Week 46, December 15, 2014 ~ Candy Cane Oreo Cupcakes

These cupcakes are seriously amazing! Perfect from top to bottom! The cake seriously tastes like Oreo and it is filled with crushed up Candy Cane Oreos, the perfect cupcake mix in as it doesn't add too much crunch and melds in with the cake perfectly. Then they are topped with a peppermint mascarpone whipped cream, which was cool and light and delicious. I imagine it would to excellent atop a hot chocolate! Then they are adorably garnished with mini Candy Cane Oreos. 

This recipe makes 14-16 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 dark chocolate ( I used an 80%)

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 - 1 1/2 cups crushed Oreos

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. Stir in the crushed Oreos until evenly distributed.
10. Fill cupcake liners and bake with 18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
11. Set aside on a wire rack and let cool.

For the Peppermint Whipped Cream:

• 12 oz Mascarpone cheese
• 1 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• splash of vanilla
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• mini Oreos 

1. in a bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the mascarpone cheese, heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. Gradually increase the speed over a few seconds till on medium-high.  Slowly pour in the sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium-high until soft peaks form--this should not take more than a minute or 2...gradually lower the speed until you turn off the mixer.
2. Frost cupcakes and top with the mini Oreos.