Believe it or not I don’t have cookies and cream or Oreo cupcakes posted here on the blog. I did an epic Oreo cheesecake layer cake a few years ago with amazing Oreo buttercream, but never in cupcake form. And so when it was my assistant’s birthday, who is a HUGE cookies and cream fanatic, I knew it was finally time to make Oreo cupcakes, with a special treat inside. OREO TRUFFLES! Inside a cupcake!! It’s genius, and I can’t take credit for the idea (thanks Love from the Oven!), but this is perfect for anyone who is obsessed with Oreos.
I opted for a yellow cake here because I really wanted the Oreo truffle to stand out visually, and because it might have just been too much chocolate otherwise. Since I took the extra steps to make the truffles by hand for these cupcakes, I cheated a bit and used boxed mix for the cake. When recipes get complicated with fillings, cake, and frosting, sometimes I like to take shortcuts if I’m baking on a weeknight. The truffles and buttercream are non-negotiable in terms of being from “scratch”, so the boxed cake mix is the obvious shortcut to take here. Oreo truffles are one of the easiest desserts out there (and sooo good!) so don’t be too overwhelmed by the extra steps. The truffles stayed moist even after the cupcakes baked, and made the final cupcakes some of the most decadent I’ve ever made!
With all the fancy cupcake flavors and combinations these days, sometimes just baking simple cupcakes with frosting seems too boring. If you’re looking to go a little overboard with dessert and have a cookies and cream lover in your life, these cupcakes are for you. I was so happy with how they came out, especially with the happy pink liners, and I am glad to finally have a special Oreo cupcake to share with all of you!
Oreo Truffle Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Love from the Oven
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
for the oreo truffles:
1 box (minus 7) oreo cookies
1 8oz package of cream cheese
for the yellow cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
for the Oreo buttercream:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 cup whipped cream or Cool Whip
15 Oreo cookies, crushed
12 Oreo cookies, cut in half for decoration
Directions:
for the oreo truffles:
Place Oreos in a ziploc bag and crush them with your hands or a rolling pin to fine crumbs. Add cream cheese and mix until well blended. Roll 24 balls of Oreo truffles, they should be about 1" wide. Place on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet and store in the freezer while you prepare the cupcake batter (about 10-20 minutes).
for the yellow cake:
Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners and preheat the oven. Prepare cake batter according to the package directions. Spoon a little bit of the batter in each cupcake liner, then add in your Oreo truffles. Cover with remaining batter and bake according to the cake mix package's instructions. Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
for the oreo buttercream:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and continue beating. Reduce the mixer's speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Once incorporated, add the milk and increase the speed to medium. Beat for another 1-2 minutes until smooth. Turn off the mixer and gently fold in the whipped cream and crushed Oreos with a rubber spatula.
Transfer buttercream to a piping bag fit with a large star tip, and pipe cooled cupcakes with a swirl of buttercream. Decorate with a halved Oreo and store in the fridge until ready to serve. If you're not serving them right away, keep the cupcakes at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving.
