Broken Cookie Monster Cupcakes

Catherine Cowles is my favorite suspense romance author. She really knows how to keep you guessing. I enjoy when I read her books that I am always trying to figure out who is going to be the person to cause tragedy towards the end of the book. Broken Harbor by Catherine Cowles was definitely one that kept me guessing. You always think you know who it is going to be that has been harassing the characters and then out of nowhere it's someone else. This is the case with Broken Harbor.

Sutton is the FMC and owns a bakery. She has a little boy and is divorced from the father of her son. She does not have a relationship with her ex-husband because he got into some substances and is not willing to give them up. She tried to help but when it was clear that he would not give them up and would put her and her son at risk, she left him. She tried to get as far away as possible which is what brought her to Sparrow Falls. She is happy here and her son is happy as well. Her son is also obesessed with hockey and wants to become a professional hockey player. Sutton is not happy with her son's choice of sport because of the violence. Her ex-husband was a professional boxer and is not a fan of what the dangerous sports can mean.

Cope is a professional hockey player and is back in his home town, Sparrow Falls, for the summer. He is helping to coach a hockey camp for children at the local ice rink. He has a reputation and bad press has not been helping him lately. He is helping coach the camp to lay low and to get away from the bad press. He meets Sutton and her son at the camp. Sutton does not want much to do with him because he is a professional athlete and she already dealt with one of those.

As they get to know each other they begin to have a relationship with one another. Trouble also starts to follow them. Cope's bad press is following him in Sparrow Falls and Sutton's ex is causing trouble for her as well. This is usually the part of the book when I try to figure out who is responsible for it all. In this book I really did not think it was the person that it ended up being. Although looking back at it now it should have been obvious to me.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is the third book in the Sparrow Falls series by Catherine Cowles. You do not necessarily have to read the books in order, however, the characters in the previous books make an appearance in this book. Catherine Cowles also has other book series that I have enjoyed.

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Cookie Monster Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

• 1/3 cup milk

For the cookie bottom

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 3/4 cup flour

• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

For the Buttercream Icing

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3-4 cups of powdered sugar (sifted)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2-3 tbsp milk

• pinch of salt

• Gel food coloring of your choice

Directions:

Step 1: preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Set a side.

Step 2: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set a side.

Step 3: Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Step 4: Mix in the greek yogurt. Then add the flour mixture in 2 parts, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined.

Step 5: For the cookies. beat the 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar until fluffy. Add in the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. Add in the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.

Step 6: add about 1tsp of the cookie batter to the bottom of the cupcake liners. Press the cookie batter down so that they fill the bottom of the liner. Add the cupcake batter over the cookie batter. Fill the liners about two thirds of the way with the batter.

Step 7: Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes. Test that the cupcakes are done by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the cupcake and ensuring it comes out clean. Let the the cupcakes completely cool before decorating.

Step 8: With any left over cookie batter you will bake them in the oven for 10 minutes. When putting them on the cookie tray make them into small balls and then press down slightly. You will use these to decorate the cupcakes later.

Step 9: Buttercream icing. Beat the butter on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add posdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Mix in vanilla, a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp of milk. Add more milk if need to reach your desired consistency. Add a small amount of gel food coloring and mix well.

Step 10: Decorate the cupcakes. If you are giving the cupcakes the monster look you will need to use the wilton tip #233. It is a grass tip for cake decorating. First frost the top of the cupcakes with a thin layer of the buttercream icing. then put together a piping bag and add the rest of the icing to the bag. Ice the cupcakes with #233 tip all over the top to give the fuzzy look. Add eyes and half of a cookie.