Oreo Cookie Cupcakes with Cookies and Cream Frosting

Readers, I believe normality has now resumed.  I am back in the kitchen.  I’ve only managed one bake since I got back from China but it’s a start.

I’ve got lots of charity baking coming up in the next few weeks for BBC Children in Need and a TCCL Lodge fundraising night in Tayside, so I’ve no doubt I’ll have bakes to share with you after this.

I’ve gone back to the old faithful cupcakes for my first bake post China .  Rumour has it these are the best cupcakes I’ve ever made…  Even Mr WhatClaireBaked was excited by them and believe it or not, he’s not the biggest sponge cake fan…

I took my no fail chocolate cupcake recipe and added a secret Oreo Cookie at the bottom of each.  The surprise element went down a treat with the cake fans.

These are ridiculously easy and look impressive.  Perfect for cookies and cream lovers.

Oreo Cookie Cupcakes with Cookies and Cream Frosting

Ingredients – makes 15 medium cakes

175g self raising flour

175g butter

175g sugar

3 medium eggs

2 heaped dessert spoons cocoa powder ( and hot water to make a paste)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

15 Oreo Cookies (halved horizontally)

Frosting

125g salted butter

400g icing sugar

1 heaped dessert spoon full fat cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

4 oreo cookies (blitzed to a crumb in food processor)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190c/170c fan/Gas Mark 6.  Add cupcake cases to a muffin tin. Half Oreo cookies and place the side with the filling into the muffin case.  The cream should face up towards the mixture.   Set aside the other half of the cookie.

Set aside half of the cookie

Add the other half to the cake cakes

2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla essence and mix.

3. Add the eggs one at time, mixing well between each addition. Add a teaspoon of flour to prevent curdling.

4. Mix the cocoa powder and hot water in a cup to form a thick paste.  Set aside.

Making the chocolate paste

5. Fold in the sifted flour to the cake batter and mix until combined.  Then, add in the chocolate paste and mix well.

Add the chocolate paste...

...and mix!

6. Spoon the mix into the cupcake cases and transfer to the oven.  Bake for 17-18 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean.  Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack.  Leave to fully cool.

Frosting

1. Transfer the softened butter to a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until soft and lighter in colour.   Slowly add the icing sugar to form a smooth butter cream.

2. If it’s too thick, add a teaspoon of milk to loosen the mix.   Once it has reached your desired consistency, add the cream cheese and fold in.  Don’t overmix otherwise the cream cheese will go runny.

3. Add your extra whole Oreos to a food processor and blitz until a crumb is formed.  Once crumbed, spoon into the frosting and mix well.  Add a bit at a time until your frosting reaches your desired colour – don’t add it all in one go.

4. Add the frosting to a piping bag and pipe swirls on top of the cooked cakes.  Then take the remaining half Oreos and pop into the frosting as an additional decoration.

Tips 

• Temperature changes make the decorative Oreos go soft.  Keep in the fridge until half an hour before serving.  Or serve straight away. 
• If this isn’t possible, a whole Oreo with a cocktail stick pushed in, so the cookie doesn’t touch the frosting will help it stay crunchy.

I'm entering this recipe into #recipeoftheweek over at A Mummy Too.