Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Recipe from Annie?s Eats

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
12 Oreos, twisted apart with cream filling attached
1 cup + 2 tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
1.5 large egg whites, at room temperature (I ended up using 2)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup 2%milk
10 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them)

For the frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners? sugar, sifted
1 tbsp. heavy cream*

For garnish:
Oreo cookie crumbs
6 Oreo cookie tops, halved

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350? F. Line the wells of cupcake pans with 12 paper liners. Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.

Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 14-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners? sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Don?t overbeat because it can become runny. If frosting is a bit runny put it back in the fridge for an hour for it to set-up.

Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves don?t garnish until just before serving b/c will get soggy.