Oreo cupcakes

Our 10 year old son recently went away on a school residential, and as a coming home treat I decided to make him some Oreo cupcakes. He rather adores these creamy, chocolatey biscuits and always manages to sneak a packet into the shopping trolley whenever he comes to the supermarket with me. I'd not made these particular cupcakes before and had no idea how they would turn out; would the surprise Oreo at the bottom of each cake be a melty, soggy mess, or even worse, a burnt offering? But, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and the results were just as I hoped. These are incredibly easy to make and, if you decide to make them, will be a huge hit.


INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE SPONGE

100g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
140g caster sugar
1.5 tsps baking powder
40g unsalted butter
120ml whole milk
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
12 Oreo biscuits

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

180g icing sugar
80g unsalted butter, softened
1tbsp milk

12 hole muffin tin, lined with cases


1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees/gas 3.

2. Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and butter in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on a slow speed until you have a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

3. Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla together in a jug and add to the flour mixture, beat to combine and then turn the mixer up to high speed to get rid of any lumps.

4. Twist each Oreo biscuit in half and place each half with cream on in the bottom of the muffin cases (cream side up). Place the remaining halves in a freezer bag and, with a rolling pin, beat to a rubble.

5. Spoon the cake mixture on top of each Oreo and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Leave the cakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Meanwhile, make the buttercream by whizzing together the icing sugar, butter and milk until it's smooth and soft in consistency. Gently stir in the rubbly Oreos before spooning the cream on top of each cupcake. I decorated each cake with a mini Oreo placed at a jaunty angle, but you can decorate yours however you wish.

7. Enjoy!