Snickerdoodle Duo

Today the SVU baseball team played EMU and won 7-5, with a homerun from my husband. I made a treat called "Snickerdoodle Duo" that I found on bakerella.com. It consists of a snickerdoodle cupcake and a snickerdoodle cookie sandwiched in between the frosting on top. It is very yummy!!
I was slightly disappointed in the frosting while making it, so I added about a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a very little bit of almond extract to it while mixing. 
Here is the recipe for the cookie:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pure vegetable shortening
• 1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
• 2 large eggs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, with one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
2. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine.
3. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Use a small (1 1/4-ounce) ice-cream scoop to form balls of the dough, and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown), about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 5 minutes. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool about 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to the rack. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.
   Here is the recipe for the cupcakes:
   I doubled the recipe and got 38 cupcakes when spooning about 1/4 cup-full in to each cupcake liner.
   • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   • 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
   • 1 tablespoon baking powder
   • 1/2 teaspoon salt
   • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
   • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
   • 1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
   • 4 large eggs, room temperature
   • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
   • 1 1/4 cups milk
   • Seven-Minute Frosting

   Directions

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
   2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.
   3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
   4. To finish, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (Ateco No. 809 or Wilton No. 1A), pipe frosting on each cupcake: Hold bag over cupcake with tip just above top, and squeeze to create a dome of frosting, then release pressure and pull up to form a peak. Using a small, fine sieve, dust peaks with cinnamon-sugar. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.
      And here is the recipe for the frosting:
      Like I said before, I added about a teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/8 teaspoon of almond extract.
      • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
      • 2/3 cup water
      • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
      • 6 large egg whites, room temperature

   5. For Coconut Variation

      • Add 1/2 teaspoon pure coconut extract at the end of step 3, whisking to combine.

   6. For Coffee Variation

      • Add 2 tablespoons pure coffee extract at the end of step 3, whisking to combine.

   Directions

   1. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, without stirring, until syrup reaches 230 degrees.
   2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the
      whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating to combine.
   3. As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees, remove from heat. With mixer on medium-low speed, pour syrup down side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to medium-high; whisk until mixture is completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl) and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 7 minutes. Use immediately.