Oreo Cookie Cupcakes & Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

On Wednesday, my daughter turned 2 years old. I thought it would be fun to do cupcakes for her birthday instead of a cake. I had tasted some cupcakes with oreo's hidden inside so I decided to make those. I found a recipe in my "101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes" cookbook. These cupcakes were a HUGE hit with everyone that tried one. And they were SOOOOO easy. Here are the recipes:

Oreo Cookie Cupcake
1 box chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1 c milk
24 Oreo cookies

Mix cake mix, eggs, and milk. Pour batter into paper liners and fill 1/2 full. Place a whole Oreo cookie on top and push down slightly to submerge. Cover with remaining batter and fill 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
8 T (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/3 c cocoa
3 3/4 c powdered sugar
3-4 T milk or cream
2 t vanilla extract

Beat butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer before adding cocoa to avoid a large mess. Add cocoa, sugar, 3 T milk or cream, and vanilla extract. Beat frosting starting on slow speed and add up to 1 more T milk if frosting is too thick.

I also made some Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
1 box chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1 c milk
1 bag chocolate peant butter cups

Mix together cake mix, eggs, and milk. Pour 2 T batter into paper liners and place a peanut butter cup on top. Fill paper liners 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minute or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. When completely cooled, frost.

Peanut Butter Frosting
1 c peanut butter
1/2 c butter, room temperature
2 c powdered sugar
3-4 T milk or cream
1 t vanilla extract

Combine PB and butter in large bowl, mixing together until light and fluffy. Stop mixer before adding sugar. Add sugar, 3 T milk or cream, and vanilla. Start slow and mix together gradually increasing the speed. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add 1 T milk or cream if frosting is too thick.

Old-Fashioned Blueberry Muffins

From Daily Herald (March 28)

2 c flour
2/3 c sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c unsweetened blueberries, partially thawed if frozen
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2 c butter

In large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Add blueberries; stir to coat evenly. In small bowl beat eggs with fork; beat in milk and butter. Add to blueberry mixture; stir just until blended. Fill greased or paper lined cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 15-20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

I will make these cupcakes this season. I know that it's December 23 already, but I'll make them someday.

For the cupcakes:
2 eggs 1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 c sugar 3/4 t salt
3/4 c vegetable oil 1 1/2 c boiling water
2 1/4 c flour 1 1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 c cocoa powder

Set oven to 350. Line two 12 cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside. Combine eggs, sugar, and oil until smooth in a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to egg mixture while alternating with boiling water. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour a scant 1/4 c of batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Completely cool cupcakes before frosting. (yields 24 cupcakes)

[bakers notes: you may not use all of the batter. do not overfill, or your cupcakes will sink.]

[bakers notes: even though you have liners, I suggest spraying the top of the

tins anyways. It will help the finished cupcakes not stick to the tins after baking]

For the frosting:

6 c powdered sugar 1 t pure vanilla extract

3/4 c butter, softened 3/4 t peppermint extract

7-9 T milk red food coloring

Fit a large pastry bag with a large star tip [kara's notes: I have a Wilton M tip that is for cupcakes] and set aside. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine powdered sugar and butter until butter is broken down into coarse crumbs. Add milk until desired consistency is achieved. Stir in vanilla and peppermint extracts. Scrape half of the finished frosting into a separate bowl. Color the other half with a few drops of the red food coloring using the hand mixer. Add large spoonfuls of frosting into the pastry bag, alternating colors. Twist the top of the bag and gently squeeze to pipe frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes. (yields enough frosting for 24 cupcakes)