Army boys love sweets too!

It was my boyfriends last day of active duty coming up and I loved making cupcakes for him to take to work because he would always come home with not one left :) That means everyone liked them right?! Well, I decided that for his last day I should go all out. What better than... DRUMROLL PLEASE....ddddddddd.dddddd.ddddddd

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes and

Raspberry cupcakes with marshmallow frosting!!

I am going to tell you that these were amazing, and I am not just saying that because I made them. Really, I swear. Lets get down to it shall we?

I want everyone who reads this to put it on their list as one of the next cupcakes to try if you have not already because this cupcake tasted so much like cookie dough that it was just incredible.

Here's what you will need:

For the cupcakes:

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk ( I use 2%)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I had a mixture of big and mini chocolate chips because it was what was in the cupboard)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Using the paddle attatchment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Cream together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Make sure you scrap down the sides of your bowl every so often! Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Just like every other cupcake, alternate the dry ingredients with the milk, mixing on low speed. Beat just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips then divide the batter evenly between 24 cupakes liners. ( I believe I got a few more than 24) Bake for 18 to 20 minutes and let cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes for removing to cool completely.

Oh yeah, don't eat one just yet ;)

Now while those are cooling, you can make your cookie dough filling....

For the filling:

4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp

6 tbsp light brown sugar, packed

1 cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour

7 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla and beat until smooth.

I just loOoOoOoOVe sweetened condensed milk in any recipe!!!

Going on...Stir in chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate for about 1 hour.

After cupcakes have cooled, cut out the middle of the cupcake and put a spoonful of the cookie dough filling in each cupcake.

All cut out now ready to be stuffed... Like this!

Don't you just love the camo liners too :) I was so happy when I found these at Hobby Lobby!

 Now time to make the frosting!

For the frosting:

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp milk

2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Beat butter and brown sugar with paddle attachment on high speed until creamy and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners sugar until smoooooooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Finally, mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

Put this in a bag and get ready to pipe! Remember, take it easy on yourself and put the bag in a tall glass to help with getting it into that bag!

I just used a ziploc bag for this piping since I wanted some big swirls. Here's how they look!

And of course a close up!

How awesome are these!!??? Had to top them off with a mini Chips Ahoy, Voila' !

Now time for the raspberry marshmallow frosted cupcakes. For these I pretty much used a basic vanilla recipe but added in pureed frozen raspberries.

There was a raspberry glaze that went on top of the cupcakes and a recipe that I found used 'junket' which I couldn't find anywhere so I made up my own glaze to use. I just threw in some frozen raspberries that I kind of mashed up with a spoon and some sugar and simmered on the stove for about 5 minutes.

Look at how nice that looks!

Moving on, you will let that sit and in the meantime start making your frosting.

When mixing the frosting you wanted some stiff peaks, well let me tell you, I got stiff peaks..

Look at that shine! So pretty!

Lets glaze and frost!

And there we have it, raspberry cupcake with a raspberry glaze and topped with a marshmallow frosting. Ohh la la ;)

Now, I had to take some to work to share with my worker pals so I boxed some up in this cute little cupcake box I got from Target. I am almost ashamed that I did not pick up some more while I was there. Guess I learned my lesson.

The next day after I sent them all away, I was really craving one, hoping that there would be at least 1 left when he got home....yeah right, like that was going to happen ;)

I linked up to
http://www.somethingswanky.com/!
&
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/!