Cookies 'n' Cream Cupcakes

Cookies 'n' Cream Cupcakes (yields 30 cupcakes

for the cake:

• • 1 dark chocolate cake mix

  • 3 eggs

  • 2/3 cup milk

  • 2/3 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup oil

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

  • 30 Oreo cookies

for the frosting:

• • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 4 - 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

  • remaining Oreos left from the package

Preheat the oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla. Beat on low for 30 seconds until moistened, then on medium for 2 minutes.

Place 30 paper liners in your baking pans. Place an Oreo cookie in the bottom of each cup, reserving the remainder of the Oreos for the frosting.

Spoon the cake batter on top of the Oreos, filling the cups 3/4 full. Drop the pans on the counter a few times to settle the batter around the cookies.

Bake for 16-18 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack.

Place the remaining Oreos in a food processor and crush until they are fine crumbs (if you leave the crumbs too big, they will clog the tip of your piping bag when you pipe the frosting on).

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, adjusting until you have the desired consistency. Stir the crushed Oreos (reserving 2 tablespoons) into the frosting. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle the tops with the remainder of the Oreo crumbs.