Fudgy dark chocolate cupcakes with OREO cream filling topped with OREO buttercream frosting. Who can resist this divine combination of cookies and cream?
It’s literally the best thing I ever ate!! Oreo lovers rejoice!
Incorporating the Cookie
I wanted the flavor of the OREOS to shine. I wanted to stick very closely to the same flavor profile.
OREO Cookie part: Think dry, structurally sound. I view the pre-made cookie as I would a graham cracker. I didn’t think this would be a good option for the cake part of the cupcake. I decided that the cookie part would be finely ground into OREO crumbs and folded into the buttercream frosting. Cream cheese frosting would be too much. The cake part of the cupcake would mimic the ingredients listed in the cookie, such as dark cocoa powder. This ingredient gives both the flavor and coloring. We could have used a boxed chocolate cake mix, but homemade cupcakes are so much better!
OREO Filling: Once we’ve discarded the chocolate cookie parts for the buttercream, we are left with the OREO filling. This is pure gold materials! We should use this to stuff the cooked cupcakes. This would provide the surprise and mimic America’s favorite cookie!
Ingredients
Black pearl cocoa powder: We use this instead of regular unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder because of taste and coloring. It makes the cupcakes very rich and has a very strong chocolate flavor. You can substitute with regular cocoa powder, but the taste and look will be very different.
Hot Coffee: Heating the black cocoa powder with hot coffee lets the flavor bloom. The heat activates some of the flavor properties. The coffee helps to intensify the chocolate flavor. If you are strongly opposed to hot coffee, you can substitute with hot water.
OREO Cookies: The star of the show! I used a whole package of Double Stuff OREOS. This way there was extra cream filling to be used inside the cupcakes.
All Purpose Flour: Gives structure to the cupcakes.
Sugar: Adds sweetness.
Baking Powder & Soda: Makes the cupcakes rise so they become light and fluffy.
Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil: Mild oil adds necessary fats
Whole Milk: Adds moisture to the cupcakes so they aren’t dry.
Eggs: Brings the cake batter together.
Technical Advice
Fancy Decorating: Should you decide to pipe frosting, I recommend Ateco 271 Russian Ball Tip. Make sure whatever piping tip you use, has a large opening.
Heavy on Frosting: Double the buttercream recipe. You’ll have leftovers but it can be frozen for 3 months or consumed within a week.
Piping the Filling: Tip #230. Workaround is cutting a small circle and scooping the filling on top.
Food Processor: You have to finely grind the chocolate cookie. Don’t skimp on that, otherwise depending on your piping tip, it could clog.
Batter Consistency: It’s going to be very runny and soupy. This is normal. Use a medium cookie scooper.
Use a Kitchen Scale: The scale will help you get the correct amount of sugar and black pearl cocoa powder.
Storage
I recommend storing these in a box or container in the refrigerator. Leftover frosting should be stored in an airtight container.
If you’re just interested in buttercream component of the recipe, visit the link below.
Chocolate OREO Cream-Filled Cupcakes with Buttercream
Equipment
- 2 Medium Bowls
Ingredients
Dark Cocoa Chocolate Cupcake
- 1 ¼ cup Strong Brewed Coffee Hot
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 70 g Black Pearl Cocoa Powder (¾ cup)
- 430 g Sugar (2 cups)
- ¾ tsp Salt
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
- 1 cup Whole Milk Room Temperature
- 2 Eggs Room Temperature
Inside Filling
- OREO filling from all cookies – double stuff Oreos
- 3 tbs Heavy Cream
Buttercream
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter Room Temperature
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 tbs Heavy Cream
- 2 tbs Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ⅛ tsp Salt
- 26 Single-sided OREO Cookies Black cookie part only, crushed finely
Topping
- 34 OREO Cookies Single-sided for decor
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F /175°C. Place cupcake liners in baking pans.
- Add freshly brewed hot coffee into a large measuring cup. Mix in black pearl cocoa powder. Let sit until room temperature.
- In a large bowl, sift all dry ingredients together, set aside.
- In large mixing bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and oil together.
- On low, pour the dry sifted ingredients into the large mixing bowl until just combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed with a spatula.
- Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (or with minimal crumbs).
- Allow cupcakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and place on cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
Filling
- Separate cookie and filling part of the OREOS.
- Place 34 cookie halves aside for topping.
- Take 26 cookie halves and place it into a food processor. Pulse until finely crushed and even. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat all the cream filling and 3 tablespoons heavy cream. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Once fully beaten, remove bowl from mixer.
- Scoop filling into a prepared piping bag with tip #230.
- Once your cupcakes are fully cooled, take cupcake into palm of your hand. Press tip about ¾ deep. Slant cupcake roughly 45 degrees. Begin to press your bag as you slowly turn cupcake.
- When you’ve made a full circle around, move tip perfectly straight from bottom and pull up while pushing a little more cream filling. Try not to be over generous as you will need to repeat this step 33 more times.
- The cupcake will tear open slightly, but this will not be visible when you pipe your buttercream in next step.
- Do this for remainder of the cupcakes. Set cupcakes aside.
Buttercream
- Using stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter until light. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Add heavy cream, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Remove bowl from mixer. Give stir by hand using rubber spatula, making sure to scrape any unmixed portion on bottom.
- Add in finely crushed OREO cookies. Fold in using rubber spatula.
- Prepare piping bag with tip of your choice; I used Ateco 271 Russian Ball Tip. Whatever you plan to use, make sure it’s large because your frosting will be super thick.
Assembly
- Pipe frosting onto each cream-filled cupcake. If using the Ateco 271 Russian Ball Tip, ask a friend to hold and turn your cupcake while you pipe.
- Take a chocolate OREO cookie and set onto buttercream.
Video
Notes
- I used an entire container of Double Stuff OREOS.
- The crushed black OREO cookies should be very fine. If there are any chunks, it will clog your piping tip or be difficult.
- I recommend doubling the buttercream recipe if you plan to do heavy elaborate piping. Just don’t double up on the pulsed cookie component. There’s plenty of cookies in there!
- Any leftover buttercream can be refrigerated and used in a week.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
