Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes

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Have you discovered Pinterest yet? If you haven’t, DON’T. It’s crazy addictive and it’s where I found insane recipes like this one. But if you’ve already discovered the time suck, then you should follow me.

So anyway, about this recipe. It’s a chocolate cupcake. But it’s not your everyday chocolate cupcake. Oh no, it has an Oreo on the bottom. And a mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in the middle. And peanut butter cookies and cream frosting on top. This is a chocolate cupcake on crack. And it’s delicious, but crazy sweet. (Shocking, right?)

My creation

Side note: I went to the store on the Saturday before the Super Bowl (yes, it was crazy) to buy the ingredients and since I was overly anxious, I didn’t read the quantities and realized I didn’t have enough Oreos to double the recipe and make the frosting. However, because the frosting requires you to remove the cream filling from the Oreos, I decided to just make a quick batch of the chocolate cookies I used for the Homemade Oreos a while back rather than brave the store on the day of the game. Plus, the temptation is then gone to eat the cream filling, because you know I totally would.

Cupcake Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
16 chocolate sandwich cookies
16 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 16 muffin cups with paper liners. Place an Oreo in the bottom of each liner.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl then stir in the chopped chocolate.

In a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk and allow to incorporate for 30 seconds.

Pour in the flour mixture and beat on medium until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Divide the batter evenly among the paper liners, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake for 9 minutes, then remove from oven and press a peanut butter cup into the center of each cupcake. Allow to bake for 9 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes from the muffin tin to cool completely on a wire rack. Frost with Oreo peanut butter buttercream. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

Frosting Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup peanut butter
2-3 cups confectioners sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons Oreo cookie crumbs

Frosting Preparation
Separate 12 Oreo cookies and discard the cream filling. In a food processor or plastic bag, crush the cookies into fine crumbs.

In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening on high until fully combined. Beat in peanut butter.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add 2 cups of the confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and a pinch of salt. Start the mixer on slow, then eventually crank it up to high and beat for 2 minutes. Add more confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

Add the cookie crumbs and beat on high for 2 minutes.

Recipe from The Sweet Life.