Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package Duncan Hines Devil’s Food cake mix
• 1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso granules
• 1/2 cup warm water
• refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

Vanilla Buttercream:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Garnish:

• mini chocolate chips
• mini chocolate chip cookie

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
2. 2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine instant espresso granules and warm water, stirring until dissolved. Add espresso mixture to the cake batter and stir until fully incorporated.
3. 3. Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter.
4. 4. Measure .4 ounce balls of cookie dough (about 1 teaspoon) and drop a ball of dough into each cupcake. Push down to make sure the batter covers the cookie dough.
5. 5. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
6. 6. Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare your frosting