Red Velvet Oreo Cupcakes (Printable version)
Soft red velvet cupcakes studded with Oreo chunks and crowned with cookies and cream frosting.
# What you'll need:
→ Cupcake Batter
01 - 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 3 tablespoons (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
06 - 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg, room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
09 - 1 tablespoon red food coloring gel
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
12 - 10 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped
→ Cream Cheese Oreo Frosting
13 - 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
14 - 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
15 - 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
17 - 6 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the vegetable oil and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the egg, buttermilk, red food coloring gel, vanilla extract, and distilled white vinegar. Mix until smooth and homogeneous.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the roughly chopped Oreo cookies.
05 - Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
06 - Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
07 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and softened cream cheese together until creamy and smooth. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then beat until light and fluffy. Gently fold in the finely crushed Oreo cookies.
08 - Pipe or spread the frosting generously onto the completely cooled cupcakes. Garnish with additional Oreo crumbs if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cocoa powder in the batter pairs with the Oreo pieces in a way that tastes like a cookies and cream milkshake grew up and got fancy.
- Cream cheese frosting with crushed Oreos folded in is genuinely unfair and people will ask what your secret is.
02 -
- Do not frost warm cupcakes under any circumstances because the cream cheese will melt into a sad puddle and slide right off.
- Gel food coloring stains everything it touches including your hands your cutting board and your favorite wooden spoon so use silicone or metal.
03 -
- Chop the Oreos for the batter slightly larger than you think you want because they break down further during folding and baking.
- Put the cream cheese and butter in the same bowl to soften together so they reach the same temperature and blend seamlessly.