Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

I decided to make Cookies & Cream Cupcakes for my daughter's first birthday.  I've had them on my Sweet Treats board on Pinterest (feel free to follow me!) for a little while and was really excited to try them.  I think cupcakes are perfect for a first birthday.  I found them on this great blog here but the actual recipe is here.

Makes 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
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)

Frosting:

Check out my Awesome Frosting Recipe.

Decoration:

Oreo cookie crumbs

24 Oreo cookie halves (I quarter them)

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line the walls 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.

Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners.  

Bake for 18-20 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, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.  Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish decoration with Oreo halves or quarters.   

These cupcakes turned out absolutely delicious.  My favourite part of them was the bottom (half the oreo cookie with the cream part on it).  I will definitely be making them again!

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