Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

 I made these for my sister's 13th Birthday

 I thought I would share the recipe with you, since they are so good!

 cookies Et cream cupcakes (500 cupcakes, F. Connolly, pg. 232)

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
10 crushed cream-filled chocolate cookies (oreos)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place 18 foil or paper baking cups in muffin pans. Cmbine all the cupcake ingredients, except the cookies, in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and pale, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cookies.
Spoon the batter into the cups. Bake for 20 min. Remove pans from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes and cool on a wire rack.
Store unforsted in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months

I used a recipe for the icing that I LOVE. Not super sugary, and its light. I added crushed oreos to it, to continue with the Cookies & Cream theme. Which made it hard to make them look cute, but I just smeared it on with a knife. I also have to say that "Our Best Bites," is my favourite cook book right now. 

Whipped buttercream Frosting (Our Best Bites; Mormom Moms in the kitchen, pg.240)
Generously frosts 12 cupcakes or a 9x13 sheet cake 

3 tbs flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup real butter
1/2 cup sugar (Not icing sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract (or any other flavour) 

1. Whisk together the flour and the milk in a small saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until in starts to thicken. It should look like pudding- you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you stir it.
2. Press the mixture through a mesh strainer [I skipped this] and then let it cool completely to room temperature or chill it in the fridge. It needs to be cooled completely or it will melt the butter and you'll have runny frosting.
3. In an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two with the whisk attachment until the mixture is well-combined and fluffy.
4. While the mixer is running, add in the thickened milk mixture and the flavouring. Beat for 7 minutes on the highest speed you can without spraying it all over the place. It may look curdled at first, and it may take up to 12 minutes. If you have to beat the frosting longer than 7 minutes, try placing an ice pack on the bowl to keep it cool.
5. When the frosting is velvety smooth and perfectly fluffy, use it to fill cupcakes or other pastires or as a frosting on top. 

Have fun Baking! 

-Diana