Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

These cupcakes hit the spot, and if you are a fan of cookies and cream you will not be disappointed in these. I created this recipe so that these cupcakes would turn out moist and tender. I frosted them with a vanilla cream cheese frosting topped off with crumbled Oreos. I chose to fill them with a whipped cream, cream cheese, Oreo mix that could also be used as the frosting instead of the cream cheese one I used. With or without the filling, these cupcakes are excellent.

Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1/4 cup butter flavored Crisco
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 - 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• crumbled oreo cookies

Filling ( *could also be used as the frosting):

• 1/4 the batch of the cream cheese frosting (or the whole batch if you use the filling as the frosting)
• 1 cup cool whip (2 - 3 cups added to the entire frosting mix if you use the filling as the frosting)
• crumbled oreo cookies

Cake Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and set aside. In a separate bowl beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Then beat in the eggs and egg yolk one at a time followed by the oil. Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture on low until blended. Do not over beat. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Frosting Directions:

Beat the cream cheese, butter and Crisco in a large bowl until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract. Gradually beat in powdered sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Once cakes are cooled and frosted top with crumbled Oreos.

Filling Directions:

In a small to medium size bowl take 1/4 of your reserved frosting mixture and add the Cool Whip and crumbled Oreos. Mix well by hand until fluffy.

*If you chose to use this filling mix as the frosting instead of the cream cheese frosting, simply take the entire batch of the frosting mix and add the recommended amount of Cool Whip and crumbled Oreos listed above to the entire batch of cream cheese frosting. Mix well by hand until fluffy.