A Simple Request...

    

     Who said teenagers are difficult?  Our dear family friends have a son turning sixteen today.  Is he demanding an over the top birthday celebration? A new car? Some cold hard cash?  No.  When I asked him what he would like for his birthday he simply asked me to bake him some vanilla cupcakes.

    "Vanilla?" I said in disbelief. "I can make you something more fun and exciting!"

    "No thank you." was his reply "Just vanilla." 

     It was a simple request, but of course I couldn't just make any old vanilla cupcakes. After all, this was a monumental birthday!  I  had to search the Internet for one that would be creamy and flavourful, even if it was merely vanilla.  Once I started to search I realized that there really is no such thing as 'just vanilla.'  There are so many variations to the classic recipe!  I'll be honest; I had a hard time choosing.

     In the end,  I chose to bake this one. It uses a French Vanilla Cake Mix as its base, but the added ingredients combine to make a mouth watering cupcake that can rival its more decadent relatives. The addition of the Golden Oreo cookies was a last minute idea. It's a variation of my cookies and cream cupcake recipe and it's a good one! I think this one is a keeper. 

     Thanks Matthew for making me realize that vanilla is quiet, yet complex, gentle, yet strong and has the ability to stand all on its own. Come to think of it, vanilla reminds me an awful lot of you... 

     Happy 16th birthday, it's sure to be sweet!

 

     

Vanilla  Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

You will need:  

 

24 Golden Oreo cookies
1 box French Vanilla Cake Mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter, cooled

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla extract

•  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with pretty cupcake liners
•  Break apart Oreo cookies and place the cream side facing up in your cupcake liners
•  Place the other half of the Oreo in a resealable bag and crush them to a fine crumble
•  Sift cake mix into a small bowl to remove any lumps and set aside
•  In a large bowl, combine eggs, melted butter, milk, sour cream and vanilla extract
•  Stir in cake mix and blend until smooth
•  Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 16-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

4 cups conftioners' sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Golden Oreo cookies, crushed
 

 

• In a medium bowl mix the butter with an electric mixer until fluffy
• Add in some of the sugar, 1 cup at a time, alternating with the milk and vanilla until it is all blended
• Fold in crushed Oreo cookies (I run mine through a sifter first to make sure that I have a fine consistency for my frosting)
• Pipe onto cooled cupcakes
• Garnish with any remaining cookie crumble