Cookie dough cupcakes and *alternates*

I don't know about you, but I don't go to many 1 year old's birthday parties. But, I went to one this weekend and I thought- what better treat to bring than COOKIE DOUGH in CUPCAKE FORM??!

Speaking of this weekend, we were *supposed* to have been in Mexico Saturday. Yes, instead we were at a birthday party filled with screaming children. How did that happen? And how else might one vary these cupcakes? For these exciting topics and more, read on! ;-)

Cookie dough filled chocolate cupcakes

I can't claim the brilliance for this recipe- that's thanks to That's So Vegan. Click here for her recipe!

These were yummy, and the little toddlers loved them! I wish I had snapped a shot of one little girl who pretty much had half a cupcake all over her face. (And no, I wasn't looking in the mirror!)
Actually, I think they may have been better the next day- after being stored in the fridge overnight, the cookie dough frosting and filling tasted just like cookie dough, and really upped the ante on the sweetness.

Alternate ideas:

• (The less-health idea): I did think that the cake was just a tad dry though, so you could try adding a bit of melted chocolate to the cake, or using a mix of regular all-purpose and whole wheat flours (the cake is made with all whole wheat flour). However, while you can somewhat taste the whole wheat flour coming through, I think it was overall balanced well with the other ingredients.

• (The more healthy idea): Make use of some of CCK's recipes. Want to avoid using butter in the frosting? I think you could easily replace the frosting with CCK's cookie dough dip. Also, the cookie dough filling could be replaced with CCK's batter for healthy deep dish cookie pie. Both of these are made with chickpeas, so you'd be adding healthy, low-fat protein, and they still taste like cookie dough. I bet that'd be a great healthy treat for little ones!

While I might have to try that variation next time, I'm not throwing the original out the window. They were gooooood. And the cookie dough that is used in the filling would be great in homemade icecream.... or other indulgences.... such as, ok.... just plain eating it ;-)

Other alternates...
So what happened to my post-marathon Mexico vacation? Wellllll, we had a little passport fiasco. Unfortunately my husband realized the night before we were supposed to leave that his passport had expired (that very day, no less). Yes, I was upset at first. But, having just run a great race on a beautiful course, this quote popped into my mind:

"Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking."

-Marcus Aurelius

And, the next night, this is what I was greeted with:

...along with plans for a surprise-filled *alternate* California vacation that my husband had planned on the fly. When life hands you lemons, make lemonade ;-) For more on where our surprise vacation took us, click here. (And yes, it was great!)