Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

By srumbel

I made these cookies and cream cupcakes using my very favorite vanilla cupcake recipe. It’s the one I use as a base for most of my cupcakes, and it always gives me perfect results! I’ve made it so many times now that I have the recipe memorized, and could probably make them in my sleep. :) One mistake I made really often when I first started making cupcakes was to overfill the cups, which resulted in cupcakes that spilled over the top of the muffin tin and were unattractive, and usually sank in the center. The best way (in my experience) to get those perfectly domed tops is to only fill the cups 2/3 full at the most (sometimes I only fill them a little more than halfway).

I always wondered how people got that beautifully swirled frosting on top, and then it finally (after way too long) hit me – use a jumbo piping tip! Once I switched to the jumbo tips, my cupcakes started looking more like the ones from the bakery and less like my four year old had decorated them. Once you’ve got the basics down, it’s fun to customize the cupcakes, and the options are endless! My husband is a huge fan of Oreos, so I thought these cookies would be a fun surprise for him. I love the Oreo baked right into the bottom of the cupcake, and the frosting tastes just like cookies and cream ice cream! These cupcakes are a definite win!
from lilluna.com

Ingredients

• for the cupcakes:
• 12 Oreo cookies
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoons vanilla
• for the frosting:
• 3.5 ounces marshmallow fluff (1/2 of 7 ounce container)
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons cream
• 10 Oreo cookies, finely crushed, plus additional Oreos for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350. Line 12 wells of a muffin tin with paper liners. Place an Oreo cookie in the bottom of each paper liner, and set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cake flour, all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine. Mix in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl or measuring cup, and add half of the milk mixture to the batter. Mix until smooth, then add the other half of the milk mixture and mix until smooth.
Scoop into prepared muffin tin, filling ½-2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool completely.
After the cupcakes have cooled, beat together the marshmallow fluff and butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and add enough cream to make a smooth, easily pipeable frosting. Beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the finely crushed Oreos. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes (I used a jumbo round tip) and garnish with additional Oreos as desired.
Serves: 12 cupcakes