Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes (makes 12 glorious cupcakes)
Print this recipe!
For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup soy milk (I like So Good fat-free vanilla)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (I substituted white distilled)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, chocolate extract, or more vanilla extract (I opted for more vanilla)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed or regular
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (about 10 cookies; chop first then measure) of coarsely chopped vegan chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies (such as Newman-O’s) (if keeping the recipe vegan isn’t important to you, you can just use Oreos (which is what I did))

For the Vegan Cookies and Cream Buttercream Frosting:

• 1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
• 1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine (I used Earth Balance)
• 3-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup plain soy milk or soy creamer (again, I just used So Good fat-free vanilla)
• 1/2 cup finely mashed sandwich cookie crumbs.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line muffin pan with paper or foil liners
2. Whisk together soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract, and other extract, if using, to the soy milk mixture and beat till foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat till no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are okay).
3. Gently mix 1 cup of coarsely chopped sandwich cookies into the cupcake batter.
4. Pour into liners, filling ¾ of the way. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely.
5. Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes. Add the vanilla and soy milk, beat for another 5-7 minutes until fluffy and smooth. Stir 1/2 cup finely mashed sandwich cookies crumbs into the frosting.
6. To assemble, frost cupcakes generously and top each cupcake with half of a sandwich cookie.

Cookies and Cream Heaven

Sublime

Check out that nice little hunk of cookie sticking out there! Oh yeah!