Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Aww Cookies and Cream cupcakes.....  One of my good friend's recommended this recipe from Annie's Eats.  Earlier this year I made a Cookies and Cream cake that was awesome.  I thought creating cupcakes that were of a similar genre sounded like a good idea.  Why not right?

Click link to read more about this awesome recipe...


Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

For the frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tbsp heavy cream

For garnish:
Oreo cookie crumbs
24 Oreo cookie crumbs

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 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.

2. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, the transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. 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.

4. Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.  Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.

These cupcakes turned out amazing.  Thanks Annie's Eats...  I am ready to make more of your recipes.  I give this recipe 4.6 out of 5 stars.  I loved them and everyone who ate them loved them as well.  One of my favorite parts about them was the half of the Oreo that was discovered at the bottom of the cupcake.   The cupcakes were incredibly moist.  The cookies did not take a away at all from the level of moisture in the cupcakes themselves.  (which has happened to me before in previous cookie based cupcake recipes)  At this moment, I can't think of ways I could improve this recipe.  If they come to me, I will let you know.  I highly recommend that you make these cupcakes if you have a chance.  :)