Cupcake Monday - Cookies and Cream!

The kids and I decided that this summer we would make Mondays cupcake day!!  Everyone is doing it - cupcakes that is.  What is better than a bite-size cake anyway?  (Okay, besides 2 bite-size cakes!)

So I logged onto my fav recipe site Allrecipes to look for our first flavor.  This picture was posted as a favorite the day I checked in - doesn't it look delicious????  Cookies and Cream.  The pictures and recipe were posted by That Windsome girl. 

It was all hands on deck!

This recipe rises pretty good, so don't overfill the cupcake liners!

Here is our final product!  They were delicious!

Recipe:

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

yields ~30 cupcakes

1 (18.25 oz.) package Devil's Food cake mix
1 (5.9 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper baking cups.

In a large bowl, sift together the cake and pudding mixes. Mix in sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, and water until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into prepared cupcake pans. (I used my pampered chef medium scoop and it was perfect)

Bake for 20-24 minutes, until tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cook in pans for 5 minutes before removing to a cooking rack to cool completely.

Cookies and Cream Buttercream Frosting

2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup shortening, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 lbs. powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons very cold milk
8 crushed Oreo cookies (cream filling removed before crushing)

Cream together the butter and shortening. Add the salt and vanilla extract; combine well. Begin sifting in the powdered sugar in three or four parts, mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all the sugar has been added and mixed in, begin adding the milk slowly, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. Fold in the crushed Oreo cookies. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

The only tips I would suggests is just buy a bag of the tiny oreos and crush them up for the frosting (save a few for the tops of the cupcakes)  Also - crush up your cookies pretty good or cookie chunks will get caught in your pampered chef frosting/piping tool!!  Found that little tid bit out the hard way! Oh - and this makes a ton of frosting - you will probably have plenty left over.