Chocolate Chip Surprise Cupcakes!

I had an early morning appointment this morning...so that meant that I was actually up, ready, and out of the house by 8:30am! The 3 littlest got to stay home with Phil, so that was REALLY nice being able to get out without a diaper bag, car seat, and a billion other necessities! When I got home, Phil surprised me by having all the morning "clean up" routine finished! (My kids can make something as harmless as coco puffs for breakfast, look like a scene straight from a horror flick! At least a kitchen horror!)

Since I had all this new found time on my hands...I did what I LOVE to do best...help a "sista" out. Literally, poor Shavonne and her family pretty much have the swine flu...it's not confirmed...by we like to think the worst about illnesses. So for all necessary purposes...they have the H1 N1 virus...or whatever it's called! Anyway, when I was sick last week she came over and made me the best soup ever...so I thought I would try to return the favor and make her some dinner...with a little dessert! I'm always up for a reason to bake!

So I started searching and found this recipe on Picky Palate called the Chocolate Chip Cookie Stuffed Cupcakes! Don't they just sound amazing?! Her pictures look soo good too! Unfortunately, I didn't have all the ingredients she called for...so I tweaked the recipe just a bit. You should check her recipe out...because I'm sure it's delicious!

Since the recipe makes 24 cupcakes, I decided to surprise Phil and the rest of his fellow "office mates" with an afternoon snack! I didn't tell him I was coming...I only gave him a text telling him to come outside. He never knows what I'm up to! HA HA! He was pleasantly SURPRISED and called to tell me they were a hit! (Even though mine were a little different than those on Picky Palate...they still turned out great!) YAY!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Filled Cupcakes

1 box Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate cake mix
1 small (3.9oz) box of Chocolate Jello instant pudding
1 1/4 Cups Water
3 Eggs
1/2 C vegetable Oil

Your Favorite Cookie Dough Recipe...or the one I used...
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Light brown sugar
1 Cup Butter (softened)
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Egg
2 1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 bag of milk chocolate chips (I use Ghiradelli or Hershey)

Cream sugars, vanilla, and egg together first, before slowly adding the remaining ingredients. The chocolate chips last.

Frosting
8oz Cream Cheese (softened)
1/2 Cup Butter (softened)
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil into a mixer and mix for 2 minutes or until it's well blended. Begin to fill 24 cupcake liners 1/2 way full with the cupcake mixure. Then, press 1 Tablespoon prepared cookie dough into the center of each cupcake batter. Bake for 18-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out pretty clean from the center. Move to wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Place cream cheese and butter into a mixer, beat until combined. Slowly add in powdered sugar, then add whipping cream until you achieve the desired frosting consistency. Then spread the frosting onto the cupcakes!