Ultimate Oreo Cupcakes

The first buttercream frosting I ever made was an Oreo buttercream. Armed with a mini food processor I chopped the Oreos down to mere crumbs and whipped them into Martha Stewart’s vanilla buttercream recipe. After one taste (and a second and third and fourth) I knew I would never buy store-bought frosting again. Well, unless it’s rainbow chip as I have yet to find a good substitute.

This Oreo buttercream had my head spinning and it wasn’t just the sugar rush. Something this smooth, decadent and bursting with Oreo flavor only takes a matter of mere minutes and a few simple ingredients? That was a dangerous fact to stumble upon.

I have since made many buttercreams, whipped frostings, cream cheese frostings and glazes, but I always find myself coming back to that original Oreo buttercream. When I was visiting my family last summer for our annual beach week I wanted to bring them the best of the best. So I decided to combine all my favorites, including these perfect chocolate cupcakes, this amazing chocolate ganache and the above mentioned Oreo buttercream, into an ultimate super cupcake.

Topped, of course, with a chocolate-covered Oreo, these cupcakes are guaranteed to make your family, friends, coworkers and strangers want to hug you. Or imprison you in their kitchen so you can forever make them these cupcakes, it could really go either way. So enjoy these treats, but proceed with caution.

Ultimate Oreo Cupcakes
 
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
for the Oreo buttercream
  • 15 Oreo cookies
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
for the Oreo garnish
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 12 Oreo cookies
  • ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
for the cupcakes
Directions
for the Oreo buttercream
  1. Chop the Oreo cookies in a food processor until they are fine crumbs, or crush in a thick plastic baggie with a heavy object.
  2. Whip the butter for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth, with an electric mixer.
  3. On low speed carefully add the sugar, milk and vanilla and mix until fluffy. If the frosting looks too thin slowly add some more powdered sugar. Add the Oreo crumbs and mix until well combined.
  4. Fit a pastry bag with the Wilton Bismarck tip #230. Fill the pastry bag with the filling. Insert the tip halfway into the center of the cupcake and squeeze in some filling. Slowly start pulling out the tip while still squeezing. Remove and stop squeezing in some filling when the top of the cupcake starts to bulge and is just about to crack. Place in the fridge to chill.
for the Oreo garnish
  1. Cover a plate or cutting board that will fit in your fridge with wax paper and set aside.
  2. Melt the white chocolate chips over a double boiler over medium-low heat. When completely melted stir in the vegetable oil then remove from the heat.
  3. Carefully submerge an Oreo so that it's completely coated in white chocolate before resting it on the wax paper. I used a spoon and a fork to complete this task. Repeat for the rest of the Oreos.
  4. Place the Oreos in the fridge until the chocolate has set.
  5. When the chocolate is almost set melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips using the double boiler. Set aside to cool slightly. Remove the Oreos from the fridge and place near your workstation.
  6. Pour the melted semi-sweet chocolate into a pastry bag fitting with a skinny round tip or a plastic baggie with a very small corner snipped off. Pour zigzag lines over the Oreos then return to the fridge to set.
  7. Once the Oreos have set carefully cut in half with a sharp knife.
for the cupcakes
  1. Once the cupcakes have been filled and chilled it's time to top them with the chocolate ganache. If the ganache isn't already warm carefully heat it in a double boiler or in the microwave on low heat.
  2. Carefully dip the top of each cupcake in the warm chocolate ganache, letting the excess drip off. After dipping the cupcakes carefully press a chocolate-covered Oreo half into the center of each cupcake before the ganache has time to completely harden. You may have to slightly insert the Oreo into the cupcake so that it stays upright.
  3. Return to the fridge to let the chocolate ganache set. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Oreo buttercream slightly adapted from Martha Stewart.