Red Velvet Cookies and Creme Cupcakes.

After a tough week there are few things that fix my mood like baking. I also hate to let items just sit and sit in the pantry, so frequently I will work with what I already have. I had previously made a version of this recipe from Bakerella - at the recommendation of a coworker who gave me a recipe for a chocolate cake mix I liked better than the one used by Bakerella.

I decided on Thursday night to make a red velvet version for a few reasons: A. I like easy AND delicious to come as a package deal and B. I had a red velvet cake mix that had been sitting.

The experiment was well received by my belly and that of my coworkers (Happy Friday!) and I kept a cute box aside for my Saturday clients who I adore, and will be delivering those as well. So here's a quick how to:

Supplies:

- Red velvet cake mix
- Eggs
- Oil
- Water
- Double stuffed oreos
- Shortening
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
- Cupcake liners
- Icing kit (I use disposable bags, a 1M tip, and coupler is what I used)

Go ahead and mix your red velvet cake mix as instructed.

Place cupcake liners in your trays, place 1 double stuffed Oreo in the bottom of each one. I use an ice cream scoop to put one scoop on top of each oreo. Then I baked them for 19 minutes on 350 degrees. (don't overfill - one scoop will be enough).

I food processed about 4 oreos for the icing and then followed these instructions from Bakerella (credit where it's due!):

Frosting:
1 cup shortening
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-6 Tablespoons milk
2 or more teaspoons Oreo cookie crumbs

For the frosting:
Beat the shortening in a mixer until smooth.
Add vanilla and mix until combined.
Add the powdered sugar in three additions, scraping down the sides after each addition.
Add a Tablespoon of milk at a time and mix together until you achieve the consistency you like. Add the cookie crumbs and mix until completely combined. You can add more if you like, but I just wanted a light speckling to show off the white frosting.
Place frosting in a decorator bag with a 1M tip and swirl on top of each cupcake.

If you want to go oreo crazy, you can insert one in the icing on top of each of your cupcakes (I did this when I made the chocolate version, I did not when I made my red velvet version).

My argument for the red velvet way: it's cheaper, it uses less ingredients, red velvet is super moist, AND it made 24+ cupcakes where Bakerella's recipe made 12. I like to go big.

Here's a peak at how I did the first batch which were complete with an oreo on top, for those of you who might like that better:

Happy baking!

Love,

B