Oreo Cupcakes

The first time I really pieced together a recipe to create my own was when I was trying to find a use for the plethora of mint in my garden.  Incidentally, if you are ever to grow mint--never, ever, ever plant it in your garden--use pots.  Trust me. 
I ended up creating a mint oreo cupcake recipe that was pretty darn awesome.  When mint was (finally!) no longer in season, I adapted them for a plain Oreo cupcake instead.  I made these for my physics kids last year and they were a huge hit!  The only pictures I can find are of the mint ones I made, but they look the same minus the mint sprigs and mint Oreos.  If  you're interested in how I made the mint ones, I do have the modifications listed after the recipe


Essentially, they are chocolate cupcakes filled with whipped cream and topped with a cookies and cream whipped cream.  You could do a buttercream instead, but I think the light topping works better than an overly sweet one.  Garnish with half an Oreo and you're set!  Tasters will also be surprised by not only the filling, but the Oreo half on the bottom. 


Oreo Cupcakes and Mint Oreo Cupcakes

Yield: About 30 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cake

• 30 oreos, split
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), very soft
• 1 3/4cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
• 4ounces unsweetened chocolate , coarsely chopped
• 1/4cup cocoa (3/4 ounce)
• 1/2cup hot water
• 1 3/4cups sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
• 1 1/2teaspoons baking soda
• 1teaspoon table salt
• 1cup buttermilk
• 2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks

Frosting and filling

•  3 cups heavy cream (cold)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup Oreo crumbs (perfect use for those extra oreo halves!)

Garnish: 15 Oreos, halved


Instructions

1.  Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake tins with paper liners. 
   If desired, place an oreo half with the cream side up in the bottom of the liners before you fill with batter. (See right.)
    Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, and hot water in medium heatproof bowl; set bowl over saucepan containing 1 inch of simmering water and stir with rubber spatula until chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup sugar to chocolate mixture and stir until thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Combine buttermilk and vanilla in small bowl. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk eggs and yolks on medium-low speed until combined, about 10 seconds. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar, increase speed to high, and whisk until fluffy and lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Replace whisk with paddle attachment. Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg/sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated, 30 to 45 seconds, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add softened butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing about 10 seconds after each addition. Add about one-third of flour mixture followed by half of buttermilk mixture, mixing until incorporated after each addition (about 15 seconds). Repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining buttermilk mixture (batter may appear separated). Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining flour mixture; mix at medium-low speed until batter is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer and fold batter once or twice with rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
3. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature before frosting, 30 minutes.
   
   
4. FROSTING: With an electric mixer, whisk cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.  With a Bismarck or large star tip, pipe whipped cream into the centers of the cooled cupcakes. Fold the Oreo crumbs into the remaining whipped cream and frost. Garnish with half of an Oreo.
   
   Note: Make sure your Oreo crumbs are finely, finely, finely ground (I've learned to use a wire strainer) or else it will clog up your star tip terribly!

Chocolate Cake Recipe from Cooks Illustrated


If you want to make them Mint Oreo cupcakes, infuse the cooled cupcakes with a mint simple syrup.  Add mint simple syrup to taste to the frosting as well and use mint oreos instead of regular.  (If I had to guess, I'd say I used maybe a 1/2 cup total simple syrup.  I made these a couple of years ago and didn't measure it out to begin with, so I'm not entirely sure how much you'll need. ) You can also add a sprig of fresh mint to the garnish.  Yum!