I have yet to meet a cupcake that I didn’t like, but this one really “takes the cake” (heh, no pun intended!). My girlfriend Morgan made them for a cookout a couple years ago now, and they’ve been my favorite ever since. There are several variations on Oreo cupcakes floating around on the blogosphere. All of them contain the little treasure at the bottom of course, the Oreo cookie. Which, is such an unexpected and delightful treat. Here is my take on it; a simple vanilla cupcake with an Oreo surprise on the bottom, topped with a rich Oreo buttercream frosting. It’s pretty much perfection. If you’re looking for something fun to bake this weekend, look no further. I’m sure they’ll quickly become your favorite cupcake too! Print Oreo Cupcakes with Oreo Buttercream Prep time:  30 mins Cook time:  20 mins Total time:  50 mins Serves: 20   Ingredients For the cupcakes: 3 cups cake flour 1 tbsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 cups sugar 5 large eggs, at room temperature 1¼ cups buttermilk, at room temperature 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 20 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached For the frosting: 8 tbsp butter, room temperature ½ cup vegetable shortening 4 cups powdered sugar (1 lb) ½ tsp butter flavoring or vanilla extract 6 tablespoons Oreo cookies, finely crushed 10 Oreo cookies, cut in half, for garnish Instructions Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Twist Oreos in half and set aside the extra cookies for crushing for the frosting. Place the side with cream filling in the bottom of each cupcake liner, cream-side facing up. Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. In a 2 cup measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and vanilla. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the liquid to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fill lined cupcake tins with batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes in pan before transferring to a cooking rack. For the frosting, in the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer) cream the butter and shortening on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, until thoroughly mixed. Add the butter flavoring, and Oreo crumbs; mix well. Frost cupcakes as desired. Top cupcakes with half of an Oreo cookie, for garnish. 3.1.07 Source: cupcakes adapted from Annie’s Eats, frosting adapted from Wilton