Oreo Cupcakes

I decided one day that I needed to try a recipe for Oreo cupcakes after trying the best Oreo cupcake ever at Cupcakes on the Ridge.  I looked up Oreo Cupcakes on the Internet and found on a girl's blog.  It's been awhile since I made these so I don't remember the blog name or I would give her credit. I know that she got the recipe from Williams-Sonoma.  This wasn't the easiest thing I have ever made but the cupcakes were good and REALLY pretty.  I brought them to my Ladies' Group and they loved them. :) I think the next time I make them, I'll just do a chocolate cake recipe from the box.  The icing is so good that I think they will still taste great and be much easier.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

2 cups brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

24 Oreos, one side twisted off

Icing:

1 1/4 cups whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Oreo crumbs made from reserved Oreo sides

Place cupcake liners in pan and place one Oreo in each liner, cream side up.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Gradually add brown sugar and continue beating until fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla adding eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture alternating three times and beating after each addition.  That last sentence sounds confusing. It's probably fine to just add the flour mixture, beat it, and then add the buttermilk mixture.  Pour mixture into the cupcake liners.  Bake 22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let the cupcakes cool before filling and frosting.

I was excited to finally use the pan Marci gave me for my birthday.  I LOVE this pan!! It's so much fun because it leaves little holes for filling!! :)

I need to find another pan like this. I just love it!

Now for the frosting:  Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff.  Gently fold in the cookie crumbs. 

If you don't have a pan like I do, scoop the icing into a piping bag or a gallon size Ziploc bag, using a 1 M tip, inject filling into each cupcake by sticking the tip into the middle of the cupcake and squeezing a little bit.

Heap lots of frosting on top of the cupcakes and top with 1/2 of an Oreo.

Fun and pretty but not the easiest. Next time, I will make it lots easier by using just a cake mix. :)

Enjoy!