Cookies and Creamy Deliciousness!

Things have been super crazy at the Fujii house since Christmas!  Things are always busy around that time, as they are for all of us.  But now that I have finally had a chance to breath and reset, I am back in my baking groove, and with some new tools, I might add!

Check out the awesome mixing bowl Mr. Cupcake got me for Christmas!  (The bowl - we already had the mixer!)

My student, Emma, also treated me to a lifetime supply of cupcake liners!  (Okay, this will last me until summer...)  I love love LOVE all of the different colors and have to make sure I have a rainbow happening before I stick my goodies in the oven.

I don't have Oreo's often, but dang, they are GOOD!!!

I have been diving into the world of Pinterest lately - have you tried it?  It's very addictive.  There are wonderful ideas and recipes on there, and that is where I got the inspiration for this cupcake....the cookies and cream....Originally from Annie's Good Eats!




I have definitely made this before, with my wonderful mandros.....but I didn't document the experience properly, and I wanted to try out this new recipe.  They turned out pretty dang good!  I would definitely make these again.  AND, I think I have found the best recipe for cream cheese frosting yet.  Move over Martha!

If I remember, we actually screwed this batch up...but it's a cute picture!

Ingredients:

Cake
24 Oreo Halves (cream filling attached)
Really, you will use an ENTIRE bag of oreos for this recipe - especially if you eat a few in the baking process.  Like me!
2.25 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter - room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites - room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Frosting
20 Oreo Cookies, coarsely chopped
(I used a combination of the top halves left from the cake part, in addition to some whole cookies.  It's great to have the filling in the cupcake bites too!)
8 oz. cream cheese - room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter - room temperature
1 tbsp. vanill extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar (really just do this to taste.  I used way less, but I like to taste the cream cheese)
2 tbsp. heavy cream (I'm pretty sure this is what made the frosting so wonderfully perfect)
Oreo Cookie crumbs
24 Oreo cookie halves (I wasn't kidding about needing the whole damned bag)

This made about 18 good sized cupcakes for me.

Love the rainbow of liners!  Thanks, Emma!!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Get out your favorite colorful cupcake liners and line 'em up!  Put the oreo halves (with the cream filling) filling side up.  One in each liner.





In a medium bowl combine your dry ingredients (flour, powder and salt).  Stir so that it's all mixed evenly.

         

Featuring my new whisk!  Thanks, Santa!

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine your butter and sugar.  Beat until light and fluffy (which takes about 2-3 minutes).  Beat in the egg whites - one at a time!  Don't get hasty!  Then add your vanilla.

Scale back your speed to low and add 1/2 of the dry ingredients.  Mix until just incorporated - don't overdo it!  Add your milk until combined and then the rest of your dry ingredients.  Stir in those yummy chopped Oreos until they are evenly incorporated.  If, in your expert opinion, you need more Oreos - add more Oreos.   Don't over mix 'em.

Nom nom nom!

Divide batter evenly into each liner.  Bake for 20 minutes, rotating 1/2 way through.

For the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer (having more than one bowl REALLY comes in handy here -then you don't have to do dishes in between!)  Blend on medium'high until smooth.  Add vanilla and then sugar until smooth.  Then the heavy cream until incorporated.  Then jazz it up to medium high and whip for 4 minutes.  This frosting is perfection.  Put on your favorite piping tip and go to town!

Garnish with Oreo halves and crushed cookies.  Eat and be merry.