Girl Scout Cookie Cupcakes

I love Girl Scout Cookies. I stalk the usual bank and grocery storefront locations this time of the year, impatiently awaiting their return. I am a sucker for anything peanut butter chocolate and would pay substantially more than $4/box for the Peanut Butter Patties. If I had to make a list of 3 things I wanted if stranded on a desert island, a box of Peanut Butter Patties would make the list, hands down. We make so many candy or cookie related cupcakes at the bakery daily that it seemed imperative for us to create cupcakes using Girl Scout Cookies.

We used Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, and Caramel Delights today, and used our chocolate cupcake base for all three flavors. 

 

Best Ever Chocolate Cupcake:

1 cup hot coffee

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 ½ cups flour

2 ½ cups sugar

1 ½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp salt

4 eggs

¾ cups vegetable oil

1 ½ cups buttermilk (full fat, shaken)

2 tsp vanilla

These pictures were taken in the bakery while making a large batch of chocolate batter. Please note that the proportions you see in the pictures do not match those of the recipe.

Melt chocolate chips in hot coffee.

Meanwhile, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Beat eggs until slightly thick and lemon colored (about 3 minutes).

Add coffee/chocolate mix and vanilla to the eggs and beat.

Alternately add dry ingredients, oil, and buttermilk to the egg mixture and mix until well combined. The batter should have a medium consistency.

 

Put Girl Scout Cookies into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to create crumbs.

Add enough melted butter to moisten the cookie crumbs then tamp into cupcake liners.

Scoop batter into cupcake lines (about ¾ full).

Bake at 300 degrees until they spring back when touched (about 15 minutes in a convection oven).

 

Top with buttercream (see recipe below). Coarsely chop several Girl Scout cookies to sprinkle on top of the buttercream, then drizzle with chocolate ganache (see recipe below).

Vanilla Buttercream

 1 pound butter (room temp)

2 tsp salt

4 tsp lemon juice

4 tsp vanilla

8-12 cups powdered sugar

8-12 Tbs heavy cream

Cream butter and salt then add lemon juice and vanilla. Alternately add powdered sugar and heavy cream until desired consistency is reached. The buttercream can be flavored with caramel, peanut butter, or chocolate ganache after all ingredients are mixed. For mint buttercream, simmer fresh mint leaves in the heavy cream. Allow to cool, then add the heavy mint cream according to recipe directions (omitting vanilla).

Chocolate Ganache

 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup of heavy cream

Add all ingredients to a microwaveable proof dish and heat on high for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until smooth (about 2 minutes total).

Life is Good!