0.5cupsunsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2largeeggs, at room temperature
1tspvanilla extract
0.5cupsbuttermilk, at room temperature
1cupcrushed chocolate sandwich cookies (e.g., Oreos)
1cupwhipped cream cheese frosting
to tasteadditional crushed cookies for topping
Instructions
Preheat the Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners to prepare for baking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined, ensuring no lumps remain.
Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and a pale yellow color, which should take about 3-4 minutes.
Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time into the butter-sugar mixture, blending well after each addition to fully incorporate. Then, stir in the vanilla extract until evenly mixed.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually incorporate the dry ingredient mixture into the creamed butter, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mixture, mixing gently just until the ingredients are combined to avoid overmixing.
Fold in the Cookies: Carefully fold in the crushed chocolate sandwich cookies using a spatula, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Fill Cupcake Liners: Using a spoon or a scoop, fill each cupcake liner with batter, ensuring to fill them about 2/3 full to allow room for rising.
Bake: Place the cupcake pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
Cool: Once baked, allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Afterward, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Stuff with Frosting: Once the cupcakes are entirely cooled, use a small knife or a cupcake corer to remove a small circle from the center of each cupcake. Spoon a generous amount of whipped cream cheese frosting into each cavity until filled.
Frost the Top: Using a spatula or piping bag, frost the tops of each cupcake with additional whipped cream cheese frosting. Finish by sprinkling the crushed cookies on top for a delightful garnish.
Notes
For an added touch, consider serving the cupcakes on a decorative platter and garnishing with whole cookies or chocolate shavings for an elegant look.