oreo cupcakes.

These are really, really wrong. It's like I took all the things you should moderate yourself on and smashed them all together - Oreo cookies, cupcakes, frosting. But the best part about these cupcakes is that they don't contain anything that might make someone shy away from them - no nuts, exotic ingredients, unfamiliar flavors. These are completely predictable and completely delicious.

That really worked out because they went straight to the police station so I wouldn't be left alone with them. It's better for everybody that I'm not left alone with cupcakes. Trust me.

The first time I made Magnolia chocolate cupcakes was for a friend of a friend's birthday and I distinctly remember being disappointed in the end result. The frosting, that same frosting recipe that gave me such a stinkin' hard time a few weeks back, was gritty and too soft. The cupcakes had a bizarre feeling of heat in your mouth when you bit into them - weird, right? But that's the only way I can think to describe it. Sort of a warming, almost dry, not chocolaty enough taste.

Stop rolling your eyes.

The good news is, that seemed to be a fluke and this rodeo turned out much better. I also tweaked the frosting recipe so it was actually cooperative this time - I knew that a half cup of milk was way too much for the amount of sugar and it's no surprise the frosting was practically pouring off the side of the cupcake. This time I swapped out the half cup of milk for a quarter cup of heavy cream and holy moly - the result was not only a thick, creamy texture, but a lighter flavor; it tasted more of fresh, creamy dairy-goodness rather than straight sugar. The best part? Once you mix the cookie crumbs into the frosting and it sets up just a bit, the flavor mimics the filling of an Oreo.

Oh yes. That's right.

I found several different recipes for Oreo cupcakes all over the blogosphere- some were made with vanilla cake with cookie chunks mixed in, others were chocolate with cookie crumbs in the frosting only, and another had a halved Oreo in the bottom of each cupcake. I couldn't decide which one I liked best, so I combined my favorite things about the three.

Oreo Cupcakes
Adapted from Magnolia Bakery

Halve about 2 dozen Oreos and place in the bottom of the cupcake liners, cream side up
Top with mini-Oreo's [if you're feeling wild]

For the cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate, mixing until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.

Carefully spoon the batter on top the cookie halves in the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

For the frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  6-8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup crushed Oreos

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the cream and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. Mix in the cookie crumbs with a large spatula. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.