Cookie Monster Cupcakes

I have wanted to make these cupcakes for a while and I have finally had the time to get them done.
They are fairly easy to make but there are a few stages which means they take more time than a simpler cupcake.

Cupcake Ingredients

100g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
140g caster sugar
1½tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter, at room temperature
120ml whole milk
1 egg
 ¼tsp vanilla extract

Cupcake Method

Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.
Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla extract together in a jug, then slowly pour about half into the flour mixture, beat to combine and turn the mixer up to high speed to get rid of any lumps.
Turn the mixer down to a slower speed and slowly pour in the remaining milk mixture (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.
Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Frosting Ingredients

250g icing sugar, sifted
80g unsalted butter, at room temperature
25ml whole milk
a couple of drops of vanilla extract
Blue food colouring

Frosting Method

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
Turn the mixer down to slow speed. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed.
Add the blue food colouring until the desired blue is achieved.
Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

Now the cakes have cooled, add the vanilla frosting on top using a palette knife, and now its time to decorate.

Coconut Fur Ingredients

250g Dessicated Coconut (Unsweetened)
Blue Food colouring

Coconut Fur Method

Put the coconut into a bowl and slowly add blue food colouring, stirring constantly until the coconut has turned to a nice shade of blue.
You can now roll your cupcakes into the mix to give them a furry effect.

Eye Ingredients

50g white chocolate
25g milk chocolate

Eye Method

Melt the white chocolate over a pan of slightly simmering water.
Once it has melted leave it to cool until it gets slightly firmer and easier to pipe.
Put it into a piping bag and pipe small circles onto a piece of greaseproof paper.
Now melt the milk chocolate in the same way and once cooled slightly this can be piped on top of the white chocolate circles.
Now the eyes can be added into the frosting.

(NB if you want an easier option use white chocolate buttons and pipe milk chocolate circles in the middle, or just use chocolate chips/buttons as eyes)

Once the frosting, fur and eyes have been put onto the cakes you can now add the cookies.
I use mini chocolate cookies broken into pieces, but you could use larger cookies broken up if required.

(Cupcake and frosting recipe courtesy of Hummingbird Bakery)