The tops are the best part of a muffin, and in my opinion the same goes for cupcakes. Of course a good “stalk” is the mark of a great baker, but let’s face it — the top still wins. And it was that line of thinking that that led me to “Cupcake Top Cookies”. They’re cake mix based creation, which means they’re super easy. You can throw them together fairly quickly and have more time to focus on a good, scratch frosting.
Frosted Cupcake Top Cookies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Cakey, fat cake mix cookies topped with homemade chocolate frosting.
Author: Cookie Madness
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 24
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix (see note)
- 1 cup sour cream, regular
- 4 eggs
- 1 (4 serving size) package instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Frosting
- 1 stick (4 oz) softened butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup natural cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream -- more if desired
- 4 to 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- Milk as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line two to four baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine cake mix, sour cream, eggs, oil, and water and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Using a generously heaping tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets. Bake two sheets at a time, switching racks halfway through, for about 15 minutes or until cakes appear done (they should spring back like cupcakes).
- Let cool for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare frosting. With an electric mixer, beat the butter until soft. Add the sugar and stir until it is moistened by butter. Stir in the cocoa, sour cream and 2 tablespoons of the cream. Mix on low, then increase speed and beat until creamy. Beat in remaining cream and vanilla. Add milk a few teaspoons at a time until you reach the consistency you like. Spread over cookies.
- Now this is the hard step. Leave the cookies alone for two hours. Just let them sit on the counter. You can skip this part if necessary, but I really thought they tasted better after they'd sat around for a bit.
Notes
I used Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Cake Mix. Any brand should work, but I'm pointing it out in case you want to use the same brand as I did.
If you have a scale, you can weigh out the ingredients and make a half batch of 12.
If you have a scale, you can weigh out the ingredients and make a half batch of 12.
If you try the Cupcake Top Cookies, I’d love to know what you think and what kind of cake mix you used.
I made these with a 15.25 oz size box of Betty Crocker, but I think any brand would do.
Lisa says
February 3, 2014 at 4:31 pmLove the corgi mug! How is Lizzie?
Anna says
February 1, 2014 at 10:24 amDarlene, I thought about making Whoopie Pies, but mine were really puffy and high so Whoopie Pies would have turned out quite rounded and fat. If you use the Duncan Hines cake mix, your cookies might come out a little bit flatter, in which case they would be even better for the Whoopie Pies.
Darlene says
February 1, 2014 at 8:19 amI was just thinking these might be good with vanilla frosting/filling sandwiched between 2 of them – like a Whoopie Pie.
Darlene says
February 1, 2014 at 8:16 amActually, Duncan Hines’ Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix is a ‘Classic,’ so it only contains 16.5 oz. When I first realized DH decreased the amount of mix/box and this recipe in cake form took longer to bake, I called Duncan Hines and asked how to adapt the recipe. They suggested adding 1 3/4 tablespoons of flour to the mix, and it seems to help.
Anna says
January 31, 2014 at 8:36 pmYou know, after I posted it I Googled it and it has been done before. Everybody seems to have their own special way of doing it, though.
CindyD says
January 31, 2014 at 8:35 pmI think you have a winner! How come nobody has thought of this before?
Anna says
January 31, 2014 at 4:38 pmDarlene, let me know what you think! It will be interesting to see how the Duncan Hines cake mix works since it comes in an 18.25 oz box.
Darlene says
January 31, 2014 at 4:27 pmI’m so excited to try these – it is the same recipe I use for a Triple Chocolate Cake (I prefer Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge mix), except I sub coffee for the water. My family will love these because of the ratio of frosting to cake. YUM!