Brightside Bakery's Oreo Cupcakes

Throughout The Art of Mending Hearts, Dalia has enjoyed these Oreo cupcakes from the Brightside Bakery. The black velvet cake is what makes this recipe so addictive.

Black Velvet Cupcakes

• 1 cup flour

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup black cocoa powder *

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1 large egg, room temperature

• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup buttermilk**, room temperature

• 1/2 cup hot water

Cookies-and-Cream Buttercream

• 9 Oreo cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp whole milk, room temperature

• pinch of salt

Cupcake Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a cupcake pan with 12 liners.

2. Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer still on low, gently add the hot water. Turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth. The batter will be thin.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake and bake for 15-18 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before frosting.

Oreo Buttercream Instructions

1. Place the Oreo cookies into a food processor and grind them into fine crumbs. Don’t over process or it will turn into a paste, but make sure the crumbs are tiny so they’ll flow through the piping bag tip without getting stuck.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until it’s pale in color, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed.

3. Add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, mixing on low speed and scraping down bowl and paddle in between intervals. Keep the mixer on low speed and add the vanilla, milk, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated and uniform, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle.

4. Mix in the Oreo cookie crumbs on low speed until uniform and well-dispersed.

To Assemble:

1. Once the black velvet cupcakes are completely cooled, frost them with the Oreo buttercream. To make a swirl topping, use a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M tip. Top with extra Oreo cookie crumbs, if desired.

* The black cocoa is what makes this recipe so delicious. If you can’t find any, you can use any cocoa—the cake just won’t be as dark as an Oreo.

** To make your own buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for a bit before using in the recipe.

What I like about these cupcakes is that they’re so light.

Enjoy!

Sylvie