Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before my love affair with all things Oreo.

These cookies and cream cupcakes are just one of the things I can't get enough of.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

1 package white or yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1 cup hot water

1/3 cup oil

1 package chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos), reserving 20-22 cookies for frosting and garnishing.

Break cookies into small pieces.  Beat together cake mix, eggs, water, and oil on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Fold in cookie pieces.  Place cupcake liners in cupcake tin, and fill half-way full with batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

8-10 chocolate sandwich cookies, cream center removed, and crushed into fine crumbs.

8 Tbs (1 stick) butter, room temperature

3-3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3-4 Tbs milk or cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream together all ingredients except cookie crumbs until you reach a good frosting-like consistency.  Beat on high 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Fold in cookie crumbs until just combined.  DO NOT OVER MIX or your frosting will turn grey.  

STEP-BY-STEP

 Place cake mix

 4 eggs

 1 cup hot water

 and 1/3 cup of oil into a large bowl.  Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. 

 Break chocolate sandwich cookies into small pieces.

to do this, I place them in a baggie and use a rolling pin.

 Fold cookie pieces into the batter.

 Place cupcake liners into the muffin tin.

 Fill each cup 1/2-way full of batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until done.  Be careful to remove the cupcakes from the oven right when they're done.  The longer they cook, the drier they are.

 While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting by placing 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter into a large bowl.  Cream this until it's light and fluffy

 Now add the vanilla

 and milk or cream

 and the powdered sugar until you get a good consistency (not too thick, not too thin)

Whip the frosting on high for 3-5 minutes until it gets nice and fluffy.

 While that whips, remove the cream part from the sandwich cookie

 place the cookie part into a baggie and crush until you have fine crumbs (sand-like).

 Gently fold the crumbs into the frosting.  Be careful not to over mix.  It will turn the frosting grey.

 Scoop the frosting into a tip-fitted piping bag, or into a baggie with the end cut off, like I did.

Once the cupcakes are baked and completely cooled,

 frost and garnish each cupcake with half a cookie.

 "Come to me, you sweet little thing."