Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I have never been much of a biscuit lover. I mean, they're OK, but just a little bit too dry for my liking. But I started to realise today that this may be changing. In the last couple of months I have found myself scoffing down delicious shortbread, a friend's choc chunk cookies and only last night I got into some Oreos. They're delicious, and what better to use when baking some cookies and cream cupcakes than Oreos.

I started with my favourite devil's food cupcake recipe, swirled on top some vanilla Italian meringue buttercream mixed through with crushed oreos, topped this with a mini Oreo and sprinkled over some more crushed Oreo to make them look pretty. Some of the cupcakes also had half an Oreo underneath the cake which was put in before the batter - I wasn't sure about this so only did it with half.

The cute mini china teapots and plates in the picture above are not mine...yet. They are my mums and I decided they may as well get used and seen by someone.

Oh and the verdict - put an oreo half under the cake, its great!

Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake
From Cupcake bakeshop by chokylit

makes 24 cupcakes (I find it makes heaps more - I made 24 cupcakes + 30 mini cupcakes)

·        2 cups flour

·        2 cups sugar

·        ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

·        1½ teaspoons baking soda

·        1½ cups milk

·        ½ cup butter

·        2 teaspoons vanilla

·        2 eggs

1.    Preheat oven to 180°C.

2.    Measure out everything but the eggs directly into your mixer bowl.

3.    Mix on low speed just until incorporated, then beat on high speed for 2 minutes.

4.    Add eggs, beat on high speed again for 2 minutes.

5.    Measure out into cupcake pan lined with cupcake papers. A ice cream scoop works great for this. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool slightly in the pan then transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cookies and Cream Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from Marzipan mom blog

Note: This makes heaps of buttercream - I had leftover after piping swirls on 24 cupcakes and 30 mini cupcakes. The extra icing will keep in the freezer.

Yield: 7 cups enough to fill and frost a 9-inch three-layer cake or about 4 dozen cupcakes

·        4 large egg whites

·        1 cups granulated sugar

·        ½ cup light corn syrup

·        460g (2 cups/1lb.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

·        1 Tbs. vanilla extract

·        about 16 Oreo cookies, crushed

1.    Place the egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on medium-high speed until foamy. Sprinkle in 5 Tbs. of the sugar and beat on high speed to medium peaks (the whites should be smooth, full, and shiny, and the peaks should curl a little). Turn off the mixer.

2.    Combine the remaining sugar and the corn syrup in a saucepan over medium high heat, stirring briefly to dissolve the sugar. Continue to cook just until the mixture comes to a rolling boil.

3.    Immediately remove the syrup from the heat, turn the mixer onto medium-high speed, and slowly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl in a steady stream, being very careful not to let the syrup hit the whisk.

4.    Reduce the speed to medium and continue whisking until the whites are barely warm, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the butter 1 Tbs. at a time. Add the vanilla and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Fold in crushed Oreo cookies.

If not being used straight away, store in the fridge covered in plastic wrap or in a container. To use, bring back to room temperature and beat until smooth.