Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Oreos, one of life's simple pleasures. Oreos can give any dessert an instant upgrade. I love love love them. One of my all times favorite desserts is Cookies and Cream Ice Cream (with Cold Stone's Sweet Cream of course). That crisp, chocolate cookie with rich, sweet cream combination is a match made in Heaven. When I saw these cupcakes over at Beantown Baker I knew I had to try them. That ice cream deliciousness in cupcake form. Yes! "Please! Please! Gimme, Gimme, Gimme. I need, I need, I need!"(What About Bob, one of my favorite movie's and quotes =).
I made a few small changes to the recipe, I didn't think 1 stick of butter was quite enough moisture for 24 cupcakes so I added in 1/3 cup sour cream and reduced the amount of milk slightly, then increased the baking powder just a tad. Other minor changes I made were, I didn't use room temperature egg whites and I didn't add the 2 tbsp flour to the chopped Oreos because I cut mine into small pieces so they wouldn't really sink anyway. I also thought these cupcakes needed a ton of frosting so I used my own concoction and made a big batch. It's not often I want a heaping pile of frosting on my cupcakes but in my opinion these definitely require it. It is the "cream" of the cookies and cream. Thanks Beantown Baker for a great post! Enjoy and savor every last bite of these delicious cupcakes!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Yields 2 dozen 


Ingredients:
24 Oreos
16 Oreos, chopped into small pieces (almost bits or pebble size)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
12 Oreos, chopped into halves, for garnish (optional)
1 recipe Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with 24 paper muffin cups. Using a sharp knife, split 24 Oreos into halves leaving cream filling attached to one side (save filling free cookie sides to crush and sprinkle over frosted cupcakes). Place 1 Oreo half, with cream filling side up, at the bottom of each muffin cup, set aside.
In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a separate large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, whip together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add in egg whites, one at a time, mixing until combine after each addition. Measure 3/4 cup milk into a liquid measuring cup, then add sour cream and vanilla to milk and whisk to combine. 
Working in two separate batches, add flour mixture followed by milk mixture to butter mixture, and mix just until combine after each addition. Fold in 16 chopped Oreos. Evenly divide batter among prepared muffins cups (pouring it over the tops of the Oreo halves), filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven about 23 - 26 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 
Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting. Finely crush about half of the cream filling free cookie sides and sprinkles over cupcakes then garnish cupcakes with optional cookie halves (you could even use the remaining 12 cookie halves). Store cupcakes in an airtight container.


Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting


Ingredients:
10 Tbsp butter, firm but not cold
10 oz. cream cheese, cold
2 1 /2 Tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups powdered sugar


Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, whip together butter and cream cheese until fluffy about 1 minute. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth, light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 


Recipe Source: cupcake adapted from Beantown Baker, frosting Cooking Classy