Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

These cupcakes are delicious and super easy to make. I adapted my classic go-to vanilla cupcake recipe by adding in some oreo pieces and crumbs, and topped it with a light and fluffy whipped cream oreo crumb frosting. The soft vanilla cake paired with the chocolatey cookie crumbs is pure heaven. And the frosting gives that extra boost of cookies and cream flavour. Pretty much an instant favourite if you ask me!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

95g self-raising flour

80g all purpose (plain) flour

115g butter, softened

225g  caster sugar

2 eggs (at room temperature)

115mls milk

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 pack oreo sandwich cookies, crushed by hand or blitzed in a food processor  (I used both larger size oreo pieces/chunks as well as some fine crumbs)

Frosting

300-600ml cream (depending on how much frosting you like on your cupcakes)

Approx. 1 tablespoon icing (powdered) sugar (optional)

1/2 – 1 pack oreo sandwich cookies, crushed by hand or blitzed in a food processor (set some crumbs aside to use sprinkled on top if you like)

1 container mini oreos, to decorate (if desired)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a regular size 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Sift flours into a small bowl, whisk together then set aside.

Measure milk into pouring jug, add vanilla and gently stir to combine, then set aside.

Cream the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until well combined and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk mixture. Beat in each addition until just combined – be careful not to overbeat! Also ensure sides are scraped down when necessary.

Carfeully fold through the oreo pieces/crumbs until evenly combined. Spoon cupcake batter into paper cases, about ½ , to ¾ full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Let sit in tins for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile make the frosting. Whip the cream and icing sugar to stiff peaks, gently fold through the oreo crumbs. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes as desired using a piping bag and desired tip (I used a fluted one). Sprinkle with oreo cookie crumbs and top with a mini oreo.

Makes 12 standard or 24 smaller cupcakes (depending on the size of your tin.)

Source: Bec original.

Caramel 'Butterbeer' Cupcakes

So I have to admit, I have never read Harry Potter, or seen the movies. However, when Butterbeer related recipes started flooding foodgawker, I was curious. Not really having any sort of clue what the heck Butterbeer was, I browsed a heap of these posts, and decided I definitely wanted to try them out. What is really interesting is that all the butterbeer cupcake recipes require cream soda. Now 99% of all cream soda I have ever seen is the pink, raspberry kind. (Of course, the week later I found the non-pink , non-raspberry version!) But that didn't stop me from baking these Harry Potter inspired 'Butterbeer Cupcakes'. The fizzy (soft drink) adds a beautiful lightness to the cake, which has a soft butterscotch-y caramel flavour. And due to the absence of 'butter flavouring', and butterscotch chips in Australia, I used ghee as a replacement for the butter flavouring (which I have no idea whether it added to the flavour or not) and then made a batch of caramel sauce to substitute for the caramel ganache.

 Overall these were a fabulous success as a delicious cupcake, and while I can't tell you if they actually have a butterbeer flavour, I can tell you that they now officially are my go-to special caramel cupcake recipe :)

Caramel Butterbeer Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

240g plain flour 

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
115g butter, softened 

100g white sugar
100g dark brown sugar, packed (I used normal brown sugar with a small spoonful of molasses)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring (I used a spoonful of ghee - clarified butter - instead)120mls buttermilk 

120mls cream soda (I had to use the pink kind, which still worked)

Caramel Sauce

300mls thickened cream

250g brown sugar

60g butter, chopped

1 tsp vanilla

Caramel Buttercream

115g unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp butter flavouring ( I used a spoonful of ghee)

450g icing (confectioners) sugar

55mls Caramel Syrup (or as desired)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to  180°C (350°F). Line two small cupcake/muffin tins with cases. Whisk together flour, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until pale. Gradually add sugar and cream until combined and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each. Add vanilla and butter flavouring (or ghee) and beat until smooth. 

Add the buttermilk, cream soda then flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating between each, and beating after each addition until just combined. (i.e. start with 1/3 buttermilk, mix, 1/3 cream soda, mix, then 1/3 flour mixture, and mix. Repeat 2 more times.) 

Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake for approx. 12-15 minutes or until tops spring back when touched, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let tins stand for one minute then transfer cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce. Combine the sugar, cream, vanilla and butter in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to a bowl/container and refrigerate until thickened up.

Next, make the caramel buttercream. In a large bowl, beat butter until pale. Gradually add icing sugar, alternating with the caramel sauce, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla, beating until combined, and the icing is smooth and creamy. (More or less caramel can be added to bring frosting to desired consistency).

To assemble: transfer caramel sauce to a squeeze bottle with small round tip. Insert tip into the center of each cupcake and apply a little pressure to 'fill' the cupcake with some sauce. 

 Transfer frosting to a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes using desired tip (I used a medium plain, round tip), or spread onto cupcakes using spatula. Drizzle caramel sauce on top if desired.

Makes approx. 18-24 cupcakes using small cupcake tin. Store in an air-tight container. Best consumed within 2-3 days.

Source: Adapted from Amy Bites

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot cake was the special request for a family member's birthday cake this month, and after browsing various recipes, these cupcakes were my (and their) pick. Very simple to make, these cupcakes are light, fluffy and moist, perfectly spiced for that classic carrot cake taste. And of course, are coupled with silky smooth cream cheese icing. Too good to resist, and very thoroughly enjoyed!

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
300g plain (all-purpose) flour
1¼ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves

300g granulated sugar
90g packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
350mls canola/vegetable oil

450g (6-7 medium) carrots, peeled, grated (I used a food processor)
½ tsp. salt

 Frosting:

340g chilled cream cheese
110g unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
375g icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted

Extra grated carrot and chopped nuts to decorate if desired

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350° F). Line cupcake pans with paper cases (if using regular size muffin/cupcake tin, this recipe will make about 22 cupcakes, using a smaller tin, as I did, makes about 44).

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and spices into a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed. Add the grated carrot and set aside.

Using a food processor, process the eggs and sugars for about 30 seconds or until fluffy and combined. With the motor running, pour the oil in a steady stream through the food chute/feed tube. Process for a further 30 seconds until the mixture is light in colour and thoroughly combined. Pour into a large bowl.

Add the bowl of dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently until mixture is well combined and no patches of flour are present.

Fill cupcake cases with mixture, about ¾ full. Bake for about 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of your cupcakes) or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, or with a few small crumbs clinging. Cool in pan for about 5-7 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Re-line the tin and repeat with the remaining mixture. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

To make the frosting: using a stand mixer and paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter for about 3 minutes on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined and smooth. Mix in the vanilla. Slowly add the icing sugar on low speed until fairly incorporated, then increase the speed and beat the frosting until smoothand creamy. Frost and decorate the cupcakes as you like. (I used both a star shaped and round tip to pipe the frosting).

Makes 22/44 cupcakes depending on tin size.

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This recipe is my favourite for 'plain' vanilla cupcakes - although you could hardly call these plain! These cupcakes are light, fluffy and absolutely perfect coupled with super smooth, creamy vanilla buttercream.

 

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

95g self-raising flour

80g all purpose (plain) flour

115g butter, softened

225g  caster sugar

2 eggs (at room temperature)

115mls milk

½ tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a regular size 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Sift flours into a small bowl, whisk together then set aside.

Measure milk into pouring jug, add vanilla and gently stir to combine, then set aside.

Cream the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until well combined and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk mixture. Beat in each addition until just combined – be careful not to overbeat! Also ensure sides are scraped down when necessary.

Spoon cupcake batter into paper cases, about ½ , to ¾ full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Let sit in tins for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 12.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

115g unsalted butter, softened

450g icing (confectioners) sugar

55mls milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

In a large bowl, beat butter until pale.

Gradually add icing sugar, alternating with the milk, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Add the vanilla, beating until combined. (More or less milk can be added to bring frosting to desired consistency).

Once icing is smooth and creamy, transfer to a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes using desired tip, or spread onto cupcakes using spatula.

Makes enough to cover 12 cupcakes.

Source: RecipeLink for both Cupcakes and Frosting