FROSTED ANIMAL COOKIES

1. Use original FROSTED ANIMAL COOKIES recipe here http://bakingthegoods.com/2014/02/02/frosted-animal-cookies-recipe/ . To adapt for this recipe, only use white chocolate coating and white sprinkles instead of pink coating and rainbow sprinkles. 

   *This recipe makes more cookies than needed for the cupcakes, but who doesn't want extra Frosted Animal Cookies around? 

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line muffin tin(s) with 18 cupcake liners. 
2. In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the cocoa powder and the boiling water. Whisk until the cocoa has dissolved into the water. Add the dark chocolate chips and stir until the mixture is completely smooth, about 1 minute. Allow the mix to cool slightly for a couple of minutes and then stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract. 
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking soda and salt. 
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times with a rubber spatula. 
5. Reduce the mixer to a low speed and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
6. With the mixer on low, mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the chocolate mixture. Then another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the remaining chocolate. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and use a rubber spatula to fold in the rest of the flour mixture just until the dry ingredients are barely mixed in.  Careful not to over-mix.
7. Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the lined muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. 
8. Bake for 26-30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the bake time. The cupcakes are ready when the centers have puffed up slightly and have a springy top. Test by inserting a toothpick in the center of a cupcake, it should come out clean. 
9. Remove the cupcakes from the oven allowing them to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. Then remove them from the pans and allow them to cool on a wire rack while you prepare the frosting. 

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter on a medium high speed for about 5-7 minutes, until soft and creamy. Periodically stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
2. Add the salt and vanilla and mix for an additional minute until fully incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl halfway through. 
3. With the mixer on lowest speed, add the sifted powdered sugar in a few additions. Scrape down the bowl and then beat the mix for a couple more minutes until light and smooth. The frosting should be smooth but not runny and slightly stiff so it holds it's shape. If the consistency seems too soft, add more sifted powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. 

ASSEMBLING THE FROSTED ANIMAL COOKIE CUPCAKES

1. Slather the tops of the cupcakes with a couple of tablespoons worth of frosting, using an offset spatula to spread the frosting.
2. Top with frosted animal cookies and serve!