new year, new recipes: death by oreo cupcakes.

Last week, Miss Torrie inspired me with her facebook status resolving to dig through her extensive library of cookbooks and "cook up a storm" this new year.   I'm joining her in her quest and also making this one of my (many) New Year's resolutions.  I too have an abundance of cookbooks with shiny tempting photographs.  I think I have five separate boards on Pinterest devoted to food I'd like to eat.  And what about those (hundreds of) magazine tearings from the last ten years?  I'm delving into all the collected recipes, and I'm actually going to COOK something, instead of, well, admiring all the pretty pictures.  (Oh but I do love a pretty picture... I digress.)  Torrie and I thought we'd attempt and post (at least) one new recipe a week.  Care to cook along with us?

For this week's recipe I'm sharing a ridiculously sinful oreo cupcake (which is pinned on my "frost me" board.)  I made them for a baby shower for G's teacher.  And in full disclosure, I want you to know I baked them back in December so I'm already cheating as far as the resolution goes... How apropos, yes?

All the mommies, teachers, and littles loved the cupcakes.  There's an entire oreo on the bottom; what's not to love?  I frosted them with an amazing butter cream, LOADED with pulverized oreos.  Oh man.  Really, just a scoopful of that with a large glass of milk, and call it a day for me.  You can find the recipe for the cupcake here.  And here's the frosting recipe:

Oreo Loaded Buttercream 
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1-2 tablespoons milk or cream
Oreos, finely crushed in food processor (I used what was left over in the package after making the cupcakes, you can adjust accordingly to taste.  In my opinion MORE is better. =)

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together the sugar and butter on low speed until well blended.  Increase speed to medium, beating for another 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and milk, beating for 1 more minute.  Stir in crushed oreos.  Try not to eat too much of it or you won't have enough to frost the cupcakes.  Or better yet, double the recipe.  (That's what I did.)

 Georgia, enjoying the fruits of her mother's labor.

Torrie's baked up a lovely lemon cupcake for her first "new" recipe.  (We both have cake on the brain!)  Pop on over and see the deliciousness, which by the way, I've now pinned!

*The author of the cupcake recipe, Camber from Food Snots, uses a cream cheese frosting, but because my main audience for these cupcakes was a roomful of three year olds, I thought it best to stick with a butter cream!