Oreo Sunflower Cupcakes Food

OREO CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 24 muffin cups with baking cups.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract, then beat in the egg whites one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
• Working in 4 or 5 additions, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk to the sugar mixture. Keep the mixer on low speed while you do this. When just combined, stir in the crushed Oreos.
• Spoon batter evenly into muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 full.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes at 350°F, until a toothpick comes out clean (a few chocolate cookie crumbs are fine, but not batter).
• Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
• Store in an airtight container if not serving the same day.
• Note: If you only have a 12-cup muffin tin, the batter will not suffer from sitting around for a few minutes while the first batch bakes. Just be sure to let the pan cool completely before filling it up again.
• Variation: To make plain vanilla cupcakes, simply omit the Oreos. You might end up with only about 18 cupcakes, but as long as you fill the tins about 2/3 full, the baking time will be the same.
• Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:.
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat, with an electric mixer, until frosting is creamy, 3-5 minutes.
• Frost cupcakes with frosting using a butter knife or offset spatula. Add as much or as little frosting as desired. If making Oreo cupcakes, garnish with additional chunks of Oreo.

MARTHA'S SUNFLOWER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Cupcakes:Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Line two standard muffin tins with 18 cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in vanilla seeds. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Reduce speed to low; gradually add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until combined after each addition.
• Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed and a tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 16 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Buttercream:Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a mixer set over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved, and mixture is warm to the touch and feels completely smooth when rubbed between fingertips.
• Transfer bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue whisking until mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), 6 to 8 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium-low and add butter a few tablespoons at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Switch to paddle attachment and beat on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula; continue beating until frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using same day. If not, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
• Reserve 1/2 cup buttercream. Tint remaining buttercream yellow, adding food color a drop at a time until desired color is reached. If necessary, use reserved buttercream to lighten color.
• Transfer buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a small leaf tip (such as Wilton #70). Pipe a row of slightly overlapping petals around the edge of a cupcake. Pipe a second row of petals, overlapping previous petals. Repeat piping process, overlapping petals slightly and creating 2 to 3 more rows of petals. Pipe a small amount of frosting in center of cupcake; cover with sunflower seeds. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Decorated cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 6 hours; bring to room temperature before serving.