Death by Chocolate, Oreo Cupcakes

Sometimes mistakes in the kitchen turn out to be happy accidents. It's my best friend's birthday today and I wanted to make her the perfect decadent Oreo Cupcake. These are the second Oreo Cupcakes featured on High Altitude Cupcakes, the first being Vanilla Oreo Cupcakes topped with Ganache and Cream Cheese Frosting. Those are super yummy, but I wanted to go in a different direction and lean toward more chocolate. 

So deciding to experiment and go over the top chocolate and Oreo, I set out to make Devil's Food Oreo Cupcakes with Bette's 7 Minute Frosting swirled with Oreos and dipped in Chocolate. 

What I ended up with is perfect Devil's Food Oreo Cupcakes with Marshmallow Oreo Glaze and Chocolate and Kahlua Cream Cheese Frosting. 

Why the change of heart you ask? Well, as I hinted at, a culinary snafu turned my mother's seven minute frosting into soup causing me to change my frosting last minute. When you get a perfect fluffy meringue, stop there. Do not, I repeat, do not listen to the voice in your head that asks "wouldn't this be amazing with chunks of ... ?" My mistake I believe was using the mixer to incorporate the oreos. The frosting is delicate and beating it with heavy chunks made soup. Next time, I'll just put them on top or try folding them in. If you have a better answer as to why it fell, please let me know.

Oh well, I used the "soup" as a glaze and saved the rest to put into ice cream (Can't wait! Yum!). I replaced my original thought to use Bette's 7 Minute Frosting and instead whipped up a batch of Chocolate and Kahlua Cream Cheese Frosting. What a perfect addition to the cupcake base resulting in Death by Chocolate, Oreo Cupcakes.


Oreo Devil's Food Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart

preheat oven to 375 degrees

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot water

1/4 tsp espresso powder

12.5 ounces all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups caster sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp vanilla bean paste
2/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup crushed Oreos

1. In a small bowl, combine cocoa, espresso, and hot water until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and the sugar over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted. Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed, 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is cooled. 
3. Mix in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture and beat until incorporated. 
4. With a wooden spoon stir in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, until just combined.
5. Stir in crushed Oreos.

Fill liners to about 2/3 full. Makes 24 cupcakes. Bake for about 15 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

Frost with Marshmallow Glaze (recipe below) and top with Chocolate Kahlua Cream Cheese Frosting.

Bette's 7-minute Frosting/Glaze

4 egg whites

1 cup of caster sugar

2/3 cup light Karo Syrup

4 tbsp water

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1. Place all ingredients in a double broiler (bowl over simmering water) over medium high heat on the stove.
2. Mix with electric mixer on high for 7-minutes or until stiff peaks form (it will take longer for high altitude).
3. For a happy accident, add chucks of oreo & see it fall!

Chocolate Kalua Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 packages (12 ounces) cream cheese, slightly softened 

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

2-3 tbsp Kahlua

3/4 cup dutch processed cocoa

3-4 cups powdered sugar

salt to taste

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream cheese and softened butter.
2. Add vanilla, extract and salt. Mix well.
3. Add As much powdered sugar to get desired consistency. Mix well.

Place in piping bag and chill until ready to frost cupcakes. 

Since it was a birthday, I dressed the cupcakes up !!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~