Week 16, May 22, 2014 ~ Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

This is probably one of my favorite cupcakes so far! Mainly because if anyone knows anything about me it is that I love cookies and cream! Oreos and ice cream! It was also one of my favorites because after the past few weeks not going smoothly (with sinking cupcakes and melty frostings) this cupcake came out perfect! Fun tip--you really do need to change out your baking powder ever 3 months and baking soda every month...it solved the sinking cupcake problem! The cupcake was a dark chocolate cupcake with brown sugar as well as white, which gave it more of a Oreo taste than if I had just made a regular chocolate cupcake. I also liked how moist this cupcake came out. The Piece de resistance though was the homemade cream filling! It was super easy and tasted as good as the original! Though this one you could eat by the spoonful...I found it very hard not to! The frosting was a traditional vanilla buttercream with finely crushed up oreo; I also incorporated some of the leftover cream filling so more oreo goodness! Then I had some mini oreos laying around so i put those on top. If I hadn't had those I would have just crushed up oreos and put those on top!

The recipe made 16 cupcakes

For the chocolate cake:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 ounces semi sweet chocolate

2 large eggs, room temp

2 large egg yolks, room temp

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup sour cream

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder--I use Hershey's Special Dark

1/2 cup brewed coffee, room temp

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool.
3. Beat butter and sugar until fully combined and looks like wet sand; add the melted chocolate once cooled and mix to combine.
4. Mix in eggs and egg yolks one at a time until just combined.
5. Mix in oil, vanilla, and sour cream until just combined.
6. Sift flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a separate bowl.
7. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture a little at a time until just combined.
8. Add the coffee and mix till combined.
9. Fill cupcake liners and bake with 18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. Set aside on a wire rack and let cool while preparing the filling and buttercream.

For the Cream Filling:

• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 
• 1/2 cup shortening 
• 1/2 Tablespoon granulated white sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
• 3 Tablespoons hot water

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and beat until combined and it is the consistency of Oreo cream filling...it is that easy! Set aside about a 1/2 cup for the frosting. Fill each cupcake with about a tablespoon of filling.

For the Buttercream:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 3 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup cream filling
• 10 Oreos, finely crushed--I used double stuffed

1. Cream the butter and cream filling until it is really light and fluffy. About 5 minutes, scraping the sides occasionally.
2. Gradually add the sugar, mixing after each addition--frosting will be pretty thick by the end.
3. Add the vanilla and  3 tbsp of heavy cream and beat the frosting for a few more minutes.
4. Add the crushed oreos and mix until evenly distributed.

The Finished Product!!

Happy Baking :)