Cookies and cream is one of those perfect combinations when you just know it is going to be delicious. It is a pretty safe best that most people are going to enjoy a chocolate biscuit, and I am yet to meet someone who doesn’t like cupcakes, so this recipe is bound to be an instant crowd pleaser. Seriously, do you know anyone who doesn’t like cupcakes? I am sure they don’t exist.
Anyway, I always assumed that Oreo’s, with their creamy centre, automatically qualified for my no eat list as surely they contained dairy. Only a few months ago I was reading a blog which informed me that Oreo cookies are in fact vegan. A quick check of the packet next time I was in the grocery store confirmed it. Who knew!?
Wanting to fully embrace this news I began to think about a cookies and cream cupcake using Oreos. It would be based on the chocolatey cookie flavour of the oreo but with the sweet and soft deliciousness of a vanilla cake. Some recent baking attempts made me feel pretty confident that I could make the cake taste how I was imagining while being not only dairy-free but completely vegan friendly.
The challenge was set, I just needed to find a free weekend!
As we get to the final months of the year, time moves at lightning fast speeds and before we are ready it is December – the month of Christmas parties and all round celebrations! But before I bust out my Christmas cooking, I had to make these cookies and cream cupcakes as I just couldn’t stop thinking about them!
Now guys, I am not going to lie to you. The first batch was bad. The cupcake was more like a bland muffin and the icing was buttery (even without real butter!). It was nothing like what I was hoping for. I am the first to admit that baking doesn’t always go to plan and it can be really disappointing. But the next morning with a fresh approach, I made a few tweaks to my recipe and gave it another shot, and this time it was a success!
If you didn’t know what went into these, I guarantee you couldn’t tell me they are vegan! Sweet, soft and deliciously decadent – the perfect combo for a cupcake if you ask me.
If you have any friends with dietary requirements, I recommend whipping up a batch of these. Actually just make them for anyone, or just for yourself. You can’t really go wrong with Oreos!
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 cup plain flour
- ½ self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¾ cup sugar
- pinch salt
- 6 oreo biscuits
- ½ cup dairy-free butter*
- 1 tbsp almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 ½ cups icing sugar
- 4 oreo biscuits crushed
- Add vinegar to almond milk and set aside. It will split the milk, but that is ok as it helps to create a soft cupcake texture.
- Using a mortar and pestle crush up the oreo biscuits until they are a fine crumb. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add sugar, oil and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer.
- Add in sifted flours, baking powder, and salt. Continue mixing.
- Slowly add in milk, ¼ cup at a time making sure it is completely mixed through before adding more.
- Once batter has come together, mix through crushed oreos.
- Spoon into a cupcake pan lined with cases.
- Bake in a 180C oven for 20 minutes or until cakes bounce back when lightly touched.
- Set aside to cool.
- Crush up oreos again using your mortar and pestle. Make sure there are no large bits and that it is a fine crumb as it will need to be piped onto the cakes and you don’t want any biscuit pieces getting stuck.
- Add dairy-free butter* to a large bowl and begin beating using an electric mixer.
- Slowly add in icing sugar, ¼ cup at a time beating it completely into the butter before adding more.
- Once all of the sugar has been added the frosting will be quite stiff. Mix in the almond milk and vanilla and beat again to combine. The frosting will be a much smoother consistency.
- Finally, beat through crushed oreos.
- Spoon mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto cakes ensuring they are completely cool as any heat left in the cakes will melt the icing.
- Decorate with a mini oreo cookie if you desire, otherwise just enjoy!
*I always use Nuttelex Lite to replace butter and I have found it makes a delicious frosting!
No Comments