A Bakesale for Two Amazing Little Girls

Dad forwarded me an email the other day from a colleague of his with a very sad story. Her name is Alice, she's only 1 year old but she had Non Ketotic Hyperglycinemia. This disorder is apparently extremely rare and Alice is currently the only survivor of it in New Zealand. Her parents were told that at 3 months old she wouldn't live much longer but she's still fighting! They are trying to raise money to fund research into the disorder and also to help another family with a child who was in their son's daycare class before she was diagnosed with cancer. At 3 years old she faces what many adults struggle with, being constantly sick and in hospital. Her name is Brianna and her parents are really struggling with her cancer and may have to sell their house if they can't raise enough money. This is such a sad story and I am amazed at the Underwood family who have so much compassion that they are trying to help another family with their sick daughter when their own daughter has such a rare disorder. I can't imagine what these people go through on a daily basis, and when dad asked if I could contribute by baking something for the bake sale I was happy to help in any way I could. It's part of "The Big Family Day Out" fundraiser for the children which is going to have lots of raffles and auctions and the like so go along to the Ngatitoa Domain tomorrow at 11 if you're keen to help out (or buy some baking!). I decided that a good, kid-friendly thing to bake would be some cookie dough and cupcakes mixed together! They turned out really well, even though I nearly forgot to put the cookie dough in!  Luckily I remembered. Hopefully they're a hit tomorrow!

PS: If you want to read more about the girls or make a donation, click here.
PPS: The recipe came from Recipe Girl.
PPPS: (Last one I promise!) This photo was published on FoodGawker! :D

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes (makes 24)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/4t baking soda
1/4t salt
115g butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
4T white sugar
4T milk
2t vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate bits

230g butter, softened and cut into cubes
100g dark chocolate bits
1 cup dutch-processed or other dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1t baking soda
1 1/2t baking powder
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
2t vanilla extract
1t table salt
1 cup sour cream

350g butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups plain flour
4 1/2T milk
3t vanilla extract

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to stir together the butter, sugars, milk and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes, or until the cookie dough is firm. Scoop out dough in 2 tablespoon scoops and place it on a cookie sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes. (You could also make the cookie dough ahead and freeze for a couple of days. Just take it out of the freezer when you make the cupcakes and it should thaw to the right temperature.) Also, the amounts of this part of the recipe made enough for me to make 24 balls of cookie dough and 24 mini cookies for garnish, which as you can see I ended up slicing because they were still too big. If you wanted small balls like I did (about a teaspoon of dough or less) and no mini cookies, then halve this part of the recipe.

Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line standard-size muffin pan with cupcake liners. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. (Alternately, you can microwave the mixture at a lower power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted. This is what I did.) Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of the flour, baking powder and baking soda over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is and thick. Divide the batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Plop one ball of cookie dough in each cupcake and push down a little until it sinks to level with the surface. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before frosting, about 30 minutes.

Cookie Dough Frosting:
In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy. Mix in the flour, milk and vanilla and continue to mix until all is well combined.