Ice Cream Cupcake Contest 2012: Drumstick Cupcakes

I adore Stefani's blog.  It's AMAZING!!!!  Stefani is the mastermind behind Cupcake Project - a fun experimental cupcake blog.  Stefani's blog is full of cupcakes that are a great spin on a classic, some cupcakes the are completely out of the box, and a bunch of other really yummy recipes.

Apparently Cupcake Project and Scoopalicious have be hosting an annual Ice Cream Cupcake Contest since 2008.  How fun is that?!?  What's an Ice Cream Cupcake you ask?  It's a cupcake ice cream sandwich or a cupcake topped with ice cream or a cream dreamy layering of cupcake, ice cream, and frosting.  All this sounded too amazing not to through my hat into the mix.

Now the only problem was what to make.  I had two ideas swimming in my head, and I couldn't decide between them to save my life.  One is very me and the othe a literal translation of the contest.  I asked my bloggy bestie, my boyfriend, and my co-workers which recipe to go with.  I'm not going to lie, in my head I'm still torn between the recipes.  I guess I will save my other idea for next year's entry.  But for this year, literal it is!  So today I have for you a Drumstick Cupcake.  It's all kinds of happy delicious just waiting to get into your tummy.  And it just feels like summer to me.

Drumstick Cupcakes
Cupcake adapted from Bakerella & The Purple Spoon][ Magic Shell recipe from Eating Richly

Ingredients:
Bourbon Brown Butter Graham Cracker Cupcakes
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon  {or whiskey, I'm using Jack Daniel's}
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 - 1 ounce squares semi-sweet chocolate, cut into quarters for 12 pieces total

Magic Shell
4 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Your favorite vanilla ice cream
Honey roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Brown the butter: Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter stops foaming.  Browned bits will start to form at the bottom of the pan and the butter will have a nutty smell, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl.  Stir in graham crackers.
3. Add milk, eggs, vanilla, and bourbon.  Whisk to combine.
4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture in two additions; mix after each addition until just combined.
5. Pour batter into paper lined muffin tin cups, until 2/3 full.  Insert a piece of chocolate into the center of each cup.  Press down on the chocolate until it is just about flush with the top of the batter.
6. Bake until golden brown, 21 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Once cupcakes are cooled, put bittersweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.  Stir chocolate and add butter.  Microwave for another 20 seconds.  Stir to combine.  {My chocolate clumped up a little, but I kept stirring and everything smoothed out.}  If needed, microwave in 20 second intervals until butter and chocolate are combined and smooth.  Let chocolate cool for at least 5 minutes so it won't melt the ice cream.
9. Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the cupcake.  Coat ice cream with Magic Shell and sprinkle with chopped peanuts before shell sets.
10. Serve immediately!

The chocolate sinks to the bottom of the cupcakes and gives that perfect chocolate bite to finish the cupcake.  Just like at the bottom of a Drumstick!

These cupcakes are so insanely good.  They're a little messier than the original Drumsticks, but these cupcakes might me the best twist I've ever seen.  They come off totally fancy, but are a breeze to make.  I love desserts like that!

Thank you thank you thank you to Stefani and Scoopalicious for putting on such a fun event.  I can't wait until next year!

Be sure to check out all the other entries too.  :)

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