Are we really halfway through October? Guess that means it’s time to start embracing the Halloween aspect of fall before Christmas takes over every store in sight… bring on the holiday-themed Oreos!

Cupcakes do not appear on this blog o’ mine enough, (There’s only been two so far? Really!?) so let’s throw these fancy Oreos into the mix shall we? The Oreo sits at the bottom of a rich chocolate cupcake, topped off with orange-colored cream cheese frosting and some extra Oreo. I even put them in fun Halloween cupcake liners for your viewing pleasure.

I actually had a picture of the inside of the cupcake so you could see how pretty the Oreo looks in there, but I apparently wanted to eat the rest of it before making sure I got a photo that was in focus. So use that brain of yours and fire up the imagination! Or just make them and see for yourself O:-).

In a time crunch and want to make this recipe easier? I won’t tell anyone if you use a boxed cake mix and a jar of cream cheese frosting. It still gets a personal touch by adding the Oreos and dying the frosting!

HALLOWEEN OREO CUPCAKES

Makes 24 cupkcakes

Ingredients:

CAKE

36 Halloween Oreos (less than one package)

2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

1-1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

FROSTING

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

3-4 cups powdered sugar

Orange gel food coloring (or yellow and red)

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
2. Twist apart 24 Oreos. Place the wafer with filling on it, filling side up, in the bottom of each paper liner (save non-filling sides for another recipe, or crush and use as additional garnish). Cut 12 more Oreos in half for garnish.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth.  Gradually add the brown sugar and continue beating until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.   Mix just until all the dry ingredients have been incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
5. Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.  Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.
6. Meanwhile make the frosting. In a medium bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add vanilla extract. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. Mix in food coloring until well blended.
7. Once cupcakes have cooled completely, scoop the frosting into a pastry bag and pipe frosting decoratively on top of the cupcakes.  Garnish with Oreo cookie halves.

Source: Cupcakes from Annie’s Eats, frosting and Oreo idea from Beantown Baker.