Oreo Cupcakes

These cupcakes are a fantastic treat, especially for Oreo-lovers. I prefer to store them in the refrigerator so the frosting is firm. Yum!

For the cupcakes:
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them)

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Place half an Oreo in the bottom of each liner, cream side up.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.

Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Frost the cooled cupcakes. Can decorate with cookie crumbs or half an Oreo.

A glimpse of the delicious inside and bottom of the cupcake. These are so good!!

Chocolate chip-cookie dough cupcakes

I found this recipe on Annies-eats.com but it has been adapted from many different sources.

These are possibly the most jaw-dropping, eyes rolling back into your head, unbelievably delectable dessert I think I have ever made.

Enough said. Get baking!

Yield:24 cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

For the filling:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
2½ tsp. vanilla extract

For decoration:
Mini chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

These are my go-to cupcakes for all parties lately. They are delicious. And if you really must know, each cupcake only has 150 calories and 5 grams of fat (until we add frosting...). Ryan has admitted to actually dreaming about these.

Yep, dreamworthy cupcakes. And let's top those dreamy things with some luscious frosting.

*This is a Cooking Light recipe, but I have adapted it slightly with ingredients that I use more commonly or find more easily in the store.

1 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt--I always use Kosher
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup egg substitute*
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk*
1 1/4 ounces dark chocolate (use 60-70% cacao, I use bittersweet), finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes). Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chocolate. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with muffin cup liners. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

Note: I have to double or triple this recipe every time. Things got ugly one time at a party when I only made enough for each person to have one. I learned my lesson.

Now for the frosting: You'll notice the recipe called for simply 'dusting' the cupcakes with powdered sugar after they have cooled--now, that's just fine if you are into that sort of thing--but might I suggest this frosting?

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (from Sprinkles cupcakes)

1 cup butter, softened

3 1/2-4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt (maybe more like a pinch)

In a bowl, combine butter, sugar and salt. Beat til blended.

Add the milk and vanilla and beat for an additional 3-5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.

This made enough frosting for me to frost about 4 batches of cupcakes (so no freaking out about the cup of butter!). Evidently the people at Sprinkles really pile it on because this recipe was for 12 cupcakes!

*If you are wondering "What the heck do I do with my leftover egg substitute and buttermilk?", you might enjoy marbled chocolate banana bread or buttermilk chocolate chip pancakes.

Click here for printable version.