Today is not that day.
Sure, I love making those deliciously moist perfect cakes, and being able to say, Yes. I made these from scratch. That feels great. But who has the time?? Sometimes we don't have room temperature eggs and milk right when we need them. Not too mention, do we all have cake flour sitting in the pantry just waiting to be used? Not so much. Most busy ladies are more likely to grab a quick mix, throw in a couple ingredients and get those bad boys in the oven. And know what - YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD :) Cake mixes are awesome. Sure they aren't exactly like a from scratch recipe, but they are pretty much fool proof, they're fast, and they're cheap. Best part - with usually one or two quick little additions, your box mix batter can be every bit as impressive as that made from scratch batch.
Here is one of my favorites. It is very kid friendly, so perfect for the next birthday party for your littles, and best of all - it is a mix, with one teeny tiny extra step.
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
You can of course, use any cookies or cake mix you want. This is America.
But don't.
Don't skimp on the cookies either. I go straight for real Oreos. No substitutions here. Of course, they are a dollar or more expensive than an off brand. If you're feeling bad about that, remember it will cost you $3 a cake to buy these at a bakery. The cakes you are about to make are going to taste (and look, depending on your piping skills) as good as any of those!
Prepare the batter as instructed on the back of the box. (I use the whole egg version. That yolk-y goodness can't be beat. If I were trying to be healthy I would not be making a cupcake.)
Crush up the cookies. I use about half a regular package of plain Oreos. If you don't want to get the food processor out, throw them in a giant Zip Lock and beat them with a rolling pin. This method is a little slower, but very cathartic. Whatever works for you.
Fold cookie crumbs into the batter. And that's it. All that's left is to spoon them into cupcake pans and throw them in the oven. It is just the one step. It usually only takes 1 or two extra steps to take a mix from boring to extraordinary.
They're fantastic. You can use a fudge buttercream or vanilla (click here for my best vanilla butter cream) to frost these once cooled. If you want, top them with mini cookies - for a special touch.
These always get rave reviews and are so simple to make.
So next time you're looking for bakery caliber cakes, at home cook prices, and that fit your busy schedule, you're all set!
