Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Oreo Butter Cream Frosting

Yesterday I felt inspired, I knew I wanted to bake something but I wasn't sure what! Now that I've been eating healthier and exercising... basically trying to lose weight, I TRULY BAKE OUT OF LOVE... Out of love for baking and out of love for my family! Because I know I will not get to enjoy what I bake... I am trying to find pleasure in just the art of mixing ingredients together, decorating and seeing others eat it all! And ... I am loving it! Yes... it is still tempting and yes I wish I could eat it too! But... I guess I love baking so much that I never feel deprived! So... I baked... but I decided for "Chocolate Cupcakes and Oreo Buttercream Frosting" My girls and I went to the store to buy what we were needing, basically we were needing just the Oreo Cookies because this recipe is very simple and I am sure you have all the ingredients at hand. Trust me! You want to make these! Hubby and dd#1 loved them! Hubby said they are like a delicious chocolate cupcake covered with a Dairy Queen Blizzard.

The recipe for the cupcakes is from Hershey's and it's to make a chocolate Cake ... but I went for cupcakes... My recipe (the one I am sharing) it's to make 12 cupcakes... (because I halved the original)

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cups and 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup and 2 tbsp. HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use Safflower Oil)
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin cups with paper bake cups and set aside. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter should be thin. 
Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake about 22 minutes or until toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. Makes about 12 cupcakes.

Oreo Buttercream

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup shortening or butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Ttbsp. milk
• About 2 cups powdered sugar
• 7 OREO cookies, finely crushed (food processor or blender)

In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening, vanilla, and milk. Add powdered sugar until desired sweetness is achieved, around 1 1/2 and 2 cups. Stir in crushed Oreos until well combined. Check the thickness of your frosting and add a little more milk to thin if necessary or more sugar to thicken. This is enough for the 12 cupcakes.

© Paloma King