Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Another birthday, this time my friend Jerry.  What to make for a guy who has no dessert favorites but is happy with everything?  Last year I made him a black and white cake (see photo below).  This year, I went with another black and white cake, but in cupcake form.  Plus, I’ve been wanting to make a cookies and cream dessert for a while!

Jerry's 2011 birthday cake.

See the verdict at the end of the post!

Cookies and Cream Cupcake

Adapted from here.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients

1 pack of Oreo cookies

1 1/8 cup flour and 1 Tablespoon pastry flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter – softened

½ and ¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla syrup or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk – room temperature

2 egg whites – room temperature

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners.

2.       Prep Oreos

   a.       Twist 12 Oreos in half and place the side with cream on the bottom of the cupcake liners (cream side up). 

   b.      Cut other half of cookies for later decorations.  Crush the others into a fine crumb to add to frosting.

   c.       Roughly chop 10 Oreo cookies and toss in 1 Tablespoon of flour.  Set aside to fold into batter.

3.       Whisk 1 1/8 cup flour, baking power, and salt in a bowl.  Set aside.

4.       In a separate bowl, whip egg whites to soft peaks.  Gradually beat in ¼ cup sugar until stiff peaks. Set aside.

5.       In a separate bowl, cream butter and ½ cup sugar until fluffy.  Add vanilla and beat to combine.

6.       Add flour to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk, starting and ending with flour and beating between additions.

7.       Fold in egg white mixture.

8.       Fold in chopped Oreo cookies.

9.       Spoon into cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Oreo in the cupcake liners.

Cut the twisted off cookie in half for decorations.

Chop 10 Oreos to fold into batter.

Before baking.

After baking.

Cookies and Buttercream Frosting

In a large bowl, combine 1 cups of butter (softened), 4 cups of icing sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla syrup, and 1/4 cup of milk.  Beat until smooth.  Add crushed Oreo cookies (about ¼ cup) and beat until combined.

Ready for delivery!

Verdict: Jerry seemed pretty happy that he got cake for his birthday.  I wasn’t there when he tasted them, but I thought they were super delicious.  The cake is not too sweet, which balances the sweet frosting.  Plus, the cookie at the bottom of the cupcake stays crispy and gives it a change-up in texture.  A success!  I wonder what other cookies I can bake into a cake…