Vanilla pudding cupcakes with chocolate chip cookie frosting

Probably the last post of 2013, so let's make it a good one! My New Year's resolution is to start experimenting more with my own baking recipes, so why get a head start on that today?
Over Christmas break, I've been baking plenty and trying out my new baking toys, but haven't been blogging about it. I still need to fine-tune some of the recipes before posting them, but here are some pictures in the meantime!

3D lion cookie

Holiday spiced sugar cookies

Homemade pazookie

For New Year's Eve, I ended up making some cupcakes of my own invention. My sister is currently visiting SF and wanted me to try her favorite vanilla cupcake recipe. I also had a batch of chocolate chip cookies that were a tad overbaked for my taste, so I decided to use them thoughtfully in this baking experiment.

We followed the cupcake recipe exactly, and after they were baked, we cored out the cupcakes and added a scoop of vanilla pudding to the centers of each one. I then whipped up a batch of vanilla buttercream frosting and added crushed chocolate chip cookies to make cookie frosting.

The only tricky thing we ran into was that the chocolate chips in the cookies didn't crush well and ended up clogging the frosting tip when I tried to pipe them onto the frosting. We ended up spreading the frosting on instead. We also decided adding some sprinkles on top would make the cupcake more festive, since the chocolate chip cookie frosting was a bit of a dreary color.

Happy New Year's everyone! To a good 2014 and let's keep those resolutions at least through March, okay?

Vanilla pudding cupcakes - makes a dozen
(From Glorious Treats)

• 1 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt). 
2. In a stand mixer, beat the eggs and then add the sugar until combined. Add vanilla and oil and continue mixing until smooth. 
3. Add half the flour mixture, followed by half the buttermilk. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture and buttermilk. Scrape the bowl and mix until just combined. 
4. Scoop batter into paper liners in cupcake tin (about 3 tbsps per liner). 
5. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges of the top begin to turn slightly golden brown. 
6. Let cool and then frost and decorate!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Frosting - makes enough to frost a dozen cupcakes

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp almond milk
• 1 cup of finely crushed chocolate chip cookies

1. Cream butter and sugar together at medium speed until combined and smooth. 
2. Add vanilla and milk and continue to beat until desired consistency is reached. 
3. Add the crushed cookies and mixed until incorporated. 
4. Frosting will be difficult to pipe through a tip, so spreading it is recommended.