Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

This weekend, like most, was a busy one in our house. We were invited to a BBQ with friends from work on Saturday afternoon, and with Matthew's hockey team on Sunday. I decided to bake cupcakes for both of the parties. Five dozen in all.

Since these parties involved many small boys, and all small boys love Oreos and chocolate (Cal excepted), I decided that some Cookies & Cream cupcakes were in order.

Yes, that is an Oreo cookie baked inside the cupcake. Decadent. 

I used my go-to chocolate cake recipe and popped an Oreo into the bottom of each cupcake liner before filling each cup 2/3 full with batter. 

The Oreo stayed at the bottom of the cupcake, but I think that it might be better to have it in the middle. Next time I'll try filling the cups 1/3 of the way, drop in the Oreo, add more batter to the top, and hope that the cookies stay put while they're baking.

While the cupcakes themselves were delicious, the pièce de résistance was the Cookies & Cream buttercream icing. It was light and fluffy and delectable. Seriously, how can you make buttercream better? All you need to do is add Oreos.

Cookies & Cream Buttercream

1 pound of butter, softened

3 1/2  cups icing sugar

2-3 tablespoons whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

12 Oreos, chopped

     1. Whip butter in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and creamy. This takes about 5 minutes on medium speed in my KitchenAid.
     2. Add the icing sugar, cream and vanilla. Mix on low speed for a minute until icing sugar is incorporated, and then on medium speed for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in chopped Oreos and mix for about 1 more minute.

Then all that's left to do is ice the cupcakes and top with a mini Oreo.

 Oh, and fight off the hungry beasts children until the five dozen cupcakes are packaged up and hidden away.

Well, since the evidence is smeared on Cal's face I might as well admit that we might have made that five dozen less two.