Cookies 'N' Cream Cupcakes

I promised to post pictures and my cupcake recipe. Unfortunately, I once more forgot to charge the batteries for my camera, so the only picture I have is a not-so-great one from my phone. Use your imagination, I guess!

Since I didn't dress up for the Trunk or Treat, and no one wants to hear about a funeral, the only thing I'm going to add to this post is that Tyler surprised me by coming to visit after he got off work Saturday afternoon. It was a fantastic surprise. :)

And now, without further ado...

Cookies 'N' Cream Cupcakes

*found in Cupcakes Galore by Gail Wagman

Makes about 18-20 cupcakes

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup half-and-half or light cream

1 cup coarsely crushed Oreos (or other sandwich

cookie)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and half-and-half or cream and beat until batter is smooth. Fold in crushed cookies.

4. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.

I froze the cupcakes overnight to hold in the moisture and make them easier to frost the next day. Today I ate a left-over cupcake and it was still super moist...after sitting on my counter top (half-heartedly covered in plastic wrap) for almost two days. The recipe comes with a frosting recipe as well, and I will put it in this post, but I have not tried the recipe myself. To save time I bought Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge frosting, and then just decorated the top of the cookies with left-over crushed Oreos (Halloween ones that I spent DAYS finding). I felt that the frosting I used was too overbearing for the cupcake and next time I would use a frosting with a less over-powering flavor. Also, I lathered a bunch on. Maybe a thin layer would have been better! Try experimenting and if you find something that works well, let me know!

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces

3/4 cup cream cheese, softened, cut into pieces

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

1. In microwave, or a double boiler, melt white chocolate until smooth and creamy, just a few minutes. It should be warm to the touch.

2. Beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate and beat again until smooth. use the frosting immediately or it will harden.

Note: this frosting looks like the cream filling in sandwich cookies.

I think this recipe would also be awesome using Christmas or Easter Oreos. The colored creme in the middle makes it so much more fun!