Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I love cookie dough more than actual baked cookies.  Maybe I am weird, but that is the part of the cookie baking process that I enjoy most, eating the cookie dough!  So, I like to enjoy it in other ways as well.  I have made cookie dough truffles, and chocolate chip cookie dough hummus, and cakes and they were all fabulous so last weekend I decided to make some chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes!  I have been wanting to make these for a while, so now that I finally had the time I went for it.  Eric and I are in the process of planning a wedding and moving soon so I apologize that I haven't been publishing as many new recipes lately it has been a bit busy.

For these cupcakes I made my classic vanilla cake batter and stirred in chocolate chips so they tasted like chocolate chip cookies.  I could not stop sampling the batter it was so delicious!  Yes, I not only like to eat cookie dough I eat cake batter sometimes too while making myself cake.  There was never a time growing up I didn't ask to lick the cake batter bowl growing up, even if it was usually boxed cake mix that my family made.  Cake batter is pretty delicious.  I knew these would bake up nicely!

My kitchen smelled amazing while they were baking!  The heavenly aromas of vanilla cake and chocolate chips making me very hungry!  But they had to cool completely so that they didn't melt the frosting which was an essential element since I was not making muffins after all. The frosting was the part of these that would be most cookie dough like.  I made my vanilla frosting but added in dates blended up with it to give it that brown sugar caramel like flavor that chocolate chip cookies usually have.  I know some people are opposed to dates, but really you can't taste them they just make this frosting taste like cookie dough.

I had to stir chocolate chips into the frosting as well.  Once it was all on the cupcakes I could not wait to try them!  They were so heavenly!  Like a chocolate chip cookie dough lover's dream!  The cake part was soft and light, scented with vanilla and studded with chocolate chips and the frosting tasted just like cookie dough, but with a smooth mousse like heavenly texture! I love how these turned out!  If you are a cookie dough fan, give them a try!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes 
Makes 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 12 hole muffin tins and liners

Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup maple sugar
• 2 cups full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Frosting:

• 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk (you want to use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work for this recipe, I like Thai Kitchen brand)
• 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
• 3/4 cup soft, pitted medjool dates 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (not coconut oil)
• 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
2. Line 2 12 hole muffin tins with liners.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
4. Whisk coconut milk and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter and fold in chocolate chips.
6. Transfer the cake batter to prepared tins.
7. Place in the oven, and bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 15-20 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
9. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten).  Fold in the chocolate chips. Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to frost.
10. When ready to frost, spread the frosting (or pipe it with a pastry bag with a tip with a larger hole to allow the chocolate chips through) on top of the cupcakes.
11. Enjoy!

Cupcakes keep stored in the refrigerator, covered for up to 1 week.

Notes:

If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar.

This cake can be made gluten free by swapping out the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (this is a brand I have used before and have tested it in cakes with great results).