Cookies and Cream Cupcakes!

If you know anything about me  – you probably know that I love to bake. AND I love cupcakes. So, for my birthday last week I decided to try out a new cupcake recipe.  I came across a photo of cookies and cream cupcakes when visiting my new favorite food blog, Tastespotting. I searched the web for the best recipe, and think I came across it — the result was an AMAZING treat – one that made of my coworkers nearly cry when she bit into it (no joke!). I shared photos of the treat on my Tumblr (here) and now it’s time to share the recipe.

cookies and cream cupcakes

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

(Recipe Borrowed From Beantown Baker … whose photos are amazing, so please don’t judge mine!)

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour, plus 2 Tbsp for the Oreo chunks
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature (I used AllWhites Liquid Egg Whites)
1 package Oreo Cookies (~45 cookies … I would’ve used double stuff but there’s not as many in a package)

Directions:
Preheat over to 350F. Insert cupcake liners into a medium cupcake pan.

Twist apart 24 Oreos.  * Note – I wasn’t so good at twisting and getting the cream all on one side, so I ended up cutting them apart with a paring knife. Place the wafer with filling on it, filling side up, in the bottom of each paper liner. Cut other wafers in half. Save 24 halves to place in the frosting. Crush the other wafer halves, also for garnishing.

Cut the remaining Oreo cookies into quarters with a sharp knife. Toss with 2 Tbsp flour and set aside.

In a large bowl cream the butter until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix until integrated. Stir in sugar. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg whites. Beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the quartered cookies.

Fill the cupcake lines three-quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese at room temp
  • 1 stick butter at room temp
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy.

Add vanilla extract. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Assemble the cupcakes. Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with crushed Oreos and place 1/2 of an Oreo on the frosting of each cupcake.

Just because it’s beary cute

Friday was my birthday. I know, I know, happy birthday to me. And I’ m getting old. But that’s beside the point.

This post is about the cutest cake ever. Do you like baking? Do you have cute little kids to bake for? Or 20-somethings who like cool looking cakes? I’m recommending you buy the Build-A-Bear cake pan, either from William Sonoma (per the link) or anywhere else you may find it. B’s mom bought the cake pan for her granddaughter’s first birthday (next month) but needed to test it out first!

The result? An awesome bear cake (complete wearing a red dress, pearls and carrying a brief case, a la me) for my birthday!!

bearcake

And yes, that is a cake. It was yummy.

Great weekend

I’m sure my last blog post left you on the edge of your seat wondering, what will she do? How will she survive B’s birthday? Since you’ve been eagerly awaiting (I’m sure) I’ll update.

Birthday went fine! Better than fine – Great!! I stopped stressing over a gift and ended up with a great gift:

  • New boxers: Don’t get the wrong idea, these were just plain Hanes boxers. He was always complaining he needed new ones, so not to be his mother or anything, I just went to Target and bought the softest ones I found. I mean, come on, when your boyfriend says his “lucky boxers” are threadbare, you would be a bad girlfriend just to sit back and watch his luck run out!
  • Ambitious Brew: see the below twitter recommendation. Written by Maureen Ogle, it’s a book about the history of American beer, so for a boy that likes history AND beer, I figured this was a given. I ended up buying it from Amazon.com because both Borders AND Barnes and Noble were out!
  • Beer of the month club!: Rozi’s Wine House in Lakewood and Rocky River offers both a Beer and Wine Club. I opted for the Beer Club and purchased a 3 month membership to begin with.
  • Dinner at Morton’s: A GREAT restaurant if you like steak, located in Tower City. We went Saturday night and enjoyed a FABULOUS multi course meal that was well worth the rather pricey bill. We shared an appetizer of scallops wrapped in bacon, and then I ordered a chopped salad (it came with BACON and avocado and hearts of palm!!) with a seared tuna. Yum! B got NY Strip Steak (I think? I’m not good at deciphering the different cuts) and mashed potatos. I’ll be eating leftover tuna for lunch tomorrow!

So all in all, no need to worry. Dinner and gifts were good. And I recommend the beer of the month club for any girl or guy you’re looking to surprise with a fun gift that keeps coming month after month! (*hint hint..my birthday is in January)

Birthday Boy Blues

It’s that time of year again- stress, anguish, anxiety and confusion. It can only mean one thing: September and therefore B’s birthday.

Why do I have such a hard time getting him a gift? We’ve been dating for a few years now (and living together for 1), so you think it would just get easier. But it doesn’t! Each year, with each gift I give, it narrows down the possibility for other gifts. I go around my office, asking suggestions. I ask my mom. I ask HIS mom! I google “Perfect birthday gift for boyfriend who likes cigars but already has a humidor and likes alcohol but isn’t an alcoholic, is in law school but doesn’t like law TV shows, etc.” But didn’t get much from that search. I even tweeted about it and didn’t get too many responses!

I mean if 130something people follow me and only 2 people have suggestions, it’s not just me that thinks it is difficult!

So, with B’s birthday being this weekend…anyone have any ideas?