Oreo Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Well, well, well! Look who finally decided to rejoin the blogging community! I know it has been over a month since my last post, but I really do have a good excuse. I was experiencing my first trimester of pregnancy! I had zero cooking energy, therefore resulting in a lot of repeated meals -with Connor usually making them, as well as a lot more than usual fast food runs! Oops!

Well, I'm back in the game-for now- and feeling much better! I have had this recipe that I found through Annie's Eats for months, but just lacked the energy to post.

These cupcakes are TO DIE FOR! My favorite is the oreo and cream cheese frosting. DELICIOUS! I wish I had some right now....

Here's what you'll need: for both the cupcakes and frosting

• 24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them)
• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream
• Oreo cookie crumbs (use the left overs from the ones you chopped)
• 24 Oreo cookie halves

Let's get started!

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Fill cupcake pans with liners and place one oreo half in the bottom of each, cream side up.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the one stick of butter and 1 and 2/3 cup sugar. Beat together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Blend in the 3 large egg whites, one at a time. Blend in 2 tsp vanilla extract.

3. In another bowl, mix together,  ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, and ½ tsp. salt

4. Gradually beat in half of the dry ingredients.

5. Add the 1 cup milk, then finish adding the remaining dry ingredients until blended.

6. Gently fold in the chopped oreos with a rubber spatula. be careful not to "over mix".

7. Divide batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer backed cupcakes to a wire rack to cool  completely.

 

Time to make the frosting!

1. Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

2. Blend in the vanilla extract.

3. Beat in the powdered sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes.

4. 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.

I added my frosting to a plastic bag to make frosting the cupcakes easier, but you can add a dollop to the tops of each cupcake if you want. Top with a oreo half before serving.

Enjoy!