Cookie Dough Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

I had a recent request for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes.  While I was excited for the challenge and am a lover of cookie dough, I was worried about the safety of eating it raw.  Well wouldn't you know on one of my daily library trips when we were out of power and cable due to Hurricane Sandy ~ I stumbled upon a little gem of a book, called "The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook" by Lindsay Landis.

This genius invented the perfect cookie dough that is egg-free and safe to eat raw and use in many many recipes from cookies, cakes, candies, frozen treats and more.  This book is packed with cookie dough lovers dream desserts!  And yes it had a recipe for cupcakes.  If you are a cookie dough lover you must have this book, available here:

 http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/1594745641  
 


Now onto the cupcake recipe.  Basically you bake a cupcake, it could be chocolate or vanilla, cut out a wedge from top, and fill with cookie dough, put top back on and garnish with cookie dough buttercream and chocolate chips.  Use your favorite chocolate or vanilla cake recipe or the one below.

Recipe: 

Cupcakes ~ 
1 cup flour
1/3 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Cookie dough ~ 
1 stick unsalted butter @ room temp
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Buttercream ~ 
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, @ room temp
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
reserved cookie dough mix from above (see instructions)
Milk

Instructions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with paper liners.  In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment mix together the flour, cocoa, sugars, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Make a well in the center and add the milk, oil, vanilla and eggs.  Beat until just combined, scraping bottom of bowl as needed.  Fill the cupcake liners with a little less then 1/4 cup batter, they should be just under 2/3 full.  Bake for about 18 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool, while cooling prepare cookie dough and buttercream.  When cooled, use a paring knife and cut a cone shaped piece, approx 1 in from the top of each cupcake, cut off cone and save top. See pic below.
Prepare cookie dough - In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle beat together butter and sugars on med until light and fluffy about 2 mins.  Add milk and vanilla and beat until blended.  Add flour and salt and mix on low until incorporated.  Set aside 1 cup of this mixture for the buttercream.  Add to remaining mixture 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips and blend.
Buttercream - In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until fluffy, add powdered sugar a little at a time and beat until smooth.  Add the reserved plain cookie dough and mix on med-high until light and fluffy.  Add milk by tablespoons if too dry until desired piping or spreading consistency.
Assembling, fill cupcake holes with about 1 tsp cookie dough, then replace topper and frost with buttercream.  Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top.

Enjoy!