Busy Cooking: Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

"Cookies and cream cupcakes that are a dream" should really be the title of this post.  Last year, for my son's class end of year party, I made over 150 cupcakes- these were one of the types I made.  I went on homeleave, was busy with other stuff and never got around to posting about my cupcake baking extravaganza.  These cupcakes have sadly never made it on to the blog, which is a shame, because they really are dreamy.  My brother had a birthday last week, so I took the opportunity to give these cupcakes the recognition they deserve.  My brother loves oreos, so it was easy to choose these for his birthday treat.  I found the recipe here, at beantown baker (how appropriate)- she used a cream cheese icing, which I made the first time around and it was actually quite nice, but my brother does not like cream cheese, so I made up my own fluffy cookies and cream icing, which, I must say was AWESOME!

Oven: 350

Cupcakes:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temp
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 egg whites
1 cup milk
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 package oreos (for normal sized cupcakes, or the bite sized oreos for mini cupcakes)

Frosting:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (3/4 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
3-5 TBSP milk
3-3.5 cups confectioner's sugar

1) For the cupcakes, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy.  Add in vanilla and egg whites, mix until combined, scrape down sides.

2) In separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.  In alternate additions, slowly add milk and flour mixture to butter mixture.  Scrape down sides of bowl, mix again.

3) Place liners in well of cupcake pan (I made 12 large and 24 mini cupcakes).  For each cupcake, twist an oreo apart, and place the side with the icing on it, icing side up in the bottom of the cupcake liner, (for large cupcakes, use normal sized oreo, for mini cupcakes, use bite sized oreos).

4) Take the tops of the oreos from step 3 and crush them up, set aside in a small bowl for the frosting.

5) Take about 10-12 normal sized oreos and cut them into fourths or fifths, good sized chunk pieces:

Fold these pieces into your batter.

6) Scoop batter into prepared muffin pans and fill about 2/3 of the way.  Bake 17 minutes for mini cupcakes and 22 for large ones. (toothpick inserted in center should come out clean).

Check out the bottom:

Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, cream the butter in mixer, with paddle attachment, slowly add in 1 cup confectioner's sugar and 1 TBSP milk.  Add in vanilla.  Add in 1 more TBSP milk and 1 cup confectioner's sugar.  Mix, repeat milk and confectioner's sugar addition.  Beat on high for about 30 seconds.  If frosting is too thick for your liking, add in milk 1 TBSP at a time for desired consistency.  You can add more confectioner's sugar too if you think it doesn't taste right.  Pour in crushed oreos bits (these should be like dirt otherwise they can block your decorator tip).  Gently fold bits in, put in decorating bag, and frost cupcakes.  Garnish tops with a mini oreo if desired.