Chocolate Cupcakes + Cookie Butter Frosting for Two

It's Friday, the weather is getting cooler, and it is Live. Love. Eat. Repeat.'s 3rd birthday!! The terrible two's are over I guess. She's getting older, and time is FLYING!

I want to give a big shout out to everyone who takes a minute to read my blog and and an even bigger shout out to those who try out a recipe.  Knowing that my blog gets someone in the kitchen to cook a meal with care and love, means the world to me. Nothing makes my day more then someone telling me they tried out one of my recipes and appreciates my posts, so THANK YOU.

Also, to my number one fan and guinea pig husband, thanks for being so patient while I plate the food before taking my IG/FB picture.  As soon as he hears my camera clicking, he knows dinner is about to be served.  He usually gets the pretty plate, and I just throw my food on another plate and go to town. I know the meal is especially good on the days he goes back for seconds or thirds.

I am very aware that I am not consistent in my posts, and I have so many recipes to share still, therefore, without excuse, I hope this year I can do a better job of getting recipes on the site as soon as possible.

In celebration of another birthday, I bring to you good 'ole fashioned one bowl chocolate cupcakes that I topped with cookie butter frosting at the last moment.  They were supposed to be topped with Nutella, but then I saw the cookie butter in my pantry, and well, you now how much I love my cookie butter. And yes, I made these cupcakes specifically for my blog's birthday because I just wanted a reason to celebrate.  Plus, this recipe only makes two cupcakes, which is perfect for an understated celebration, a sweet treat, or when you don't want to make a whole batch of cupcakes in fear of eating all twelve. Because that really happens...

Chocolate Cupcakes + Cookie Butter Frosting

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon + small pinch of baking soda

pinch of salt

pinch of ground instant coffee

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon oil (I used olive oil)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter, softened

2 tablespoons cookie butter

1/4 cup powder sugar

pinch of salt

1-2 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 2 liners.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, and ground coffee. Add in milk, oil, and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Pour batter into liners and bake 15-18 min, until toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs. I have learned through baking that if the toothpick is clean, the cake has already over-baked. So let there be a few crumbs.  The cupcake will continue baking a little once out of the oven.

As cupcakes are cooling, cream together butter and cookie butter until smooth and creamy.  Add powdered sugar and salt and beat until it comes together.  Add milk a teaspoon at a time until you get it to consistency you like. 

I piped my frosting on using a sandwich bag with a cut in the corner. Sprinkle with whatever your heart desires,  if you wish!

Enjoy :)

Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Butter Ice Cream

I think I may have found something that I love more than Nutella...I can't believe I just said that. But I did.

I discovered COOKIE BUTTER! I've seen it come across food blogs and the occasional food article, and it perked up my ears when someone mentioned it.  Cookie butter is a spread made up of crushed cinnamon and caramel sweet gingerbread cookies with a consistency similar to peanut butter.

I finally made it to Trader Joe's and bought myself a jar. I also bought the cookies. Stop shaking your head! You would have done the same.  All I could think was, I bet these would be great with an evening cup of chai...and they were.

Once I brought the cookie butter home safely, I tasted a small bit from the jar, realized I was in love, and decided I made the right decision that day. First thing to pop into my food-filled mind, was ice cream. So I ran with it. Well actually, I ran towards it. With a spoon.

This is an ice cream without an egg custard base, so as long as you have cookie butter, a few dairy ingredients, and a frozen ice cream bowl (granted, you have an ice cream maker), you can whip this up in no time.  I happen to keep my ice cream bowl in the freezer at all times so it's ready to go when I need it.  I made the base late afternoon and had a bowl of ice cream in time for bed.

To up the awesome-ness, I threw in crushed dark chocolate chips.  I mean, wow. You get the taste of cinnamon and ginger from the cookies, creaminess from the heavy cream, and a slight crunch from the crushed cookies and chocolate chips. I would scream for this ice cream.

 Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Butter Ice Cream

1 cup creamy cookie butter (I used Speculoos from Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup half n' half
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate chips

With a mixer, cream together cookie butter and sugar until combined.  Turn off mixer, scrape down bowl, add vanilla, half n' half, and heavy cream.  Mix on low until combined.

Transfer this into your frozen ice cream bowl for your ice cream mixer and churn according to your mixer's directions.  Once you see it come up to almost a soft serve stage, add in your dark chocolate and churn until you get a soft serve consistency.  At this point, you are welcome to dig in, but I like the consistency of ice cream. So read on if you haven't already gotten brain freeze.

Transfer this into a freezer safe bowl, add a layer of plastic wrap on top of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals before closing with a cap.  Freeze the ice cream 3-4 hours before serving.  You should add a Speculoos cookie to round it off  when serving :)   Enjoy!!