The Itch You Just Can't Scratch! CBC 7

I just can't get enough of making cupcakes at the moment, for me it is the itch I just can't quite scratch.  I've been sat at work all day staring at papers with numbers and tally's and converting them to spreadsheet graphs and formulas but all my mind has been thinking about is getting home so I could make a batch of cupcakes!  These cupcakes are a mixture of three different recipes, I've taken what I consider to be the best bits from all of them to create something all my own.  I was expecting to have to make these a few times before I got them just right but after tonight's attempt I'm actually really pleased with them just the way they are.  The cupcakes are moist and fluffy and almost delicate, the surprise in middle is really flavoursome and adds some texture and the icing on the top (which is always the best part of any cake!) is perfectly sinful!

I've used the plain chocolate cupcake recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook (I'm claiming this as CBC number 7 as this is the first recipe I've tried from the book!), the centre from a recipe I found here (their picture looks much prettier than mine!) and the idea for the icing came from here.  If I really had to tweak anything at all (and it would just be tweaking for tweakings sake!) than I would maybe add a tsp of vanilla to the cream cheese mixture

Oreo Cupcakes - Chocolate Teapot Style
Cupcake Mixture
100g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
140g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter, at room temp
120ml milk
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Mixture
115g cream cheese, softened
1/2 egg
1 tbsp sugar
30 mini Oreo bite size cookies
Buttercream

Preheat the oven to 170C.  Line a 12 hole cupcake tray with paper cases.

Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla extract together in a jug, then slowly pour about half into the flour mixture, beat to combine and turn the mixer up to high speed to get rid of any lumps.

Turn the mixer down to a slower speed and slowly pour in the remaining milk mixture (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula).  Continue mixing for a couple more mins until the mixture is smooth.  Do not over mix.

Mix the cream cheese, egg and sugar until well blended.

Spoon about a tbsp of the cupcake mixture into the base of each paper case.  Top each with a tsp of the cream cheese mixture and 1 cookie.  Cover evenly with the remaining cupcake mixture.

Bake for 20 - 25 mins in the preheated oven, or until the sponge bounces back when touched.  A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean.  Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cool, pipe some buttercream (that has had a few crushed Oreo cookie crumbs added to it) onto the top.  Finish off with a mini cookie for extra decadence.

Makes 12

You'll be pleased to know that I have (so far) only had half a cupcake.  I know!  A wee minor miracle.  And that was purely for taste test purposes of course!  Hubby has had one for taste test purposes as well and then felt it would be rude not to polish off the other half from mine.  The rest are intended to make it into work tomorrow but its killing me knowing they are sat there just waiting to be eaten and that they taste sooooooooo good.  I wonder how many will actually make it to work!