Sister's Arrival & Death-by-Oreo Cupcakes

Here's another delicious cupcake recipe that starts with a cake mix.  One of my favorite tips for enhancing a boxed cake mix is to replace the water called for on the box with buttermilk.  The result is a much richer, more dense, homemade-tasting cake.  I made these "Death-by-Oreo" cupcakes with my little sister during winter break.  There's an Oreo at the bottom of the cupcake liner, Oreo crumbs mixed into both the batter and the cream cheese frosting, and another Oreo on top for decoration.  You can't go wrong.  Little sis will be arriving in LA in SIX HOURS :) I cannot wait to see her and to bake with her once she's here. 

"Death-by-Oreo" Cupcakes

(Adapted from the recipe at http://www.justapinch.com/)

 Ingredients:

1 package Oreos, regular size 1 package  mini Oreos, for decoration 1 box Devil’s Food cake mix (prepare according to directions on box, substituting buttermilk for the amount of water called for) 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1 stick butter, room temperature 3-3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix boxed cake mix according to directions, substituting buttermilk for the water, but don't bake yet! 2. Line cupcake tins with paper liners. Place a regular size Oreo cookie in the bottom of each liner. 3. Take half of the remaining regular-sized Oreos and place them in a large Ziploc bag.  Here comes the fun part! Take either a frying pan, rolling pin, or your bare fists, and crush those Oreos until you've gotten out all of your aggression (take as long as you need...might be a while for us law students). Add half of the crushed Oreos to the prepared cupcake batter.  Fill the cupcake tins 2/3 full with the batter. Bake for about 15 minutes (or according to box directions). While cupcakes are baking make the frosting. 4. Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla, then add powdered sugar slowly until blended well. (*Shortcut: canned cream cheese frosting will work just fine. I tend to avoid using it because it has trans-fat and just isn't as good as the real deal.) 5. Stir the remaining crushed Oreos into the frosting. 6. After cupcakes are cool, frost them and decorate with a few mini Oreos on top. And there you have it! Death-by-Oreo Cupcakes!