Recipe: Cookies 'N Cream Cupcakes

Photo credit: Laurenslatest.com (My picture is on my tumblr page)

A while ago I posted a picture of my cookies ‘n cream cupcakes and said I’d post the recipe I used, and here it is. I found this recipe on Pinterest, I’m not sure which pin exactly but I didn’t make up the recipe, I just added and changed a few things. I’m just sharing the fantastical recipe I used with all y’all. 
The actual recipe calls for putting oreo in the icing, the only reason I didn’t was because I ran out of oreos. You’re going to need a lot of oreo cookies for this recipe. Two family sized boxes would be the best, to be safe. I made these cupcakes again about a week later and did use crushed cookies in the icing- it was delicious but the icing is just as good without the cookies in it. My only warning about putting crushed cookies in the icing is CRUSH THEM VERY WELL if you plan on using an icing bag. I ended up accidentally breaking three icing bags (RIP) because the oreo bits were too big. It was rather frustrating. 
While I was growing up, everyone always said making cakes from scratch is very difficult - which is why my family always used the box mix. Now that I’ve started baking myself, I don’t believe that. Making cakes from scratch is easy (for me, at least) as long as you don’t overtax and you follow the basic directions. 
Anyway here’s what you’ll need:
Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) butter at room temperature (salted or unsalted, both work, I personally prefer salted)
1 ½ cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups milk
1 cup of crushed Oreo Cookies  You can use 1 cup, but I prefer to just use a row and a half to two rows. To crush them just stick ‘em in a plastic ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to smash them up. Make the pieces big and small so there’ll be some variety in the cupcakes. 
30 whole oreos
Mini Oreo Cookies for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pan with liners; set aside. 
Note: When filling these with about a quarter cup of batter each, it makes about 27-30 cupcakes
 In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time,  mixing until incorporated.  Scrape down sides of bowl and mix in vanilla.
Add flour and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour.  
Fold in crushed cookie bits.  Scrape down sides of bowl. 
Spoon a small amount of batter into the bottom of each liner.  Put a regular size Oreo Cookie on top.  Continue to divide batter evenly among liners on top of the cookies, filling each about 2/3 full.  (use about ¼ of a cup)
Bake until cake springs back, approximately 18-20 minutes. Until they spring back when touched or a toothpick comes out clean. (I use both methods but remember the toothpick might get some of that oreo cookie on it) Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.  When cooled, top with buttercream icing and garnish with mini Oreo Cookie.


Vanilla Buttercream Icing
​2 sticks of butter (I used salted)
4 cups of confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup of crushed Oreo Cookies One and a half rows of crushed oreo cookies
3-5 tablespoons half and half fat free milk depending on how thick you want the icing to be
Crush oreos, except this time make sure the pieces all small enough to get through an icing tip. 
Using a mixer, beat butter until it is fluffy.  Add 3 cups of sugar - one cup at a time - mixing until it’s completely incorporated.  Add vanilla, milk, and cookie bits along with the last cup of sugar and mix together, adding more milk until the icing is the desired consistency.  Pipe icing onto cupcakes and garnish with an Oreo Mini.