosting

4 large egg whites
1 and 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
A large pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. In another bowl mix the oil, water, vanilla extract and vinegar together. Whisk wet ingredients into the dry being careful not to over mix. Pour the batter into the cupcake cups until they are two thirds full. Bake for about 20 to 24 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the muffin pan for about 8 min and then place on a wire rack to cool before topping them with the peanut butter dough.

In a bowl of stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the peanut butter along with the vanilla and stir to combine. In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.


Roll about a tablespoon or so size amount of dough into a ball. Place the rolled ball on a cookie sheet. Make as many rolled balls as cupcakes, and refrigerate until ready to place into the tops of the cupcakes.


To make the meringue add about two inches of water to a large pot. Bring the water to a simmer. In a large heat proof bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar corn syrup and salt. The mixture will be grainy due to the sugar.

Place the bowl over simmering water and whisk as it heats. The sugar will start to dissolve.  Keep whisking and watching the egg mixture as you don't want to get it too warm or you will cook the eggs.

Transfer the egg white and sugar mixture to the bowl of an electric stand mixer. With a whisk attachment set on high beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes or so.) The mixture will be fluffy, glossy and sticky. Beat in the vanilla extract.  Cover the bowl and set aside until ready to frost the cupcakes.

To make cupcake magic happen:

Use a small knife to cut about a 3/4 inch hole out of the top / center of the cupcake.  Place the peanut butter ball on top of the cupcakes. Using a pastry bag (or large Ziplock) fitted with a medium tip, ( I only had  a small tip), pipe the frosting around the edges of the cupcake and over the dough ball in a circular motion.

Turn your oven to broil. Place some frosted cupcakes on a baking sheet and place them under the broiler for about a minute or less. Keep the door partially open to watch the frosting so it does not burn. Once toasted, remove the toasted cupcakes and repeat.

The cupcakes can be kept in an air tight container in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. Enjoy!